This straightforward taco salad is a dinner staple and a perennial favorite. Fresh lettuce is topped with precisely seasoned minced beef, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, crisp tortilla chips, and MORE. Make a large taco salad or allow each person to assemble their own.
We adore taco night at our house, but occasionally we serve Taco Salad. It is a classic that everyone needs a nice taco salad recipe!
This dish is the greatest because it contains MANY delicious toppings. It is vibrant and the flavors are amazing! It’s the ideal salad for a quick evening meal, and it’s also a terrific option for entertaining, as you can have visitors assemble their own salads.
My guys always include a small amount of lettuce along with an abundance of meat, beans, cheese, and chips. I choose the vegetarian option and exclude the meat, but there are still so many delicious toppings to choose from. Everyone benefits when taco salad is served.
Taco Salad Ingredients
- With chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano-seasoned ground beef. Both ground turkey and ground chicken may be used.
- I adore romaine lettuce, but you may use any greens you choose.
- Black beans – canned beans are excellent! Simply rinse and drain them first. Additionally, pinto beans or even refried beans may be used.
- Mexican mix, cheddar, Monterey Jack, and pepper jack are all excellent choices for shredded cheese.
- I chopped grape tomatoes in half to make them simpler to eat with a fork. Additionally, you can dice huge tomatoes.
- Peel, remove the pit, and cut avocados! You may also add a large scoop of guacamole.
- Fresh cilantro – These can be roughly chopped with a knife or sliced into the salad with kitchen scissors.
- Onion — I adore adding a splash of color with red onion. Green onion is also delicious!
- Tortilla chips – Utilize your preferred brand. I suggest breaking them into smaller pieces to make them simpler to eat in the salad. If you wish to use Doritos, feel free to do so. I am aware that many individuals enjoy Doritos taco salad.
- Dressing — I prefer my Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing, but the ranch is also an excellent choice. And sometimes I just use pico de gallo or salsa for my dressing.
Fun Toppings
- This is where you can truly enjoy yourself! All of these toppings are optional, but they can enhance the flavor, satiety, and enjoyment of your salad.
- You may add sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), shredded cheese, jalapeno slices, black olives, corn, grilled or roasted vegetables, salsa, mango salsa, pineapple salsa, pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole, pickled red onions, queso fresco, hot sauce, and lime wedges; the possibilities are unlimited!
And remember to include the tortilla chips! You will enjoy the crunchy saltiness!
How to Make Taco Salad

I frequently prepare taco salad for weeknight dinners because it is SO simple to make. Additionally, everyone can create their own based on their preferences.
You can make one large bowl, or each person can make their own.
- To begin, prepare the taco meat. The oil is heated in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, brown the ground beef for about 5 minutes while breaking it into little pieces.
- Add chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano to the meat. Pour in the water and simmer for five minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Now is the time to construct the salad. Add the lettuce, taco meat, beans, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, onion, chips, and any other desired toppings to a big serving bowl or plate. Use your preferred dressing or a creamy cilantro-lime dressing to drizzle over the salad. I always like to add salsa too!
Should Taco Salad be Warm or Cold?

This is a matter of personal opinion, but I recommend room temperature or cold! Before adding lettuce to your salad, you should allow the meat to cool to room temperature or even chill it. Otherwise, the lettuce will quickly wilt.
How to Store
For the greatest leftover salad, store the ingredients separately and assemble them just before serving. We prefer to prepare each dish individually for the tastiest results every time!
The majority of the components can be chopped in advance so that when supper time arrives, everything is ready to go!
Ingredients
For the taco meat:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup water
For the salad:
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 15 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 large avocado peeled, pitted, and chopped
- 1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 ounces tortilla chips, slightly broken
Optional toppings for serving:
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Sliced black olives
- Jalapeno slices
- Red onion slices Lime wedges
- Hot sauce
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing, optional
Instructions
To prepare the taco meat, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, brown the ground beef for about 5 minutes while breaking it into little pieces. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano as seasonings. Pour in the water and simmer for five minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
To prepare the salad, combine the lettuce, taco meat, beans, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, onion, and chips in a large serving dish or plate. If preferred, garnish with favorite toppings and sprinkle with creamy cilantro lime dressing.
The salad can also be assembled on individual plates. Put out all the ingredients and allow everyone to make their own taco salads.
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