Taco Salad
Our taco salad recipe is a family favorite with delicious ground beef, beans, cheese paired with fresh tomatoes, avocado, lettuce. and olives.
Serving6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1.25 ounces taco seasoning mix, 1 package
- 16 ounces chili beans, 1 can, drained
- 16 ounces Catalina salad dressing, divided
- ½ cup water
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 13 ounces tortilla chips
- ¾ cup shredded medium cheddar cheese
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 2 avocado, diced
- 1 cup sliced olives
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup salsa
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and drain excess grease.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, chili beans, 1 cup of Catalina dressing, and water.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Set out meat mixture, lettuce, chips, and all other taco toppings.
- Let everyone assemble their own salad.
- Top with Catalina dressing.
Notes
- Replacing ground beef with ground turkey can be an even healthier alternative to this recipe. Using ground turkey will lower the fat and calories of this dish. Ground Turkey cooks the same way ground beef does. We simply brown it in a pan over the stove. It has a similar texture, but a different color. This will be a lighter grayish-brown color, compared to a deep ground beef brown color, when it is done cooking. Cut back on sour cream.
- For a lighter option, try using plain Greek yogurt instead.
- Add more guacamole. Guacamole is a great topping for taco salads. You can even use it in place of the sour cream. It won't have the exact flavor, but it will have a matching texture and guacamole is loaded with nutrients and good-for-you fats.
- Beware of the dressing. Salad dressings can have more calories in them than the actual salad. They also contain a lot of sugar. Try making your own salad dressing (I love making salad dressing with olive oil, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and honey), or simply squeeze a little lime juice over your salad for a bit of a kick.
- Cut back on the carbs. Many taco salads are served with rice on them. Instead of white rice you could ask for brown rice, or just skip the rice all together, and get extra black or pinto beans. Hard taco shells are often deep fried. We recommend trying a whole wheat soft taco or tortilla for your taco salads or tacos.
- Cut back on the cheese. You don't need a lot of cheese to get the taste you desire.
Nutrition
Calories: 880 kcal · Carbohydrates: 71 g · Protein: 29 g · Fat: 56 g · Saturated Fat: 17 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 88 mg · Sodium: 2125 mg · Potassium: 1426 mg · Fiber: 15 g · Sugar: 12 g · Vitamin A: 2132 IU · Vitamin C: 20 mg · Calcium: 342 mg · Iron: 6 mg