Planning the Perfect Taco Salad for a Crowd

In my kitchen, busy days often mean easy, one-pan dinners that I can assemble in a flash. You can do all of those things with a simple salad, but it still needs protein to be a full meal. That’s where my easy and healthy taco salad recipe with ground beef comes in. It’s so fresh, flavorful, and uses simple ingredients — you’re going to love it!.

Taco Salad (Healthy & Easy!)

In just 20 minutes, you can make this fresh and easy taco salad recipe with common ingredients like ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese.

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

• Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add ground beef. Break up the beef pieces with a spatula and stir-fry for 7 to 10 minutes, until the beef is browned and the water has evaporated.
• Stir taco seasoning into the ground beef until well combined. If you want, you can add 1/4 cup of water when you add the spices and let it cook for a little while.
• Meanwhile, combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add the ground beef. Toss everything together.

Why You’ll Love My Taco Salad Recipe

• There are so many things I love about this ground beef salad: the perfectly seasoned taco meat, the sweet tomatoes, the crisp lettuce, the creamy avocado, and the cheddar cheese. There’s a reason why this salad recipe is my most-read!
• You can find fresh, simple ingredients at any grocery store, and they are good for you. (They are also naturally low carb and gluten-free. Not only that, but the way I dress it is the easiest thing ever.
• You can use whatever you have on hand or change the ingredients to suit your tastes.
• You can have this taco salad ready in 20 minutes, which is one of the best things about the recipe. The only cooking that needs to be done is setting the ground beef on fire on the stove. So simple.
• One-bowl dinner that’s quick and easy—also known as one of my favorite types of meals! No need to fuss with putting together different taco toppings for each one.

This section explains how to choose the best taco salad ingredients, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Ground Beef: For a ground beef taco salad, I like 85/15, but you can use any kind you like. You can use ground turkey, ground chicken, chorizo, or shredded chicken instead of beef if you don’t like beef or don’t have any on hand. And I’ve made this recipe before with barbacoa instead of taco seasoning; just leave out the powder.
• Avocado Oil – Just a bit for browning the beef. Olive oil works fine as well.
• Taco Seasoning—I like to make my own taco seasoning and put 2 tablespoons of it on every pound of meat. This dish is easy to make and only takes 5 minutes. You’ll need chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. However, taco seasoning from the store saves time and is more convenient. Check labels to avoid fillers and sugar if you can. If your seasoning isn’t salted, you’ll need to add 1 teaspoon of salt. I like this store-bought seasoning, but it doesn’t have any salt in it.
• Romaine Lettuce: I like to use romaine lettuce for taco salad recipes, but you can use any kind of greens you like. Another classic choice is iceberg lettuce. If you want to try something new, you could use kale, arugula, or spinach instead.
• Grape Tomatoes – Served halved in the salad. I’ve also made this salad with Roma tomatoes or cherry tomatoes that have been chopped up. Pico de gallo also works well.
• Cheese Shreds: I like to use cheddar cheese, but you can also use a Mexican cheese blend or pepper jack if you like things spicy. You can omit if you want to avoid dairy.
• Avocado—You need avocado in a healthy taco salad, but you can use guacamole instead if you’d rather.
• Onions: I like green onions, but you can use any kind you like. You can use either diced red onions (the traditional choice) or white onions. Not a fan of onions? You could also add some fresh cilantro leaves instead.
• If you want to be creative without making things more difficult, try making different kinds of salsa. This one is already made and has medium heat and clean ingredients. If you want something mild, use mild salsa. If you want something spicy, use spicy salsa. If you want something different, try green chile or peach salsa. You can make your own too. Here are some recipes for simple fresh tomato salsa, green salsa verde, and creamy avocado salsa verde.
• Sour Cream—Instead of a dressing, I use salsa and sour cream here, and it works surprisingly well. Why spend time making a complicated taco salad dressing when these will do? When you mix them all together, it tastes like there’s dressing in them. To make it dairy-free, use thick coconut cream, a splash of lime juice, and a pinch of salt instead of sour cream.

Easy Taco Salad Bowls Recipe: Crispy, Fresh, and Delicious!

FAQ

How much taco meat do you need per person?

What is a serving size of taco salad?

How many tacos will 1lb of meat make?

How much shredded lettuce for tacos for 50 people?

How many tacos should a pound of ground beef fill?

It is based on a formula that uses the average serving of protein on the typical taco is an 1/8th of a pound of meat, which is about 2 ounces of beef before it is cooked. So, a pound of ground beef should nicely fill 8 tacos. Of course, once the hamburger meat is cooked, it will weigh less than the raw and it will also shrink in size a bit.

How much ground beef do you need for a Taco Party?

So, a pound of ground beef should nicely fill 8 tacos. Of course, once the hamburger meat is cooked, it will weigh less than the raw and it will also shrink in size a bit. But, as long as you use the calculator, you will have the proper amount of hamburger meat for your taco party.

How do you make a layered taco salad?

Here’s how the layered taco salad recipe comes together: Brown ground beef with a red bell pepper. Add refried beans and taco seasoning to the beef mixture before turning out over a base of chips. Sprinkle the beef and bean mixture with cheese, lettuce, more cheese, crushed chips, tomatoes, and dig in! Can I Use Ground Turkey Instead of Beef? Sure!

How do you make a healthy Taco Sandwich?

In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing, salsa, sugar and remaining taco seasoning; pour over salad and toss to coat. Using lean ground beef in the meat loaf instead of beef that’s 80% lean saves 45 calories per 4-ounce serving of beef. Lean ground beef is also 29% lower in saturated fat.