Beef Taco Salad with Avocado Cilantro-Lime Dressing is a flavorful main dish salad that your entire family will love. It’s also quick and easy to make. Pair it with my Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and you have a Cinco de Mayo feast.
This delicious and easy taco salad with meat has all of the elements of a perfect taco salad. Delicious taco meat seasoned with just the right amount of spices, yummy black beans and corn, creamy avocado, crisp romaine lettuce, juicy tomatoes, shredded cheese, and crunchy tortilla chips!
And the dressing; well, it’s is what sets this taco salad apart from all the rest. It’s so good; I put the leftovers on everything, baked potatoes, eggs, roasted veggies, french fries, burgers, you name it.
Why you will love this recipe:
It only takes about 20 minutes to get this tasty and easy taco salad on the table, so it’s perfect for a weeknight meal. Your small and big kids will love it, and you will be in and out of the kitchen in no time.
Like my Wild Rice Chicken Salad, this simple ground beef taco salad is also perfect for company because you can make everything ahead so you can spend time with your guests instead of standing over a hot stove.
What’s in the taco seasoning and how to make it:
You will need chili powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
To make it, combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and set aside.
What’s in the dressing and how to make it:
You will need an avocado, Crema (you can substitute sour cream or plain greek yogurt), cilantro, garlic, salt, and fresh lime juice.
Add all ingredients to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if you desire a thinner dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
What’s in the taco salad and how to make it:
You will need ground chuck, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, shredded Mexican cheese blend, tortilla chips, corn, and black beans.
Add the beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook for about five minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Stir frequently.
Add the taco seasoning mix and one-third cup of water and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about five minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To assemble the salad, add the lettuce to a large bowl or platter. Then add the beef, shredded cheese, tomatoes, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and tortilla chips.
Top with the dressing and serve immediately.
Optional garnishes include pico de gallo or salsa if desired.
Sharon’s Tips:
This dish is versatile, you can easily swap out the ground beef for chicken or turkey, or you can make it vegetarian by leaving out the meat. It will still be delicious.
You can save a few minutes by using prepackaged taco seasoning, but by using your spices, you control the amount of sugar, salt, and preservatives in the dish, and that makes it even healthier! Special thanks to Anna Jones RD for sharing her recipe for the taco seasoning recipe with me.
Do not make the dressing too far ahead; the avocado might cause it to discolor.
Related recipes:
If you like ground beef recipes, you might also enjoy these popular dishes:
- Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Casserole
- Beef and Tomato Skillet with Polenta
- Cast Iron Skillet Macho Nachos
- One-Pot Lasagna Soup
- Hanky Panky Recipe
★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
📋 Recipe:
Beef Taco Salad with Avocado Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Ingredients
Taco Salad Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 4 cups romaine lettuce
- 2 large tomatoes diced
- 1 ripe Haas avocado seeded and chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup Mexican shredded cheese blend
- 2 cups tortilla chips broken up
Taco Seasoning Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1-½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup water
Avocado Cilantro-Lime Dressing
- 1 avocado seeded and chopped
- ½ cup Crema (Mexican Cream) or sour cream or plain greek yogurt
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
Instructions
Taco Seasoning
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and set aside.
Avocado Lime Dressing
- Add all ingredients to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if you desire a thinner dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Taco Meat
- Add the beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook for about 5 minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Stir frequently.
- Add the taco seasoning mix and ⅓ cup of water and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 4-5 minutes or until the liquiid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Assembly
- To assemble the salad, add the lettuce to a large bowl or platter. Then add the beef, shredded cheese, tomatoes, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and avocado. Top with tortilla chips and the Avocado Lime Dressing. If desired serve with pico de gallo or salsa. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
This is a beautiful taco salad. The avocado lime dressing rocks!
Carolyn Haley mentioned that you were a fellow local blogger. Love your blog.
Consider me your new follower.
Velva- Tomatoes on the Vine
Hey Velva, nice to meet you! And, thanks so much for following along on my blog. I’m looking forward to meeting you at our cooking class in November! Sharon