Taco Salad

Name: Taco Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1.5 lbs lean ground beef; 1 cup white onion (diced); ½ cup red bell pepper; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon coriander powder; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon cumin powder; 1 tablespoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional); Salt and ground black pepper to taste; 1 cup chicken broth; 2 medium tomatoes (diced); ¼ cup red onion (diced); 1 green bell pepper (diced); 1 teaspoon jalapeno (chopped (remove seeds for less heat)); Fresh cilantro (chopped (optional)); 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; 1 small garlic clove (minced); Salt and pepper to taste; 4-6 cups romaine lettuce (chopped); half avocado (sliced); lime wedges – for garnish; salt and pepper to taste; cilantro for garnish

By: Olivia Updated: 6/30/24

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This Taco Salad recipe will become your to-go meal when you want a quick and easy meal for lunch. It is loaded with tomato salsa, avocado slices, lettuces and of course taco seasoned ground beef. It’s gluten free, low-carb, dairy free, Whole30 and made in just 20 minutes!

This easy Taco Salad recipe is one of my favourite ways to eat salad and to taste the wonderful flavors of Mexican cuisine in a very healthy way. I say healthy because this salad it’s loaded with good ingredients and it’s very low in calories and carbs.

Ground Beef Taco Salad with avocado slices and salsa

This healthy taco salad recipe is dairy-free and beanless, which makes a perfect salad recipe for those of you who are trying to eat healthier. Also, if you love low-carb salads you’ll love trying this Easy Mediterranean Salad Recipe and Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad.

I love that this Ground Beef Taco Salad recipe has lots of veggies, healthy fats, protein-rich meat, it’s very colourful, quick to make and so tasty! And on top of that, this salad is so filling that you feel like you’re eating a full meal.

Recipe Ingredients

You can basically add whatever food you’d normally have with tacos or other Mexican dishes. I recommend you add almost everything you love from Mexican dishes. But because I want to create a ground beef taco salad that is dairy-free, paleo and Whole30 friendly, I decided to not add cheese, sour cream and black beans in this salad.

Taco Meat Ingredients

Olive oil — Extra virgin. You can also use avocado oil!
Ground beef — Select lean ground beef at the grocery store. Grass-fed and organic options are also preferable.
Veggies — White onion, red bell pepper and fresh garlic.
Homemade taco seasoning — Paprika, onion powder, coriander, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. You can also add a little bit of hot sauce.
Broth — I use chicken broth. Vegetable stock can also be substituted.

Salsa Ingredients

Tomatoes — I like using Roma tomatoes, but you can use any variety you’ve got on hand such as cherry tomatoes!
Vegetables — Red onion, green bell pepper and jalapeno pepper.
Cilantro — Fresh, chopped cilantro adds gorgeous color and tastes amazing.
Lime juice — Adds delicious, zesty flavor!
Garlic — One fresh clove, finely minced.
Seasonings — Salt and pepper to taste and even garlic powder if you prefer.

Salad Ingredients

Greens — Chopped romaine lettuce, or preferred leafy greens such as iceberg lettuce.
Avocado — A bit of diced avocado adds creaminess and healthy fats!
Seasonings — Salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish/Toppings — Fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Optional: green onions and jalapeño.

For this recipe I’m not adding tortilla chips, tortilla strips or corn just because I want to make a Whole30 and low-carb salad. But feel free to add them, if you prefer.

How to Make Taco Salad

Prepare taco meat:

Measure olive oil into a large pot or a large skillet on the stovetop and turn heat to medium-high heat. Add ground beef, crumble with a spoon and allow it to brown completely.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Drain grease if there is a lot. Add diced onion and red bell pepper and cook these three ingredients together until the onion softens (5-8 minutes).
Stir in minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer. Then mix in all of your seasonings!
Last, add your chicken broth and bring everything to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce heat down to low and cover the pot with a lid.
Simmer 20-30 minutes and stir every once in a while to prevent burning/sticking.

Make your salsa:

Cut up your tomatoes, veggies and cilantro. Finely mince garlic and place all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Add lime juice and mix well. Then, add salt and pepper to taste!

Assemble salads:

Chop lettuce and slice avocado. Portion leafy greens and avocado into serving bowls, then add ground beef mixture and fresh pico de gallo salsa.
Add a bit more salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish each bowl with a lime wedge and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

close-up of the Ground Beef Taco Salad with avocado slices

Recipe Variations

For extra heat, add some slices of jalapeño, if you prefer.

If you are not doing Whole30, you can top your salad with shredded nacho cheese like cheddar cheese, a package of Mexican cheese blend and dollop of sour cream.

For extra topping, add chopped black olives and radishes.

How To Store

To Store: This salad will keep longer if you refrigerate meat, salsa and greens separately. Place each into an airtight container and combine once you’re ready to eat! When kept in their own containers, ingredients will stay good for about 4 days.

To Reheat: Another benefit of storing everything separately? You can reheat your ground beef, if desired! Pop it in the microwave or heat in a small pot or pan on the stovetop until warmed through completely.

Recipe Tips

I enjoy this salad even more when I take a little extra time to chop everything up really small. You’ll get a bit of everything in each bite, plus this makes salad easier to eat.
If you want to save some time by using a pre-mixed packet of taco seasoning from the store.
When making this salad ahead of time, don’t dice up the avocado right away as it will brown when exposed to the air. Cut it up once you’re ready to eat your salad.
Fresh lime juice tastes WAY better than bottled. The flavor is much zestier! Whenever possible, squeeze fresh lime juice over your salad and avoid the bottled stuff.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use a store bought salsa and taco seasoning in this salad?

Of course you can. Feel free to use your favourite salsa and taco seasoning brands! If you want to change things up, try my 5-Ingredient Peach Salsa Recipe!

Can I make this taco salad ahead of time?

Yes! Absolutely. If you prefer, you can make the salsa and the ground beef mixture ahead of time and store them in a food container and place them in the fridge for up 4-5 days. When ready to eat, heat up the taco meat and add to your salad with the salsa.

Is this taco salad healthy?

This particular taco salad recipe is very healthy! It’s Whole30, gluten free, dairy free and low-carb. Of course, it’s possible to make an un-healthy salad. It all depends on the ingredients and toppings you use.

Can I use ground turkey in taco salad?

Ground turkey (or ground chicken) can absolutely be substituted for ground beef in this recipe! You might be able to taste a slight difference, but there are so many delicious seasonings in this recipe that it really won’t matter much!

Can this recipe be made vegan?

Absolutely! Just replace ground beef for tofu.

If you want another take on the taco recipe, you’ve got to try my Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Instant Pot Taco Soup Recipe, Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash, and Easy Grilled Fish Tacos Recipe! They’re some of my family’s favourites. You’ll absolutely love them!

More Salad recipes to try:

You’ll love these 5 incredible salad recipes that I choose for you because they are just like a complete meal. You’ll feel satisfying and full of energy.

And if you like this Ground Beef Taco Salad recipe, please share with your friends and family. Do you want to taste more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow Primavera Kitchen on Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, Instagram, and Facebook for all delicious recipes updates. As always, I really appreciate you stopping by.