Easy Taco Salad

ByGaby Dalkin

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You know what we need right now... a perfectly crafted Taco Salad topped with fried tortilla strips on top!

An overhead shot of a table setting for two with two shallow bowls of taco salad on a terrazzo tile table with gold forks and dusty pink linen napkins.


 

Why I Love This Recipe

Did you guys take your lunch to school or buy it there? 95% of my life I took my lunch to school. Mama Dalkin would pack it every morning and off I went. The 5% of the time I was allowed to buy lunch it was like I hit the JACKPOT.

Buying school lunch was truly a thrill. It happened so infrequently I would take a solid 15 minutes just browsing all the options in our highschool cafeteria. More times than not, I'd land on a majorly loaded taco salad. It was my shining moment. It was loaded with guac and cheese and Ranch and really nothing could be better! These days my Loaded Taco Salads have gotten a major upgrade. We've got a cilantro vinaigrette that is so good, you'll want to drink it! Plus perfectly cooked taco meat and all the toppings you crave.

If this is a regular in your home, and want to mix it up, try swapping out the meat with this one for Picadillo Tacos. You can even make it for week lunches or have it on hand and use it in different ways- salad, tacos and on rice & beans!!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Ingredient shot of ingredients in individual clear bowls including olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, ground turkey, cilantro, shallot, garlic, red pepper flakes, onion, taco seasoning, corn, black beans, water, cherry tomatoes, green onion, cheddar cheese, avocado, and lettuce on a white marbled countertop.
  • Shallot
  • Cilantro
  • Garlic
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Olive Oil
  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Salt
  • Ground Turkey
  • Yellow Onion
  • Taco Seasoning
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Corn
  • Avocados
  • Green Onions
  • Cilantro
  • Black Beans

*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below

How to Make Taco Salad

A blender with shallot, cilantro, red pepper flakes, garlic, and salt and pepper on a white countertop.

Step 1: For the Cilantro Vinaigrette combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 2 minutes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed and set aside.

Step 2: For the taco meat place a medium skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes until soft.

A skillet of white onion and garlic sautéing in olive oil on a white marbled countertop.

Step 3: Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more.

A skillet of white onion and garlic and ground meat cooking in olive oil on a white marbled countertop.

Step 4: Add the ground chicken or turkey and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes until fully cooked. Add the taco seasoning and the water and reduce heat to low. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes while you assemble the salad.

A skillet ground meat with taco seasoning cooking on a white marbled countertop.

Step 5: If you’re layering this Taco Salad in one large serving bowl, layer half of the lettuce on the bottom followed by half of all the other toppings.

A ceramic white bowl of lettuce, meat, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, and black beans beside a clear bowl of cilantro vinaigrette in the upper left hand corner on a white marbled countertop.

Step 6: Add the next layer of lettuce on top and finish with the remaining toppings. Top with the meat and toss together with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Add more as needed and serve immediately.

FAQs

What are the main ingredients in a taco salad?

The main ingredients in a taco salad are lettuce, ground beef or chicken, tomatoes, onions, black beans, corn, cheese, tortilla chips, and a dressing of your choice.

What goes well with a taco salad?

Some popular toppings that go well with taco salad include diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, sour cream, and salsa.

Should taco salad be warm or cold?

Taco salad can be served either warm or cold, depending on personal preference.

What type of dressings go well with Taco Salads?

My favorite taco salad has a cilantro vinaigrette as the dressing but they can also be served with a spoonful of salsa, a lemon or lime vinaigrette or old school style Ranch dressing.

Can you make taco salads ahead of time?

It's best to either prep things ahead of time for a taco salad and assemble to serve OR make it all right before serving. Salads are tough to prep ahead as the lettuce can get soggy.

Tips & Tricks

Similar Recipes

If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today

An overhead shot of a shallow bowl of taco salad on a terrazzo tile table with a gold fork and a dusty pink linen napkin.

Taco Salad

Author: Gaby Dalkin
5 from 9 votes
The homemade version of your favorite taco salad from the high school cafeteria days!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Tex Mex
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

For the Cilantro Vinaigrette:

  • 1 shallot roughly chopped
  • 2 cups tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves stems removed (about 4 ounces)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Meat:

  • ½ pound ground turkey or chicken
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • ¼ cup water

For the Salad:

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce thinly shredded
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 2 ears of corn shucked and corn sliced off the cob
  • 2 avocados diced
  • 3 green onions sliced
  • cilantro leaves
  • 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained

Instructions
 

For the Cilantro Vinaigrette

  • Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 2 minutes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed and set aside.

For the Meat

  • Place a medium skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the ground chicken or turkey and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes until fully cooked. Add the taco seasoning and the water and reduce heat to low. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes while you assemble the salad.

For the Salad

  • If you’re layering this in one large serving bowl, layer half of the lettuce on the bottom followed by half of all the other toppings. Add the next layer of lettuce on top and finish with the remaining toppings. Top with the meat and toss together with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Add more as needed and serve immediately.

Notes

You can always make this more appealing to kids (and kids at heart) by using ranch instead of the vinaigrette.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 540mg | Potassium: 1293mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 19065IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @WhatsGabyCookin or tag #whatsgabycooking!

Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe by What’s Gaby Cooking

37 Comments

  2. This is definitely on my to-make list. The last time I had taco salad was in my college cafeteria. I can only imagine how much better this is going to be...

    Reply

    1. any dressing would be great! If you like ranch that would totally work - as would a red wine vinaigrette!! Or you could do a chive vinaigrette and replace the cilantro with chives 🙂

  7. I've been making my Taco Salad with added black beans and corn for years - my grown kids still ask for it. Your cilantro vinaigrette sounds like a wonderful addition.

    Reply

  8. Oh I brought my lunch to school every.single.day. And always a PB+J. I was the most unadventurous eater as a kid. Kind of surprising that I turned out to love food so much! This salad looks wonderful. I'm buried in snow, so I'd like to eat this and dream I'm in Mexico!

    Reply

  11. I could eat bowls of a beautiful and bright taco salad like this! Love the tortilla strips on top!

    Reply

  12. We have been digging on something similar minus the meat, and love it. Cannot wait to try your version using ground meat - so quick and easy.

    Reply

  14. Ha, I begged my mom to bring lunch because the school ones were NOT good. Not at all. This taco salad is perfection. Wishing I had all of the topping and energy to throw this together for lunch today.

    Reply

  15. Taco salad is my absolute weakness. I could eat pounds of it! This one looks so fresh and healthy too- gorgeous Gaby!

    Reply
5 from 9 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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