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Bowl of easy taco salad with seasoned ground beef, romaine, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips on a wooden table

Easy Taco Salad Ready in 40 Minutes

A big bowl of crisp romaine, black beans, corn, avocado, and warm seasoned beef, finished with crushed chips and a two minute creamy salsa dressing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 About 3 cups
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: tex-mex
Calories: 600
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Taco Meat
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef 90% lean
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
Creamy Salsa Dressing
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mild salsa
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons water to thin
Salad
  • 10 cups chopped romaine lettuce about 1 pound
  • 1 can 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn thawed
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 3 green onions sliced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 6 ounces
  • 1 large ripe avocado diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 ounces tortilla chips about 3 cups, lightly crushed

Equipment

  • 12-inch skillet
  • Wooden Spoon
  • 6-quart mixing bowl
  • Box grater
  • Fine-mesh strainer

Method
 

  1. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the beef, break it into small crumbles, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until no pink remains and the edges look browned.
  2. Add the onion and stir 3 minutes, until soft and see-through. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Cook 30 seconds, then add 1/2 cup water.
  4. Simmer over medium-low heat 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce coats the beef and no liquid pools when you tilt the pan. Spoon off fat only if more than 2 tablespoons collect.
  5. Whisk the sour cream, salsa, lime juice, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dressing falls from the whisk in a thick ribbon.
  6. Move the skillet off the heat and rest the beef 5 minutes, until the steam thins to a light wisp.
  7. Toss the romaine, beans, corn, tomatoes, and green onions with half the dressing, until every leaf looks lightly glossy.
  8. Top with the warm beef, cheddar, avocado, and cilantro. Crush the chips over the bowl, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and serve right away, while the chips still snap.

Notes

Ground beef is safe at 160°F. If you swap in ground turkey, cook it to 165°F and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet.
Storage: refrigerate the taco meat 3 to 4 days or freeze it up to 3 months. Keep dressing, avocado, and chips separate.
Swaps: plain Greek yogurt for sour cream, pepper jack for cheddar, pinto beans for black beans.