Beef Taco Salad with Salsa Dressing
Beef Taco Salad with Salsa Dressing plus all the usual taco fixings makes for a scrumptious, fresh and vibrant entree. Seasoned ground beef anchors the meal and all the rest is up to you!
With your favorite Taco Salad Toppings, you can personalize this meal to fit your palate!
Beef Taco Salad with Salsa Dressing
Back in my college days, my gal pals and I would order loaded Tex-Mex salads served in a deep fried taco shell thinking we were being virtuous. Our young metabolisms could handle the calorie load, but I’m sure the numbers weren’t pretty!
Nowadays, I like to focus on the veggies, so I loaded this salad with lettuces, tomatoes, avocados, cucumber and red bell peppers. A few corn chips and olives and a drizzle of salsa dressing added even more textures and flavors! Tweak this entree salad with your favorite taco salad toppings and make it your own!
Another marvelous salad with a similar flavor palate is this Low-Carb Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
Tex-Mex Salad
I wasn’t sure the hubby would be thrilled with a “salad” for dinner even though it is quite hearty. So as I predicted, the flour tortillas I had also purchased came in handy. Instead of taco salad, he was quite pleased with plain ol’ beef tacos, a little side salad and a whole lot of Fritos for dinner!
To shake things up, consider spicing up some rotisserie chicken and using that instead of the ground beef. Monterey Jack cheese or a blend would work swimmingly. And if you don’t like avocados (not sure who doesn’t except you know who??!) or black olives, just leave them out.
Feel free to use whatever salad dressing you fancy in this Tex-Mex salad! With or without the salsa dressing, this beef taco salad with would be fabulous on a warm spring or summer day. Unfortunately, here in Indianapolis, we’re still waiting for spring to arrive!
P.S. I like using my homemade taco seasoning when browning up the ground beef, but spice it up however you like.
Dinner Ideas Using Ground Beef
Ground beef is a staple in our freezer, but I tend to make the same dishes over and over. Here are a few ideas if you need inspiration, too!
- Ground Beef Stroganoff from Spend with Pennies
- Pesto Burgers
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
- Easy Black Bean Chili
- Guacamole Burgers
- Grilled Butter Burgers
- More Beef Recipes
Beef Taco Salad with Salsa Dressing
Beef Taco Salad with Salsa Dressing plus all the usual taco fixings makes for a scrumptious, fresh and vibrant entree.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 3/4 cups cooked ground beef taco meat (I cooked with my homemade taco seasoning, minced onion, red bell pepper and minced garlic)
- 5 ounces spring greens or favorite lettuces
- 1 cup Fritos corn chips
- 2 scallions, sliced thinnly
- 1/2-1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/2 -1 avocado cubed
- 2 tablespoons cubed cucumber
- 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
- 2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
Salsa Dressing:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2-3 tablespoons salsa, to taste
- Lemon juice, to thin dressing, to taste
Instructions
Rewarm taco meat if needed.
Layer lettuce and then Fritos and into a large salad bowl. Place the taco meat in the center of the bowl. Disperse the rest of the ingredients around the perimeter, saving the cheese for last.
To make the dressing, whisk together the sour cream and salsa to taste. Taste and add lemon juice to taste.
Pass the salad along with dressing to serve.
Notes
Feel free to swap out ground beef for cooked, shredded chicken (season with taco spices) and add or eliminate any of the other ingredients according to your preferences. A bottled French dressing works well with this salad, too.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 878Total Fat: 58gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 39gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 994mgCarbohydrates: 68gFiber: 11gSugar: 6gProtein: 27g
