Ground Beef Taco Salad
User Reviews
4.9
168 reviews
Excellent
Ground Beef Taco Salad
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This Ground Beef Taco Salad blends seasoned beef with fresh romaine, green onions, and cilantro, topped with cheddar, tomatoes, radishes, avocado, corn, jalapeños, and crunchy tortilla chips. The salad can be dressed with creamy tomatillo cilantro ranch or creamy salsa dressing for a zesty finish, combining textures from crisp vegetables to savory meat and creamy toppings.
Description
The salad centers on taco-seasoned ground beef cooked until juicy yet not dry, simmered briefly with taco seasoning and water to develop flavor. Romaine lettuce is chopped and mixed with fresh green onions and a generous amount of cilantro, lending brightness and crunch. A variety of toppings including shredded cheddar, cherry tomatoes, radishes, chopped red onion, avocado or guacamole, corn, and sliced jalapeños add layers of texture and fresh flavor. Crushed tortilla chips or Fritos provide a crunchy contrast.
Two dressing options enhance the salad: a creamy tomatillo cilantro ranch highlighting tangy and herbal notes or a creamy salsa dressing that introduces subtle spice and acidity. Both complement the seasoned meat and fresh vegetables. The salad is flexible with various topping substitutions and can be served as a hearty lunch or light dinner.
The recipe suggests prepping components in advance for meal prep, keeping wet ingredients separate until serving to maintain crispness. Alternative cheeses like Cotija or Queso Fresco can be used, and the meat can be replaced with beans for a meatless version. Adding black olives or homemade pico de gallo offers regional variations. The dressing uses leftover taco seasoning to maintain flavor consistency.
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Ingredients
For the taco meat
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning or McCormick's Premium Taco Seasoning, homemade
- 3/4 cup water
For the salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup green onions chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
Toppings
- 1 & 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 & 1/2 cups cherry tomato or chopped tomatoes of any kind
- 8 radish thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 2 avocado chopped (and/or 1 cup guacamole
- 1 cup corn thawed, frozen
- 1-2 jalapeños sliced
- tortilla chips or Fritos, crushed, Juanitas brand
- sour cream to taste (optional)
- salsa to taste (optional, restaurant style
- lime to garnish, sliced
Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch (Dressing Option 1)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 (.4-oz) package ranch seasoning buttermilk flavor
- 1 Serrano pepper roughly chopped
- 2 tomatillos halved
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1 lime zest
- 1 lime juice
- milk if the dressing is too thick
Creamy Salsa Dressing (Dressing Option 2)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup salsa restaurant style
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning **
- 1 lime zest
- 1 lime juice
Instructions
- Start with the taco meat.**Brown 1 pound ground beef in a skillet on the stove, over medium heat. Break up the meat into small pieces. Once it is no longer pink (3-5 minutes), remove from heat. Tilt the pan and scoop the grease into a foil-lined bowl (then refrigerate and toss when solidified). Return the pan back to the stove and set over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup homemade taco seasoning. (Or use 1/4 cup Premium Taco Seasoning. Or a regular taco packet will do, but add in a tablespoon of cornmeal along with the packet.) Add 3/4 cup water to the pan. Let the mixture come to a simmer. Turn off the heat when there is still thickened liquid at the bottom of the pan. If you cook until all the liquid has evaporated, you will have dry taco meat; no thanks. Set aside and keep warm, covered.
- Prep the lettuce and herbs. Chop the romaine into bite size pieces and dry in a salad spinner (or dry off with paper towels). Add 1/2 cup chopped green onions and 1 bunch of chopped cilantro. Spin to mix, or add to a large bowl and toss together.
- Prep your toppings. Grate 1 and 1/2 cups cheddar cheese. Chop 1 and 1/2 cups tomatoes. Thinly slice 8 radishes. Dice half a red onion. Chop 2 avocados (or make a quick guacamole with them by adding a bit of lime and salt). Thaw out 1 cup of frozen corn (I usually stick it in the microwave for 20 seconds and then let it finish thawing on the counter). Slice 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers. Crush some Juanitas or Fritos, but leave some whole for garnishing.
Decide which dressing you want to make:
- Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch (Dressing Option 1). In a blender, add 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 package ranch seasoning, 1 serrano pepper (roughy chopped), 2 halved tomatillos, half a bunch of cilantro, and the zest and juice from 1 lime. Blend until smooth. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time if it is too thick. (Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks!)
- Creamy Salsa Dressing (Dressing Option 2). In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream (OR Crema Mexicana!) with 1/3 cup Restaurant style salsa, 1 teaspoon taco seasoning,** and the zest and juice from 1 lime. (Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for 3 weeks!)
- Assemble the salad. Divide the lettuce mixture between 4 large plates or wide bowls. Add about a quarter of the taco meat to each bowl. Add about a quarter of each topping ingredient to each bowl. Cheese, tomatoes, radishes, red onion, avocados, corn, jalapeños, and crushed chips. Top with sour cream, salsa, extra whole tortilla chips, and dressing of your choice. And guacamole and extra avocados if you want. Squeeze a lime over the whole thing for an extra zing.
- Alternatively, you can place all the toppings in bowls on the table, and guests can build their own salad. If trying to impress, it's actually really helpful to post a list of ingredients nearby for people to check as they build. There's nothing sadder than getting halfway through eating your salad only to realize you're missing the guac!
Notes
- Cheddar cheese is traditional, but Cotija or Queso Fresco provide alternative flavors.
- If using creamy salsa dressing, reserve a teaspoon of taco seasoning from the meat to season the dressing.
- Additional toppings to consider include black olives, white onions, homemade Pico de Gallo, black or pinto beans, and different chips like Doritos.
- For a meatless version, substitute cooked seasoned black or pinto beans prepared with garlic and onion for extra flavor.
- For meal prep, keep lettuce and herbs dry and separately store meat, vegetables, chips, dressing, salsa, and sour cream to maintain freshness.
- Nutritional information excludes the dressing options.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
807kcal
(40%)
Carbohydrates
48g
(16%)
Protein
37g
(74%)
Fat
56g
(86%)
Saturated Fat
20g
(100%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
(29%)
Monounsaturated Fat
24g
(120%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
123mg
(41%)
Potassium
1574mg
(33%)
Fiber
16g
(64%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
16163IU
(323%)
Vitamin C
48mg
(53%)
Calcium
424mg
(42%)
Iron
7mg
(39%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 807 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 807kcal | 40% |
| Carbohydrates | 48g | 16% |
| Protein | 37g | 74% |
| Fat | 56g | 86% |
| Saturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 24g | 120% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 123mg | 41% |
| Potassium | 1574mg | 33% |
| Fiber | 16g | 64% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 16163IU | 323% |
| Vitamin C | 48mg | 53% |
| Calcium | 424mg | 42% |
| Iron | 7mg | 39% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
168 reviews
Excellent
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