Taco Salad

When the hottest days of summer hit, or when I am craving something hearty AND veggie-filled, this easy Taco Salad is the perfect no-oven dinner. If you’ve ever thought salads are only a side dish, this will be the one to change your mind. The best part about this salad is that everyone can build their own plate, just the way they like it.

This is the taco salad recipe our family has been making for years. It comes together in just about 30 minutes with only one skillet, a handful of pantry staples, and whatever toppings you love. It’s one of the few dinners no one complains about at our house.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in 30 minutes. All you need is one skillet to cook the meat, and the rest is just assembly.
• Easily customizable. Everyone can make their own plate with their favorite toppings.
• Great for meal prep. Make the meat and store your favorite toppings separately, then pull it out and assemble it each day for lunch.
• Perfect for weeknights. Even if you have a busy night, you can skip takeout and make this quickly at home instead.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s everything you’ll need, plus a few notes on substitutions our family has tried. 

• Ground Beef: 80/20 is what we usually default to, but you can use a leaner cut. You could also use ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter option (see Recipe Notes for more).
• Taco seasoning: make this quickly with a store-bought taco seasoning packet, or use a homemade taco seasoning (like the one from this recipe).
• Chili Beans: canned chili beans (with or without meat) adds flavor quickly. You can sub these out for black beans or pinto beans, too. Just make sure to drain them.
• Cataline dressing: it’s a little sweet, tangy, and tomato-y. You can sub this out for French Dressing for a similar flavor, but a slightly thicker dressing.
• Iceberg lettuce: this is our favorite lettuce to use for taco salad, but you can also use chopped romaine, or a mix of both.
• Tortilla chips: It wouldn’t be a taco salad without some tortilla chips! You can use a classic chip, and we love this with ‘Hint of Lime’ chips, too. Other readers love using crushed Doritos or Fritos for a little extra crunch AND flavor.
• Taco salad toppings: we love to add cheddar cheese, tomatoes, avocado, olives, sour cream, and salsa to make it a ‘traditional’ taco salad. You can also add corn, fajita style veggies, diced red onion, jalapeno or guacamole for extra color and flavor.

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

• Skillet
• Spoon (Wooden)
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Tongs
• Mixing Bowl

How to Make Taco Salad

1. Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
2. Season the meat. Stir in the taco seasoning, chili beans, Catalina dressing, and water.
3. Cook. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Set out the toppings. While the meat cooks, chop the lettuce (if necessary) and prep the rest of your toppings.
5. Assemble. Let everyone build their own salad bowl with lettuce, meat, chips, and any other toppings.

Variations to Try

Doritos Taco Salad: Swap the tortilla chips for crushed Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch Doritos for a potluck-favorite twist.

Layered Taco Salad: For potlucks or dinner parties, layer the ingredients in a trifle dish or clear glass bowl instead of tossing them together.

Taco Salad Bar: If you’re feeding a big crowd, double or triple the meat recipe and then set out each ingredient in its own bowl. Everyone can choose their toppings and build their own bow.

Lighter Taco Salad: Swap in ground turkey for the beef, plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream, and go lighter on the cheese and dressing. See more lightened-up swaps in the Recipe Notes.

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

• Make ahead: cook the meat mixture up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. Chop the toppings the day before and store individually.
• Storage: Let any leftovers cool, then store parts in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 2-3 days.
• Freezing: lettuce and other fresh toppings won’t freeze well, but you can cool the meat mixture, place it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze it for up to 3 months. 

Recipe Notes

• Ground turkey swap: if you’re looking for a leaner alternative to beef. The color and flavor may change slightly, but it will work great as a substitute in this recipe.
• Lighten the sour cream: Swap in plain Greek yogurt for a lighter option with a similar creamy texture.
• Add guacamole: makes a great addition for healthier fats. Try it with our Easy Guacamole recipe.
• Cut the carbs: Use whole wheat tortilla strips or baked chips in place of regular tortilla chips.
• Omit the cheese: you can omit the cheese, or cut back on it significantly to decrease the calories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to serve with Taco Salad

While this salad stands as a meal on its own, if you want to round it out with a few sides, we recommend Cilantro Lime Rice, Corn Salsa or Honey Lime Fresh Fruit Salad.

More Taco Recipes You’ll Love:

• Oven Baked Beef Tacos
• Air Fryer Navajo Tacos
• Taco Spaghetti
• Easy Taco Dip
• Cheeseburger Tacos