Easy Beef Taco Salad

This Easy Beef Taco Salad is perfect at any time of the year with its crisp lettuce, delicious beef topping, cheese, and condiments. Everyone can build a salad as they want to.

This makes an excellent back-to-school dinner when you are trying to get a meal on the table, homework started, or after-school activities worked into the schedule.

Try some of our other delicious Mexican-inspired dishes like Cheesy Enchilada Rice, BBQ Chicken Tostadas, Baked Chicken Flautas, Easy Fast Rotisserie Chicken Tacos, or Mexican Potato Skins.

This recipe for Beef Taco Salad we love and is in our rotation frequently. I love to make my own taco seasoning as I find the packaged taco seasoning is so loaded with sodium. I like to omit salt completely, like in our No-Sodium Taco Seasoning or salt to how I like it.

Another easy meal is to grab some frozen burritos to make this Best Frozen Burrito Casserole with Cheese and watch the family go crazy for it!!

What Goes In a Taco Salad?

Simple ingredients but don’t be intimidated with the long list; a lot of the ingredients are spices to make up the beef seasoning. The rest of the ingredients are for the salad and can be pre-made, like guacamole, salsa, etc.

Buy pre-washed and torn lettuce for super easy prep. Also, try corn chips with this salad, I love adding those in, but you can also have tortilla chips, too, as they make great dunkers!

How To Make Taco Salad

Pulling this salad together is super easy, so fresh, and everyone seems to love it. Let’s dive into making it now.

In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder,  paprika, and pepper together and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until it is cooked through using a wooden spoon to break it up as it cooks.

After the beef has browned, add the spice mixture and stir for 1 minute to coat the beef.

Then add the 1/2 cup water and stir while the water evaporates, season with salt if desired.

Once the beef is done, allow it to cool for a few minutes.

Prepare the salads by dividing the lettuce between four plates and drizzle with salad dressing.

Spoon the beef over the lettuce, top with cheese, add a dollop of sour cream and salsa to each plate and guacamole if using.

Divide the tomatoes between the plates, garnish with some slices of avocado and a handful of corn chips and serve.

Should Taco Salad be Warm or Cold?

Should taco salad be served warm or cold? The answer is yes, lol! I like the meat warm and the salad ingredients to be cold or cool at least. You don’t want to eat limp lettuce, so I like to cook the meat for a bit before it goes onto the salad.

Next, I put the cheese on the warm meat so it melts slightly and be a barrier for the rest of the cold toppings.

Can You Eat Taco Meat Cold?

If you prefer your taco meat cold, you can certainly eat it cold. Once it is fully cooked, it is fine to consume either hot or cold. Have leftovers? You can simply microwave your beef and make a whole new fresh salad.

How long does a taco salad last in the fridge? A fully constructed salad won’t last that long in the fridge as the lettuce, tomatoes, corn chips, etc., will go soggy. If you want to transport this for a lunch, make the salad and keep the meat, condiments, and corn chips separate, and build it again at work or school.

Optional Salad Ingredients

Want to mix things up a bit and add in some different ingredients? Here are some great options.

Romaine lettuce stands up well in this salad, but you can use iceberg lettuce too.

For a salad dressing, I do like a bottled olive oil vinaigrette or an Italian salad dressing. You can also use a Catalina dressing or Ranch dressing too; they both work nicely.

Want to change up the beef? Sure, ground turkey or chicken works equally well, but for me, good old beef is great! You can make it lean or extra lean too.

Want to up the protein? Add in some kidney beans or pinto beans to the taco salad recipe, and you will have a delightful change.

Want to add in a little spice from onions? Sure try some finely diced red onion or chopped green onions. Our family loves those as additions too.

Want to make it a Doritos taco salad? By all means, add that spicy delicious chips in, too, instead of corn chips. You can offer a variety of chip options if you have them.

Have other ideas, please share them with us in what you and your family like to add to your Easy Beef Taco Salad.

Is Taco Salad Healthy?

Well, taking away the big deep-fried bowl that you usually get a taco salad in really helps. The rest is up to you! Use a lower fat beef, lighter sour cream, not too many chips, not too much dressing, lower sodium taco seasoning, going light on the guacamole, and you will be doing fine.

You will still have a very delicious salad, and it will be on the healthier side for sure. Reading labels and seeing serving suggestion sizes definitely helps. Load up on the light ingredients like tomatoes and romaine if you want a larger salad.

All things in moderation, enjoy this family weeknight meal.

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!

Easy Beef Taco Salad

Tara Noland

This Easy Beef Taco Salad is a great family meal for a quick weeknight solution. This delicious recipe is in our rotation frequently as it is under 30 minutes to pull together, and everyone can build their own to how they like it.

5 from 13 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Salads

Cuisine Mexican/American

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 761 kcal

Ingredients

 

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1/2 cup of water
• 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
• 1/4 cup bottled oil and vinegar dressing
• 3/4 cup grape tomatoes sliced in half
• 1 cup shredded Tex-Mex cheese blend
• 1 avocado sliced
• Corn chips like Fritos
• 3/4 cup sour cream for serving
• 3/4 cup salsa for serving
• 1/2 cup guacamole for serving (optional)

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder,  paprika and pepper together and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until it is cooked through using a wooden spoon to break it up as it cooks.
• After the beef has browned, add the spice mixture and stir for 1 minute to coat the beef.
• Then add the 1/2 cup water and stir while the water evaporates, season with salt if desired.
• Once the beef is done, allow it to cool for a few minutes.
• Prepare the salads by dividing the lettuce between four plates and drizzle with salad dressing.
• Spoon the beef over the lettuce, top with cheese, add a dollop of sour cream and salsa to each plate and guacamole if using.
• Divide the tomatoes between the plates, garnish with some slices of avocado and a handful of corn chips and serve.

Equipment

Cactus Canyon Ceramics Spanish Terracotta 5-Piece Small Salsa Bowl Set (European Size), Multicolor

LE TAUCI Pasta Bowls 32 Ounce, Large Salad Bowls and Serving Bowls, Soup Bowl，Ceramic Pasta Plates – Set of 4, White

Mueller HealthyStone 8-Inch Fry Pan, No PFOA or APEO, Heavy Duty Non-Stick German Stone Coating Cookware, Aluminum Body, Even Heat Distribution, EverCool Stainless Steel Handle, Black

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 761kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 45gFat: 54gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 901mgFiber: 10gSugar: 7g

Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!