Taco Salad Recipe

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!

My first memory of taco salads is of my mom. She loved to make the Doritos version (aka “Walking Tacos“) with homemade Italian dressing or, on busier nights, order taco salads from El Pollo Loco. They would come served in a crispy tortilla shell topped with sour cream and guacamole and drowned in ranch dressing.

The Best Taco Salad Recipe

The taco salads of my childhood were delicious, but this recipe is a million times better. Packed with delicious Tex-Mex flavors, it’s loaded with taco meat, crisp greens, veggies, cheese, sliced avocado, and sour cream and drizzled with the best homemade lime vinaigrette. It has all the things to make a super-satisfying, super-versatile weeknight dinner.

I’ve found that the best way to prepare dinner salads like this one is to wash and chop all of my favorite salad toppings and ingredients ahead of time and store them in separate airtight containers. With everything all ready to go, assembly (and dinner) will take just minutes to throw together.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

• The meat: Lean ground beef is the classic and most common protein, but other options include ground turkey or chicken. For a meat-free version, try substituting the meat for tempeh or sliced mushrooms.
• The seasoning: I always like to make my own homemade taco seasoning, so I know it’s free from MSG and yeast extract, but feel free to use whatever you love.
• The greens – Traditional taco salad recipes use iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce is just fine but lacks the vitamins and nutrients found in other greens. If I have the time, I’ll wash and chop two to three different greens including Romaine, kale, cabbage, and cilantro.
• The veggies – Tomatoes, red onion, green onions, bell peppers, black olives, and corn. Less common veggies include pickled jalapeños, cucumbers, and shredded carrots.
• The Toppings – I like to start with some shredded cheese. I’ll usually top mine with cheddar cheese, Colby, or Pepper Jack. Other must-have options include sour cream, avocado (or guac), salsa, and tortilla chips.

How to Make Taco Salad

1. Cook the taco meat: 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. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Use a large wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat into smaller and smaller bits and pieces. Thoroughly cook your ground beef before draining approximately 3/4 of the liquid and fat from the skillet. 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.

2. Prepare the vinaigrette: Add all of the 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.

3. Prepare the toppings: Wash, chop, and dry any toppings that require a thorough cleaning (e.g., lettuce, green onion, cilantro, etc.) I use a salad spinner to dry leafy greens, which helps keep them fresh for days without getting soggy.

4. Assemble: Transfer the desired amount of greens to a large salad bowl. Top with cooked taco meat, veggies, tortilla strips, shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, and any other additional toppings you wish.

5. Serve: Divide the salad into individual salad bowls and drizzle with the prepared lime vinaigrette or dressing of choice (optional).

Recipe Tips

• Prepare the ground beef ahead of time – Ground beef loves to be prepared ahead of time and reheats perfectly. If I know I’m going to have an especially busy week, I’ll make a big batch of ground beef taco meat (or ground turkey taco meat) and have it ready for tacos, pasta, or stuffed bell peppers.
• Prepare the vinaigrette ahead of time – Make it the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator until you’re ready for it.
• You can save even more time by buying pre-made dressing, vinaigrette, salsa, and guacamole. Homemade is great, but sometimes convenience is better.
• Unless you have your own garden, purchase pre-cut and pre-washed lettuce for super-fast prep time.
• Freshly grated cheddar cheese is better than pre-shredded. I know, I’m all about saving time, too, but the anti-caking stuff all over the cheese? No thanks.
• If you suspect that you’ll have leftovers, only add the ground beef, dressing, sour cream, salsa, or guacamole once the salads have been individually plated. This way you can save the leftovers.

Storage Tips for Taco Salad

Storing taco salad leftovers does involve a little planning ahead. Here are some tips to avoid wasting food and those hard-earned dolla dolla bills.

1. Separate everything: It may seem excessive, but the better things are separated, the fresher they’ll stay. Lettuce, tomatoes, and onions should be stored in their own airtight containers. Tortilla chips or crispy toppings should be stored in an airtight bag to avoid losing their crispness. Finally, the meat, cheese, and beans should all be stored in individual containers.
2. 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.
3. Vinaigrette storage: Store in a small airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Shake well before using.
4. Assemble when ready to eat: This keeps the ingredients fresh and prevents any unwanted sogginess.

More Main Dish Salad Recipes

• Butternut Squash Salad
• Classic Wedge Salad
• La Scala Salad
• Green Goddess Salad
• Cherry Tomato Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Salad

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