Taco salad used to be my go-to dinner when I was working 9 to 5 every day. It was really easy to throw together based on whatever was in my pantry. Also, I usually cooked enough taco meat to have some as leftovers to make the next day’s lunch or dinner even easier. Here I have adapted the classic taco ingredients into a salad for a quick and healthy weeknight meal.
Taco night was a weekly occurrence when I was growing up, with all of the toppings set out for everyone to assemble their own. My taste in tacos has come a long way from when I was a kid though. I used to assemble some meat and cheese topped with sour cream, wrapped up in a tortilla. Yikes. My taco preferences have certainly taken a turn for the better, no more cheese or sour cream or even tortillas necessary. The key is in the creamy dressing.
The avocado dressing provides some extra healthy fats and brightness to the salad. The lime juice and cilantro provide a refreshing flavor that really brings the taco salad together.
It takes about a minute to blend, and tastes good either at room temperature or chilled. You can store any extra dressing in the refrigerator for the next meal. Just wait to dress the salad until right before you’re ready to eat it so that the lettuce doesn’t get soggy on you. The taco seasoning can also be made ahead of time in large batches and stored, or you can combine the different seasonings while you cook the meat.
This substantial yet simple salad can easily be a filling lunch or dinner. It can also be made vegetarian by simply omitting the ground beef, though I would perhaps add more veggies, such as tomatoes. It takes very little time to assemble, which is great for rushed lunches, or weeknights when you don’t feel like cooking a big dinner. This salad is easy to put together no matter what your schedule.
More Good Taco Salad Recipes
Chicken Taco Salad
Chicken taco salad can be a simple but filling lunch or dinner. If you would like to make the salad vegetarian, simply omit the chicken and replace it with more of the fresh tomatoes, black olives, and avocado. The dressing is kept light and brightened with citrus. Requiring little assembly time, this recipe is a favorite for quick weekday lunches.
Ingredients
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
12 oz. Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 cup pitted black olives, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
For the dressing:
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
Pinch of salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
Instructions
1. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. In a separate large bowl, add the shredded chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and olives. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat. Top with green onions to serve.
