• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Seeking Good Eats logo

  • Recipes
  • by Course
  • Low Carb & Keto
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Easy Taco Salad Recipe

    Published: Jun 1, 2023 by seekinggoodeats · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    Jump to Recipe

    This easy taco salad recipe will be on your table in 20 minutes, making it perfect for any meal. You'll love the flavor combination of the taco seasoning and meat with thousand island dressing, onions, avocado, and olives - with cheese, of course. 😉 Adaptions for making low carb, keto, and sugar free provided. Enjoy!

    Taco salad served in a white bowl with sour cream and salsa on the side.
    Jump to:
    • What makes this recipe for Taco Salad the best?
    • Homemade Taco Salad ingredients
    • Easy Taco Salad toppings
    • How to make Taco Salad
    • How to serve this Taco Salad Recipe
    • How to store Homemade Taco Salad
    • Best Taco Salad Recipe FAQs
    • More Salad Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What makes this recipe for Taco Salad the best?

    20 minutes is all you need to make this. While the ground beef is browning, start chopping the vegetables. To make it even quicker, use pre-chopped or shredded wherever possible. Voila! The perfect weeknight dinner idea!

    The flavor. Ahhhh. A classic taco salad is the BEST. The perfect blend of seasoning, dressing, fresh vegetables, and meat. You'll love the texture of the corn chips (if adding) too!

    Healthy taco salad options.

    • You can lighten up this salad by using fat-free thousand island, reducing the amount of cheese, and using lean ground beef or turkey. In addition, baked tortilla chips will give it a crunch but are healthier than corn chips.
    • To make this a low carb taco salad (or keto) do not use kidney beans and corn chips. Be sure to use a low carb keto-friendly salad dressing as well.

    Homemade Taco Salad ingredients

    Ingredients needed for making taco salad.

    Here are the taco salad ingredients you'll need:

    • Ground Beef: Lean ground beef or 80/20 ground beef may be used. Ground turkey or ground chicken may also be used.
    • Taco Seasoning Mix: Try my healthy homemade taco seasoning mix - it's super easy!
    • Kidney Beans: A classic in taco salads. Do not use if following keto.
    • Onion: Use a white or yellow onion. Green onions may also be sued.
    • Avocado
    • Black Olives: Buy sliced to make it easier.
    • Shredded Cheddar Cheese: A Mexican cheese blend may also be used.
    • Corn Chips (optional): Tortilla chips may also be used.
    • Hot Sauce (optional): This is a mild salad, add spice to your desired heat level.
    • Iceberg Lettuce or Romaine Lettuce
    • Tomato: I diced up a tomato, but you could also use halved cherry tomatoes.
    • Thousand Island Salad Dressing: make my delicious 6-ingredient homemade salad dressing version. It's so good! No need to buy it. Use fat free to reduce calories and fat. French dressing or Catalina dressing are great substitutions as well.

    See recipe card for full ingredient details.

    Easy Taco Salad toppings

    Anything you put in regular tacos can go on (or in) this salad. Some recommended toppings are sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, hot sauce, green onions, more cheese (of course), and additional corn chips or tortilla chips. You could also use sliced fresh or jarred jalapenos.

    How to make Taco Salad

    It's easy to make taco salad, here's how:

    Cooking the ground beef for taco meat then adding kidney beans.

    1. Brown ground beef, add taco seasoning, water. Simmer until thickened. Stir in kidney beans.

    Adding all the salad ingredients to a large bowl.

    2. In a large bowl add all the salad ingredients including beef mixture and shredded cheese.

    Pouring dressing over the salad then tossing..

    3. Pour the salad dressing over and gently toss.

    Taco salad in a white bowl with fresh cilantro and salsa.

    4. Serve with hot sauce or salsa, and sour cream and fresh cilantro.

    See recipe for full instruction details.

    How to serve this Taco Salad Recipe

    • Serve the salad on a plate or make a taco salad bowl by serving in tortilla bowls (soft) or tostada bowls (crispy).
    • Sour cream, salsa, taco sauce, or guacamole are the perfect accompaniment.
    • Add more crunch with corn chips or crushed tortilla strips.
    • Add more color and sweetness with bell peppers.
    • Add spice with jarred or fresh jalapenos.
    • Chopped cilantro and squeezed lime juice add wonderful flavor as well.

    How to store Homemade Taco Salad

    Once the dressing is added, the salad can get soggy. It is best to make only what you think you will eat. If you still end up with leftovers, store them in an airtight container up to 24 hours. Refresh the salad with extra lettuce and crispy corn chips. Leftover taco meat by itself can be stored up to 4 days.

    Be sure to save this pin to Pinterest for later! 🙂

    Pinterest pin with a white bowl of taco salad.

