This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
A delicious taco salad made with ground beef, black beans, lettuce, shredded cheese, and the best taco toppings!
Ready in under 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for lunch or a weeknight dinner. Flavorful ground beef is mixed with the best taco toppings like crisp lettuce, black beans, corn, and so much more!
Why I Love This Recipe
When it comes to meals that I wouldn’t mind eating over and over again, taco salad tops the list. It’s got everything I love – lots of protein from the seasoned ground beef, black beans to keep me full, lots of veggies, shredded cheese in every bite, and my personal favorite ingredient, tortilla chips!
The chips add a delightful crunch and saltiness, which is, frankly, the main reason I keep coming back for more.
Here’s what else I love about it:
- It’s customizable: I love taco salads because you can customize them any way you like. This particular recipe uses ground beef, but you can use your favorite protein, and the toppings are endless! See my variations notes for some ideas.
- Quick and easy: This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes, which is great for busy weeknights or when you want to toss together something quick and delicious for lunch.
Ingredients
- Ground beef: I used lean ground beef (80/20) for this recipe, but feel free to substitute your favorite protein. Anything from ground turkey, chorizo, shrimp, or tofu works.
- Taco seasoning: I used my homemade taco seasoning, but you can use 1 packet of your favorite store-bought taco seasoning if you want.
- Toppings: A mix of chopped romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, avocados, diced Roma tomatoes, shredded cheddar, red onion, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and tortilla chips.
- Dressing: A dollop of red salsa and sour cream is the perfect Catalina-like dressing, but you could also use something like a cilantro lime dressing or jalapeño ranch.
How to Make Taco Salad
Cook the ground beef. In a medium skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once heated, add ground beef and taco seasoning. Mix to combine and break apart the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned.
Stir in the black beans and half the lime juice. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
Mix. In a large salad bowl, add the lettuce, avocado, corn, tomatoes, shredded cheese, red onion, remaining lime juice, and the ground beef and bean mixture. Lightly toss together to combine.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with tortilla chips, salsa, and sour cream.
Tips
- Make your own dressing by mixing together some chunky red salsa and sour cream. If you want to grab something at the store, Catalina and Thousand Island are great options.
- Add different vegetables. Feel free to substitute or add any of your favorite veggies like bell peppers, olives, or green onion. Even a few pickled jalapeño peppers would be delicious.
- Use a different protein. Swap out ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or your favorite plant-based option.
- Don’t forget the crunch. Top with tortilla strips or crush up tortilla chips over your salad to add the best crunchy texture.
How to Serve Taco Salad
This Tex-Mex taco salad can be served as a meal on its own in a large bowl or in a crunchy tortilla bowl. You could also pair it with some sides for the best dinner experience.
Recommended Tools
Large mixing bowl. I like using large mixing bowls for big salads to make servings and storing easier.
Cast iron skillet. This heavy skillet is great for cooking meats and lasts forever.
Cutting board. This board is dishwasher-safe and doesn’t ruin your knives.
Storing and Reheating
Taco salad is best enjoyed fresh. If storing, keep the dressing and crunchy components separate to avoid any sogginess. Reheat the meat separately and assemble everything just before serving.
Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 avocados, diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup diced roma tomatoes
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack)
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ cup diced red onion
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
- For serving: Tortilla chips, chunky red salsa, and sour cream
Instructions
- In a medium skillet add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once heated, add ground beef and taco seasoning. Mix to combine and break apart the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned.
- In the same skillet, add black beans and toss to combine. Add half the lime juice and stir to combine. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
- In a large salad bowl, add lettuce, avocado, corn, tomatoes, shredded cheese, red onion, and remaining lime juice. Lightly toss together to combine.
- Once the beef and black bean mixture reaches room temperature, add it into the salad bowl and mix to combine.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with tortilla chips, salsa, and sour cream.
Notes
- Make your own dressing by mixing together some chunky red salsa and sour cream. If you want to grab something at the store, Catalina and Thousand Island are great options.
- Add different vegetables. Feel free to substitute or add any of your favorite veggies like bell peppers, olives, or green onion. Even a few pickled jalapeño peppers would be delicious.
- Use a different protein. Swap out ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or your favorite plant-based option.
- Don’t forget the crunch. Top with tortilla strips or crush up tortilla chips over your salad to add the best crunchy texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
This Taco Salad was wonderful and beautiful also. Crunchy and tasty. Great with Mexican Skillet Corn Bread!
Thank you for sharing. Now I am sharing too. 🖥
I was craving tacos or taco salad, but you really don’t find very many good ones at the restaurants. so looking you popped up. I never really comment, but I liked your ideas. If you don’t have this then use something else. I didn’t want to chop a head of lettuce so I bought a bag of mixed lettuce, cabbage and other stuff that looked good, used some open broth to add to the lean grass feed meat. Taco salad turned out fantastic. Eye balled all the seasoning, which you have them spot on. Served with Avacato
and lime slices. Used your creamy cilantro sauce.
Been writing a cook book for about ten months now, had two other inspirations, the wife a great cook, Gordon Ramsey and now you are the third.
Next time I’m putting the taco salad mix in some warm street taco or warm soft tacos. What ever I have.
Hi Michael, thank you so much for the compliment! We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
This really is the best taco salad and is in our regular rotation. It is easily customizable and hits the spot every single time. Delish!