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Taco salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy meal for your family or something to take to a potluck, taco salad is always a crowd-pleaser. We always serve it like a salad bar, so everyone gets to add their own toppings. Here’s our favourite recipe and tips.

taco salad before tossing in bowl with tomatoes on side — Colourful taco salad with a variety of texture and plenty of flavour.

Also Read: Homemade Taco Seasoning, Homemade Vegetarian Tacos, Chicken Taquitos

Frequently Asked Questions When Making Taco Salad

What kind of meat is best?

You can use any kind of ground meat in taco salad, including beef, turkey or chicken.

You can even use plant-based alternatives like mushrooms, lentils or Textured Vegetable Protein (eg. ground round). See my recipe for Tacos for how to cook TVP.

taco salad toppings with close up of taco meat and seasoning in jar — Ground beef with taco seasoning is a favourite, but ground chicken, ground turkey or TVP (textured vegetable protein) are all great options.

How can I make taco salad healthier?

Here are some ways to make your salad healthier:

Use lean meat, use plant based protein or create a half/half mix of meat with chopped mushrooms or even lentils.
Load up with extra veggies like bell peppers, cucumbers or fruit like mango.
Swap sour cream with a Greek yogurt mixed with a little cumin, garlic powder and lime juice.
Skip the tortilla chips.

vegetarian tacos filled soft taco shells — This is TVP (textured vegetable protein) used in a vegetarian taco. Click the link to learn more about this high protein plant based alternative.

What are some time saving tips when making taco salad?

Wash and prep ingredients ahead of time. Store them separately in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Prepare twice as much meat and freeze some for quick convenience the next time you make taco salad.
Make your own taco seasoning to have on hand whenever the mood strikes. Here’s my favourite recipe: Homemade Taco Seasoning
Use pre-cooked leftovers like cooked chicken, pork or steak strips for your taco salad.
Use pre-washed lettuce mix instead of fresh chopped lettuce.

taco salad ingredients on platters for self serve — Set out different toppings for a build it yourself taco salad bar. Keeping ingredients separate also makes it easier to store leftovers.

Can I make taco salad in a jar?

Yes, you can! To avoid a soggy disappointment start by putting your dressing, salsa and/or sour cream on the bottom of the jar then add your protein of choice and any other wet or heavy ingredients like, beans and corn. Finish with your favourite vegetables. If using avocado, be sure to cover its surface with lime juice or dd it later.

I prefer packing crispy chips or tortilla strips on the side so they stay nice and crispy.

Remember to store in the fridge til ready to eat.

taco salad all mixed up in a pie plate — What vessel do you use when making taco salad. I feel a regular dinner plate is too small for mixing the salad on my plate – so sometimes we use pie plates!

What are some other toppings?

There are no rules – add what makes you happy! Over the many years that we’ve been making this we’ve also added:

black olives
Cotja or feta cheese
red cabbage
grated carrots
coleslaw mix
parsley
Doritos instead of tortilla chips
cucumbers
mangos or fruit salsa

taco salad with cheese olives and jalapenos — Here’s a version with jalapenos and black olives.

How can I turn this into a Taco Salad Bowl?

Easy peasy, simply swap all or some of your lettuce for your favourite whole grain. I like using quinoa, but bulgur, brown rice, wheat berries or farro would work too.

Recipe for Taco Salad

taco salad in bowl with avocado and tomatoes on side

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Taco Salad

This taco salad recipe is simply a guide – you can easily adjust and make it just the way YOU like! Choose whatever type of animal or plant-based protein you prefer. We've used ground or shredded beef, chicken and turkey. We've also used TVP or crumbled tofu. As for the veggie toppings – pick your faves! As a special treat when going camping – hand everyone a package of Doritos and let them stuff their Dorito bag with taco salad toppings! 😘

Prep : 20

Cook : 8

Total Time: 28

Servings:

Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef, chicken or turkey
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 head of lettuce chopped
1 cup fresh tomatoes diced
1 cup black beans
1 cup frozen or canned corn
1 avocado diced
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
2 green onions chopped
1-2 cups tortilla chips
1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream

Instructions

Cook the ground beef or turkey in a skillet over medium heat until it’s browned and fully cooked, about 6-8 minutes. Drain any excess fat. Stir in taco seasoning and 2 Tbsp water. Heat through, then remove from heat.
Using separate bowls or a large platter, portion out and display chopped lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, corn, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese and seasoned taco meat. Serve green onions, cilantro, salsa and sour cream separately.
Ensure everyone has a large plate, preferably with a rim so they can easily toss their salad. (We sometimes use pie plates or serving bowls!)
By keeping ingredients separate, you can easily store any leftovers for several days.

Video

Notes

Other toppings:

sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers, feta cheese, cotja cheese, red onions, olives

Nutrient facts for ground beef.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Course: main dish, Salad

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: green salsa, salad bowl, taco salad, taco seasoning

What are your favourite taco salad toppings? And for the sake of our family discussion – do you prefer taco salad, hard tacos or tortilla wraps? Let’s just say there’s a bit of debate around our dinner table! Let me know your thoughts and I may or may not share them with my crew! 😲😜🤭. Comment below or tag me on Instagram @getgettys.

Quick and Simple Taco Salad Recipe for Busy Weeknights