    Best Taco Salad Recipe FAQs

    How many pounds of ground beef per person for taco salad?

    The rule of thumb is about .25 pounds per person, but if you are adding another protein source (such as beans) you may use a little less ground beef.

    How do you cut romaine lettuce for taco salad?

    Wash the romaine then trim off the stem. For taco salad you could chop or shred the lettuce. Another option, stack a few leaves together, roll them tightly, and slice across the roll to create thin strips. Repeat this process until you have cut all the leaves.

    Is a taco salad healthier than a taco?

    A taco salad may be healthier than a taco, if you omit the corn chips (to lower carbs), use lean ground beef, lower fat thousand island, and don't overdo the cheese. If it is healthier all depends on what and how much you are adding to your salad.

    More Salad Recipes

    • Easy Fruit Salad
    • Italian Antipasto Salad Platter Recipe
    • Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe
    • Healthy Tomato and Eggplant Salad Recipe

    📋 Recipe

    Taco salad in a white bowl with fresh cilantro and salsa.

    Homemade Taco Salad

    A delicious and easy classic taco salad in less than 20 minutes!
    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Author Kori
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Salad Recipes
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6
    Calories 716 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound ground beef
    • 1 recipe taco seasoning mix (Or 1 store packet)
    • ⅔ cup water
    • 1 (15-ounce can) kidney beans (drained and rinsed; omit if following keto)
    • 1 small head iceberg lettuce (torn or shredded)
    • 1 medium ripe avocado (peeled, pitted and sliced into ¼" slices)
    • 1 large tomato (chopped)
    • ½ cup onion (chopped)
    • 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
    • ½ cup sliced black olives
    • 2 cups crushed corn chips (optional) (if not following a low carb or keto diet)
    • 1 cup thousand island dressing (keto use sugar free)
    • hot sauce to taste (optional)
    • optional for serving: cilantro, sour cream, and salsa

    Instructions
     

    • In a medium-sized skillet on medium heat, brown ground beef. Drain excess liquid then add water and seasoning packet. Bring to a simmer and reduce until sauce is thickened.
    • Add kidney beans to the meat and cook until warm. Remove taco meat mixture from heat.
    • In a large salad bowl place lettuce, avocado, onion, tomatoes, cheese, olives, and corn chips. Add warm beef and bean mixture.
    • Top with thousand island dressing, and taco sauce (if using). Toss gently.
    • Serve immediately. Adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with sour cream, salsa, and cilantro.

    Notes

    • Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
    • VARIATIONS/SUBSTITUTIONS: Use ground turkey or chicken in place of beef; Halved cherry tomatoes instead of chopped tomatoes; French or catalina dressing in place of thousand island; Black beans instead of kidney beans.
    • TIPS: This salad is mild. If you want extra spice use hot sauce or taco sauce. If the dressing is added too soon it can make the salad soggy. To meal prep. Have all the ingredients stored in separate containers then assemble when ready. This recipe can easily be halved - or even doubled if needed. 
    • SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve on a plate or in a tortilla bowl. Season to taste with hot sauce, taco sauce, or salsa. Top with sour cream or even extra diced avocado and fresh cilantro.
    • KETO NOTES: omit kidney beans and corn chips. Make sure to use a keto friendly thousand island dressing. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 716kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 39gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 1620mgPotassium: 1055mgFiber: 12gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1630IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 380mgIron: 6mg

    © 2023 Seeking Good Eats™

    More Salads Recipes

    • A white bowl piled high with broccoli salad with bacon, cheese, carrots, and nuts.
      Cauliflower Broccoli Salad
    • A round glass bowl of pasta salad with olives, tomatoes, and colorful fresh vegetables.
      Creamy Tortellini Pasta Salad
    • Broccoli Salad Recipe with Bacon
    • A white bowl of fruit with almonds and serving utensils.
      Easy Fruit Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Image of Kori Seeking Good Eats Founder

    Hello! I'm Kori and I am a food LOVER. I've had a lifelong passion for cooking and eating (of course)! At some point that catches up with you, right? Older and wiser, I now watch what I eat more closely. What's the hardest and most frustrating part? Finding recipes that are healthy, easy to make, AND taste great.

    More about me →


    Recent Recipes

    • Sour cream is drizzled over the cheesy baked enchiladas in a 13 inch by 9 inch baking dish.
      Homemade Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce
    • Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
    • Sliced pork tenderloin topped with peaches on a white rectangle platter.
      Crockpot Pork Tenderloin
    • BBQ Wings served on a white plate with a white and blue napkin.
      BBQ Wings Recipe (Baked, Grilled, Air Fryer, Crock Pot)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As featured in collage of websites

    Information

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure page for more information.

    Copyright © 2023 Seeking Good Eats™