This taco salad recipe combines ground beef, lettuce, beans, cheese, tomatoes, tortilla strips and avocado, all tossed in a zesty dressing. A fun and festive salad that’s perfect for a lighter main course or as a side dish at a potluck.
I’m a fan of anything Mexican food, we eat plenty of white queso dip and burrito bowls in my house! This hearty taco salad is a family favorite, it’s colorful, fresh and super easy to make.
We eat a LOT of Mexican food around here – it’s typically quick to make and easy to customize to the kids’ taste. We kind of got into a burrito rut and I was trying to think of something to change it up a bit which is how I came up with this taco salad. This salad is absolutely loaded with toppings, and everyone can mix and match the ingredients which makes this recipe perfect for picky eaters.
This is one of my favorite hearty salads. If you want more hearty salads you should try my antipasto salad, panzanella salad or Mexican Caesar salad. There are plenty of salad options for every meal!
How do you make taco salad?
This recipe starts with ground beef which is browned in a pan and coated in taco seasoning. The ground beef goes into a bowl of lettuce along with tomatoes, avocado, corn, beans, cheese and tortilla strips. Everything gets tossed together in a tangy dressing, then you’re ready to eat.
Tips for taco salad
- I use pre-made crispy tortilla strips in this recipe, which are sold in most grocery stores near the croutons. If you can’t find them, feel free to use crumbled up tortilla chips instead.
- I use 90% lean ground beef for this salad, it’s got plenty of flavor without all the grease.
- You can use fresh, frozen or canned corn, they all work great.
- I like to dice all my ingredients to about 1/2 inch size pieces, it makes the salad easier to eat.
What kind of dressing do you put on taco salad?
This particular recipe calls for catalina dressing, which is a sweet and tangy tomato based dressing. If you’re not a fan of catalina dressing, I recommend using classic ranch dressing instead. You can also mix your salad with red or green salsa as a dressing to save a few calories.
Taco salad variations
There are so many different ways to customize your taco salad to your preferences.
- Protein: Use ground turkey or grilled chicken breast instead of beef.
- Cheese: Use pepper jack or a Mexican 4 cheese blend instead of cheddar.
- Avocado: Omit the diced avocado and instead add a scoop of guacamole on top.
- Lettuce: Try iceberg lettuce, butter lettuce or shredded cabbage instead of romaine.
- Beans: Use pinto beans, or add a layer of refried beans at the bottom of your salad bowl.
I love to set up a taco salad bar at parties. Simply put out bowls of chopped lettuce, meat and all the toppings, and let your guests assemble their own creations. Add a few choices of salad dressing at the end of the buffet and you’ve got a simple yet satisfying meal to feed a crowd!
More Mexican food recipes
- Chicken Taquitos
- Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Carne Asada Tacos
- Chile Relleno Casserole
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 4 cups romaine lettuce
- 3/4 cup black beans rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 cup diced tomato
- 1 avocado peeled, seeded and diced
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup sliced olives
- 1 cup tortilla strips plus more for garnish
- 2/3 cup catalina salad dressing can also use ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- cilantro leaves for garnish optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spatula, for 3 minutes.
- Add the taco seasoning and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until meat is done. Cool for 5 minutes.
- Place the meat, lettuce, beans, corn, tomato, avocado, cheese, olives and tortilla strips in a bowl.
- Add the dressing and toss to coat.
- Add the sour cream on top of the salad along with additional tortilla strips and cilantro leaves for garnish, then serve.
delicious!! One of my favorite salads.. I will be adding this one to the mix . thank you
These look yummy! I love Mexican food, we eat it a lot, A whole lot! Never thought of baking the tortillas, that would be a lot healthier.
What a great way to lighten up taco salad! I recently baked my own (mini) tortilla bowls, and it was really not so complicated like you said. Will definitely be doing it going forward to save some calories!
I originally thought it might be a pain to keep the tortilla from taking on weird shapes but when you bake them inside a bowl it’s perfect!
I love taco anything. These look great.
Holy cow, what! My family loves Mexican food! My mom actually bought us those taco bowl molds for the tortilla shells, and we use those occasionally. =) Definitely pinning this recipe to use soon!
I didn’t even know they had taco bowl molds, I’ll have to check those out!
They like so fresh and delicious! Pinning this for later!
Thanks Rebecka, let me know if you make it!
These are super cute! I will have to give the tortilla bowl a try 🙂 It looks amazing!
Taco salads are my favorite salads and my family would love these!
Love love love taco salads, but to put it flat on a plate is the biggest injustice. These bowls are done so simply. I have a massive soufflé ramekin that would be perfect for this!
I’m glad you already have the ramekin, let me know if you try it!
Mmmm I absolutely love taco anything! This looks delicious!
What a neat idea! My kids would love something simple like this!!
We eat a lot of Mexican food in my house as well, so this of course will be a winner!
This looks fantastic just in time for summer!!!
That looks yummy – may have to try it for the next Taco Tuesday
My family will go crazy for this recipe. And those tortilla bowls, perfect.
All I can say is wow. This meal looks so amazing.
Thanks Tirralan, it’s a favorite around here!
Yum! Sounds delicious, and I love the images. Such a vibrant dish!
All my favorite ingredients! *swoon*
Oh this looks FANTASTIC! 😀
What a fun way to serve these salads. I see a party hit in the works!
This would be really fun for a party, you could bake up a bunch of tortilla bowls, set out the toppings and let your guests serve themselves!