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Taco Salad - With taco-seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, beans, avocado and cheese! Top with a dollop of sour cream. So quick, so good!

Looking for a quick and flavorful taco salad that everyone will love? This easy taco salad recipe is loaded with taco-seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, hearty beans, creamy avocado, and plenty of shredded cheese. Finish it off with a dollop of sour cream for a bold, satisfying meal that’s ready in minutes!

Taco salad served in a crispy tortilla bowl, filled with lettuce, ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, olives, and topped with sour cream.

Who doesn’t love a good taco salad? With crisp romaine lettuce, taco-seasoned ground beef, Roma tomatoes, red onion, pinto beans, diced avocado and shredded Mexican blend cheese, this salad always delivers. So good, you don’t even need a dressing. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a few dashes of hot sauce, and your weeknight dinner will be set in no time.

Why You’ll Love This Taco Salad

  • 100% weeknight worthy. This taco salad is quick, easy and packed with so much flavor. Not to mention the 30 minute time stamp, start to finish.
  • Family-friendly. This salad can be topped with anything and everything, catering to everyone in the family – tomatoes, avocado, jalapeños, beans, onions, salsa, pico de gallo, or crushed tortilla chips to name a few – the sky is the limit!
  • Perfect make-ahead recipe. The beef mixture and toppings can be prepped a few days in advance, making this an even quicker weeknight meal.
  • Versatile recipe. Use your favorite meat and cheese, or add in as little or as many veggies to your liking, making this a true clean-out-the-fridge meal.
Deconstructed taco salad in a bowl with lettuce, ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, black beans, olives, tortilla chips, sour cream, and green onions.

Taco Salad Ingredients List

Ground Beef (Seasoned & Crumbled)

Lean ground beef is a classic choice in a taco salad, but ground chicken or turkey can also be used as a lighter option. Not a fan of ground beef? Swap in copycat Chipotle chicken or carnitas!

Homemade or Store-Bought Taco Seasoning

For all the classic taco flavor goodness!

Beer (Optional Flavor Booster)

Although water can be substituted, beer will help tenderize the ground beef, enhancing its flavor and texture.

Hot Sauce

For a kick of heat!

Crisp Romaine or Iceberg Lettuce

Romaine or iceberg lettuce are ideal choices as they are crisp, crunchy and sturdy, holding up very well in salads.

Optional Toppings (Cheese, Avocado, Chips & More)

Tomatoes, red onion, pinto beans or black beans, avocado, cheese, cilantro and jalapeno slices are used here but feel free to add in your favorite toppings such as bell pepper, corn, black olives, lime juice or crushed tortilla chips.

Creamy Taco Salad Dressing

A dressing is not needed here. A dollop of sour cream and a few dashes of Cholula will do wonders here!

Taco Salad Tips & Tricks for Best Results

  • Prep ahead of time. Save time by prepping and dicing the vegetables 1-2 days prior and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.
  • Use your favorite meat. Ground beef, chicken or turkey will all work very well here.
  • Make it vegetarian. Swap out the meat for sliced mushrooms, or use a plant-based meat alternative.
  • Serve hot or cold. Depending on personal preference, this can be served hot or cold. If the beef is still hot, it will cause the lettuce to wilt a bit!
  • Add a dressing. A dollop of sour cream and a little bit of hot sauce will go a long way here, but if you prefer a dressing, this cilantro lime dressing pairs beautifully with all the taco-flavored goodness here.
Taco salad in a crispy tortilla shell filled with lettuce, ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, black beans, olives, sour cream, and green onions.

What to Serve with Taco Salad (Perfect Pairings)

Tools for Making Taco Salad

Large cast iron skillet

Taco Salad FAQ – Answers to Your Common Questions

Can I use a different beef instead of ground beef?

Not at all! Ground pork or ground turkey can be used instead of ground beef.

What’s the best hot sauce to use in taco salad?

You can use your favorite kind of hot sauce but we personally love Cholula.

What kind of dressing goes best with taco salad?

A dollop of sour cream will add such creamy goodness but if a dressing is needed, we highly recommend this one!

How should I store taco salad leftovers and how long do they last?

The leftover beef mixture can be stored separately in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Taco salad served in a crispy tortilla bowl, filled with lettuce, ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, olives, and topped with sour cream.

Recipe Card – How to Make Taco Salad

Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
With taco-seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, beans, avocado and cheese! Top with a dollop of sour cream. So quick, so good!
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning
  • ¼ cup water or beer
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Cholula
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 avocado, halved, peeled, seeded and diced
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced, optional

Equipment

Instructions

  • Heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
  • Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Stir in taco seasoning, water or beer and hot sauce until flavors have blended, about 2-3 minutes.
  • To assemble the salad, place romaine in a large bowl; top with ground beef, tomatoes, onion, beans, avocado, cheese, cilantro, sour cream and jalapeno.

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