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Looking for an easy weeknight meal? This easy and healthy Taco Salad recipe is it! It’s simple to prepare, deliciously satisfying, and customizable with your favorite taco toppings! Made in under 30 minutes, it’s the perfect family friendly dinner that is also gluten-free, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
Taco Salad Recipe
Taco night can’t come easier when traditional ground beef tacos are turned into taco salad bowls! This easy and healthy Taco Salad recipe is most definitely going to be a crowd favorite. It’s delicious, so customizable and best of all easy-breezy to make! We take the classic flavor of a ground beef taco with seasoned meat and toss it together with all the usual suspects like romaine, avocado, tomato and (optionally) cheese. To make it easy-as-can-be, use a store bought salsa to help season the meat and to use as a dressing on the assembled salad. It works well with both a red salsa and a green salsa verde.
Want to make it a taco salad bar? If you have picky eaters in your family leave all the different salad ingredients in small bowls and let everyone make their own taco salad bowl! Plus the little ones will think it is fun and just might be tempted to try something new!
Ingredients for Taco Salads
Ingredients for Taco Salads- Ground Beef
- Spices
- Salsa
- Romaine lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red onion
- Pickled jalapeños
- Cheddar cheese (optional, omit for Whole30 or Paleo)
- Avocado
Want to customize it to your favorite taco topping? Swap out what you don’t have or don’t like with what you’ve got on hand. Some other great additions are:
- Canned beans
- Shredded kale
- Corn
- Crushed up tortilla
- Shredded chicken or pork
- Hot sauce
How to Make Taco Salad
This couldn’t be easier! All you have to do to make this dish is:
- Brown some ground beef and add the spices
- Mix up your taco fixings in a large bowl
- Divide among plates and top with cooked ground beef
- Serve with a side of salsa or hot sauce
If you like this simple and healthy salad recipe, check out these others:
- Chopped Antipasto Salad with Chicken
- Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Salad with Crispy Chickpeas (& Green Yogurt Dressing)
- Mediterranean Tuna Salad with No Mayo!
HEALTHY TACO SALAD
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup salsa of choice divided
- 4 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños
- Optional: 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 avocado cubed
- Lime wedges for garnish
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add beef and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat. Add all of the spices to the beef and ¼ cup salsa and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile assemble salad: In a large bowl toss together lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeños, and cheese. Divide between 4 bowls and top with ground beef.
- Serve with remaining salsa on the side for dressing.
So tasty!
Everyone in our family agreed that this was amazing. I used 1/2 a pound of ground beef instead of 1 lb and added in some brown rice. Otherwise, followed it exactly.
This was awesome! Saved the recipe and will make again. Thank You!
Cool idea for a salad. Congratulates the idea 🙂
yum, yum, yum, I love! nice change from the burrito bowl too.
This looks so good! Like Bethany above, I’ve never actually made a full on taco salad at home – mine are always just taco meat that I can’t put on a taco shell with a little avocado over whatever salad greens I have – no organization what so ever! lol I like all those topping ideas! Thanks for sharing and Austin looked like SO much fun. Between yours and Juli’s snaps, it almost felt like I was there! 🙂
Taco salads are the best!!! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to write!! xoxox
Taco salads are my go-to dinners when ever they are on the menu at a mexican restaurant, so good! I’m kinda embarrassed to say that I never actually made my own at home! Time to start with this tasty recipe!!
Looks so good! Very nice post! Thank you so much!