Description
This Easy Taco Salad is a fresh, vibrant, and flavorful dish combining crisp greens, seasoned ground meat or beans, crunchy tortilla chips, and zesty toppings. Ready in under 20 minutes, it’s perfect for quick weeknight dinners or crowd-pleasing meals. Packed with protein, fiber, and fresh vegetables, it offers a balanced, wholesome meal with bold Mexican-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey (or substitute with 1 cup cooked black beans for vegetarian)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad Base
- 4 cups romaine or mixed greens, washed and chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Toppings
- 1 cup tortilla chips, crumbled
- 1/2 cup salsa or pico de gallo
- 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
Optional Seasonings & Extras
- Optional: sliced jalapeños or hot sauce for heat
- Optional: sliced avocado or guacamole
- Optional: cooked quinoa or brown rice for grain bowl variation
Instructions
- Prepare Your Protein: Heat a pan over medium heat. Cook ground beef or turkey with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until browned and fragrant. For a vegetarian option, warm black beans with the same spices in a pan until heated through.
- Chop Fresh Ingredients: While the protein cooks, wash and chop the romaine or mixed greens. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red onion, and roughly chop the fresh cilantro for freshness.
- Assemble the Salad Base: Place the chopped greens in a large bowl. Scatter the cherry tomatoes, black beans, red onion, and shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the greens to build a crisp, colorful foundation.
- Add Protein and Crunch: Spread the cooked meat or seasoned beans evenly over the salad base. Then crumble the tortilla chips on top to add a satisfying crunch, mimicking taco shells.
- Top with Salsa and Creaminess: Spoon fresh salsa or pico de gallo over the salad, then dollop sour cream or Greek yogurt to create creamy, zesty bites in every forkful. Optionally add avocado slices or guacamole if desired.
Notes
- Use fresh vegetables for the best flavor and crunch.
- Toast chili powder and cumin briefly before cooking to boost aroma and taste.
- Add tortilla chips just before serving to keep them crunchy.
- Mix salsa with a squeeze of lime juice for a brighter flavor.
- Feel free to swap protein sources with shredded chicken, tofu, tempeh, or plant-based options.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad bowl (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: taco salad, easy taco salad, ground beef salad, vegetarian taco salad, quick dinner, Mexican salad, protein-packed salad
