Ground Beef Taco Salad is a big bowl of crisp iceberg lettuce topped with warm taco-seasoned ground beef, cherry tomatoes, black beans, cheddar, green onions and crunchy corn chips, finished with sour cream, salsa and a sprinkle of cilantro. The sour cream and salsa do the job of a dressing. It’s on the table in about 25 minutes and serves 4.
How to make it: Brown the beef in a little olive oil to 160°F, then stir in taco seasoning and water and cook until the water is mostly gone. Pile chopped iceberg, tomatoes, black beans and the warm beef in a large bowl, add the cheese, scallions and chips, spoon on sour cream and salsa, and squeeze a little lime over it.
What to Put in a Ground Beef Taco Salad
This one has taco-seasoned lean ground beef, iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans and shredded cheddar, plus sliced scallions, corn chips, sour cream, salsa and a little fresh cilantro, with lime and avocado as optional extras. Black beans make it more filling, and you can add sweet corn or black olives too. For the chips, use Fritos, crumbled tortilla chips, tortilla strips or Doritos.
Why You’ll Love It
- Fast: about 10 minutes of prep and 15 of cooking.
- Warm and cold: spiced beef over cold, crunchy lettuce.
- No dressing to make: sour cream and salsa do the job.
- Meal-prep friendly: store the parts separately and build a fresh bowl each time.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: One pound of lean (90/10) ground beef. Lean beef usually needs no draining; drain fattier beef after browning. Ground sirloin works well.
Taco seasoning: Two tablespoons, which is about one packet, with 1/4 cup of water.
Lettuce: One head of iceberg, chopped. Romaine works too. Both are crunchy enough to hold up under warm beef and lots of toppings.
Toppings: A pint of halved cherry tomatoes, a 15-ounce can of black beans (drained and rinsed), a cup of shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup of green onions and a cup of corn chips.
Finishers: Half a cup each of sour cream and salsa (or pico de gallo), 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, lime slices and a sliced avocado.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean (90/10) ground beef
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup Fritos corn chips, or crumbled tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup salsa or pico de gallo
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Lime slices, for squeezing (optional)
- 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
How to Make Ground Beef Taco Salad
1. Brown the beef. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s browned and a food thermometer reads 160°F. If needed, drain the excess fat from the skillet.
2. Season the beef. Add the water and the taco seasoning and stir until well combined. Reduce the heat to medium and keep cooking, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the water has mostly evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
3. Build the salad. Put the chopped iceberg lettuce in a large bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, black beans and the cooked beef. Top with the cheddar, green onions, corn chips, sour cream, salsa and cilantro, plus the sliced avocado if you’re using it.
4. Finish and serve. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top if you like, and serve right away.
How to Keep Taco Salad Crisp
A taco salad goes soggy fast if you build it too early. Here’s what to do:
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Wilted lettuce | Use sturdy iceberg or romaine; skip tender mixed greens or spinach |
| Greasy, wet beef | Drain fattier beef and cook the seasoning until the water is mostly gone |
| Soft chips | Add or crush the chips over each bowl right before eating |
| Brown avocado | Slice it last, just before serving |
| Soggy leftovers | Store the beef, lettuce and toppings in separate containers |
Warm beef, cold lettuce. The beef tastes best still warm over cold, crisp lettuce. If you want a fully cold salad, cook the beef ahead and chill it until serving.
Use a thermometer. Browned color alone doesn’t prove it’s done. USDA FSIS says ground beef is safe at 160°F.
What Dressing Goes on Taco Salad?
Sour cream and salsa are the classic pair, and together they work as the dressing. Pico de gallo can stand in for the salsa, and a squeeze of lime brightens everything.
Variations
- Ground chicken or turkey: use it instead of beef and cook it to 165°F.
- Homemade taco seasoning: mix chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, onion powder and pepper to make 2 tablespoons.
- Different chips: tortilla chips, tortilla strips or Doritos instead of Fritos.
- More toppings: sweet corn or black olives.
- Tortilla bowl: brush a flour tortilla with oil, season it, press it into an ovenproof bowl and bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes until crisp, then fill it with salad.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make ahead: Cook the beef, chop the lettuce and prep the toppings, then keep them in separate containers. Keep chopped lettuce in a dry container with a paper towel.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. USDA FSIS says to eat them within 3 to 4 days. Add the sour cream, salsa and avocado fresh.
Freezer: Freeze only the cooked taco beef, for 3 to 4 months. Lettuce doesn’t freeze well. Thaw the beef in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Warm the beef in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth, or covered in the microwave, to 165°F, then add it to fresh lettuce.
What to Serve With It
Taco salad is a meal on its own, but for a bigger spread add one pot Mexican rice casserole or epic beef nachos supreme. Want the same flavors baked? Try walking taco casserole or Frito pie. More taco ideas: quick and easy taco soup and taco stuffed baked potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you put in taco salad with ground beef?
Taco-seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes and black beans, topped with cheese, onions, chips, sour cream and salsa.
What ground beef is best for taco salad?
Lean ground beef, like 90/10 or ground sirloin. It usually doesn’t need draining. Fattier beef works too; just drain it.
What dressing goes on taco salad?
Sour cream and salsa. Together they act as the dressing.
How do I keep taco salad from getting soggy?
Use iceberg or romaine, add the chips and avocado last, and store the beef, lettuce and toppings apart.
Can I make taco salad ahead?
Yes. Prep the parts ahead, store them separately and put the salad together right before eating.
Final Notes
Chop the lettuce and toppings while the beef browns, and the salad comes together in minutes. Just save the chips for the very end. If you make it, tell me in the comments which chips you used.
Ground Beef Taco Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef 16 ounces; 90/10
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning one packet or homemade (see variations)
- 1 head iceberg lettuce chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 can black beans 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup green onions chopped
- 1 cup Fritos corn chips or crumbled tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup salsa or pico de gallo
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- lime cut into slices; optional, for squeezing over the top
- 1 avocado sliced; optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and a food thermometer reads 160°F. If needed, drain the excess fat from the skillet.
- Add the water and the taco seasoning and stir until well combined. Reduce the heat to medium and keep cooking, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the water has mostly evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
- Put the chopped iceberg lettuce in a large bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, black beans and the cooked beef. Top with the cheddar, green onions, corn chips, sour cream, salsa and cilantro, plus the sliced avocado if you are using it.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top if you like, and serve right away.
