Description
A flavorful and hearty Ground Beef Taco Salad featuring seasoned beef, fresh vegetables, shredded cheddar, and a creamy ranch-taco dressing. Perfect for a quick, satisfying meal with a delightful crunch from tortilla chips and vibrant garnishes like jalapeños and cilantro.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Taco Meat
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup homemade taco seasoning (or McCormick’s Premium Taco Seasoning)
- 3/4 cup water
For the Salad
- 1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 & 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 & 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes)
- 8 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 2 avocados, chopped (or 1 cup guacamole)
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1-2 jalapeños, sliced
- Juanitas tortilla chips (or Fritos), crushed and some left whole for garnish
- Sour cream, to taste (optional)
- Restaurant style salsa, to taste (optional)
- Sliced limes, for garnish
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 (0.4-oz) package Buttermilk Ranch Seasoning
- 1 serrano pepper, roughly chopped
- 2 tomatillos, halved
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 lime
- Milk, optional (to thin dressing if needed)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup restaurant style salsa
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Cook the Taco Meat: Brown 1 pound ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, tilt pan and scoop out fat into a foil-lined bowl, refrigerate and discard once solid. Return skillet to medium heat, add 1/4 cup taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer and turn off heat when thickness remains in the sauce to keep meat moist. Cover and keep warm.
- Prepare the Lettuce and Herbs: Chop Romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or paper towels. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce with 1/2 cup chopped green onions and 1 bunch chopped cilantro. Toss gently to mix.
- Prep Salad Toppings: Shred 1 and 1/2 cups cheddar cheese. Chop tomatoes or use cherry tomatoes. Thinly slice 8 radishes and dice 1/2 red onion. Chop 2 avocados or prepare guacamole by adding lime juice and salt. Thaw 1 cup frozen corn by microwaving briefly and letting it finish at room temperature. Slice 1-2 jalapeños. Crush Juanitas or Fritos tortilla chips, keeping some whole for garnish.
- Make the Dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 package buttermilk ranch seasoning, 1 serrano pepper, 2 halved tomatillos, 1/2 bunch cilantro, zest and juice of 1 lime. Blend until smooth. If dressing is too thick, add milk gradually to reach desired consistency. In a bowl, mix 1 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup restaurant style salsa, 1 teaspoon taco seasoning, lime zest, and lime juice for extra flavor. Combine with blended dressing or use separately as desired.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large serving bowl, layer the lettuce mixture, topped with taco meat, cheese, tomatoes, radishes, red onion, avocados (or guacamole), corn, and jalapeños. Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips on top and garnish with sliced whole chips and lime slices. Serve with dressing, sour cream, and salsa on the side as preferred.
Notes
- Do not cook the taco meat until all liquid evaporates; keeping some sauce prevents dry meat.
- Use fresh lime juice in guacamole and dressing to enhance brightness and flavor.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce or omit jalapeños and serrano pepper in dressing.
- Store leftover taco meat separately to maintain crispness of salad components.
- This salad is ideal for meal prepping; hold off on adding crunchy chips until serving to avoid sogginess.
