This Taco Salad is quick, flavorful, hearty, a total breeze to make and it’s a dinner everyone can agree on both young and old alike! It doesn’t take much to make a satisfying meal and this simple salad is proof of that. This is a back pocket recipe you’ll want to make on repeat!

Servings: 5

Prep15 minutes

Cook10 minutes

Ready in: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Beef Filling

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1.25 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 cup bottled fire roasted salsa
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro

For Salad

  • 1 head romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce, chopped
  • 5 oz. tortilla chips, slightly crumbled
  • 1 cup Shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes)
  • 1 avocado, diced (optional)
  • 5 Tbsp Sour cream or Mexican crema (optional)
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Crumble in beef in chunks. Let sear until browned on bottom, about 3 minutes then turn an d break up beef and continue to cook until cooked through.
  • Drain fat from beef then stir in salsa, chili powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste and heat through, about 1 minute.*
  • Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
  • Layer lettuce among individual plates. Top with chips, beef mixture, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, sour cream and red onion if using. Serve immediately.

Notes

*If you used a thicker salsa you may want to add a splash of chicken broth or water to thin slightly.  If you used a watery salsa you can let it simmer for a few minutes to reduce.

Time Saving Tips:

  • To make the most of your time and to get dinner on the table quickly I like to prep toppings while ground beef is browning.
  • You could even use pico de gallo and guacamole from the produce section of the grocery store in place of diced tomatoes and avocados to save prep time.
  • You can also buy a large bag of pre-cut romaine lettuce.

Nutrition Facts

Taco Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 558Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 101mg34%

Sodium 749mg33%

Potassium 916mg26%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 1560IU31%

Vitamin C 9.2mg11%

Calcium 254mg25%

Iron 4.3mg24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

COURSE: MAIN COURSE

CUISINE: TEX-MEX

KEYWORD: TACO SALAD