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overhead view of taco salad in a bowl with sour cream.
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4.50 from 2 votes

Taco Salad Recipe

Piled high with lettuce, fresh veggies, beans, cheese, and deliciously seasoned ground beef, this taco salad is the perfect meal.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4 salads

Ingredients

For the Taco Meat

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ onion chopped
  • 1 lb. ground beef*
  • 1 oz. taco seasoning (1 packet)
  • ½ cup salsa homemade or store-bought, plus more for topping

For the Dressing

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp chili powder
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad

  • 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 15 oz. canned black beans drained (1 can)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • cups corn** off the cob, canned, or frozen
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 1 cup tortilla chips***
  • chopped fresh cilantro optional, for topping
  • sour cream optional, for topping

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat.
    1 tbsp olive oil
  • Once heated, add in the onion, and cook until softened.
    ½ onion
  • Add in the ground beef and taco seasoning, and cook until the beef has browned.
    1 lb. ground beef*, 1 oz. taco seasoning
  • Stir in the salsa. Take the pan off the heat and set aside.
    ½ cup salsa
  • Place the lettuce in a large bowl.
    8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • Arrange the ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, corn, red onion, cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips on top.
    15 oz. canned black beans, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1½ cups corn**, ¼ cup chopped red onion, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, 1 avocado, 1 cup tortilla chips***
  • Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl.
    ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp chili powder, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp honey, 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
  • Top with cilantro, sour cream, and more salsa. If you're like me and love spicy food, drizzle over some hot sauce. For a milder option, try my taco sauce!
    chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream

Video

Notes

*I used 85% lean ground beef. Leaner also works, but I don't recommend using anything fattier. If you do use a higher fat content, drain excess grease from the pan once the beef is cooked, or use a paper towel to wipe it out. If you leave it in your pan, the beef will be too wet and have an oily texture. 
**I like fresh corn when it's in season, but frozen or canned also works. Let the frozen corn thaw for a few minutes at room temperature, or drain and rinse the canned corn.
***Tortilla chips add a bit of crunch! For a healthier option, I will make my own homemade tortilla chips, but store-bought ones also work.

Nutrition

Serving: 1salad | Calories: 954kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 29g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 1713mg | Potassium: 1693mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 10084IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 357mg | Iron: 8mg