Taco Salad Recipe

Large white bowl filled with a bed of fresh greens topped with ground beef taco meat, shredded cheese, avocado, olives, tomatoes, and sour cream.

4.84 from 12 votes

This is the ultimate Taco Salad Recipe, filled with seasoned ground beef, fresh greens, cheese, and all of your favorite taco toppings! Drizzled with a homemade lime vinaigrette, the whole family will love this fresh take on the classic all-American Taco Salad! Ready in just 30 minutes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Beef, Dinner, Main Course, Meal Prep, Salad

Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex

Keyword: Recipe for Taco Salad, Taco Salad, Taco Salad Dressing, Taco Salad Recipe

Servings: servings

Author: Jessica Randhawa

Ingredients

For the Ground Beef Taco Meat

2 teaspoon olive oil
½ yellow onion diced
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoon taco seasoning or homemade taco seasoning
1 cup tomato sauce

For the Taco Salad

8 cups Romaine lettuce (or iceberg) chopped
2 large tomatoes cored, seeded, diced
½ cup green onion chopped
½ cup black olives halved
1 medium jicama peeled and chopped
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup tortilla strips
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1 large avocado peeled, pitted, and sliced or (homemade guacamole)
½ cup sour cream
Salsa, black beans, diced bell pepper, jalapeño, Spanish rice, etc. optional toppings

For the Lime vinaigrette (optional)

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice plus the zest of one lime
3 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon fresh cilantro minced
salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Ground Beef Taco Meat

Sauté the onions - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Stir often to prevent burning and reduce heat to medium if needed.
Cook the ground beef - Add the ground beef to the skillet. Use a large wooden spoon or spatula to break the beef into smaller and smaller bits and pieces. Fully cook your ground beef before draining approximately 3/4 of the liquid and fat from the skillet.
Add the seasoning and tomato sauce - Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the taco seasoning and tomato sauce to the beef and mix well to combine. Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes or so, stirring often.

For the VInaigrette

Add all ingredients for the vinaigrette to a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

For the Taco Salad

Assemble - Transfer lettuce to a large salad bowl. Top with the cooked ground beef, tomatoes, green onions, black olives, jicama, corn kernels, tortilla strips, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, and any other additional toppings you wish.
Serve - Divide salad to individual serving bowls and drizzle with the fresh lime vinaigrette or a desired salad dressing of choice.

Notes

The vinaigrette is optional; however, it is a delicious, tangy, fresh addition that goes really well with this salad. I grew up eating taco salad with sour cream, guacamole, and homemade Italian dressing, but I also enjoy it with Homemade Ranch dressing or creamy Catalina dressing.
Taco Meat Storage: Taco meat will last in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Vinaigrette Storage: Store in a small airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Shake well before using.
Make your own baked tortilla chips! Brush several corn tortillas with olive oil and season with salt. Slice into wedges (or strips) and transfer to a greased baking sheet. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F, turning once halfway through cooking.

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