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Ground Beef Taco Salad Recipe – Quick, Easy & Delicious

Ground beef taco salad with toppings and dressing
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Ground Beef Taco Salad is a hearty, colorful, and customizable dish packed with seasoned taco meat, crisp romaine, fresh veggies, crunchy chips, and your choice of creamy dressing. It’s easy to prep, perfect for family dinners, and can be made meatless or meal-prepped ahead!

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

Toppings:

  • 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
  • Sour cream, to taste (optional)
  • Restaurant style salsa, to taste (optional)
  • Sliced limes, for garnish

Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch (Dressing Option 1):

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 (.4-oz) package Buttermilk Ranch Seasoning
  • 1 serrano pepper, chopped
  • 2 tomatillos, halved
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • Milk, as needed for thinning

Creamy Salsa Dressing (Dressing Option 2):

  • 1 cup sour cream or Crema Mexicana
  • 1/3 cup restaurant style salsa
  • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime

Instructions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces, until no longer pink (about 3-5 minutes).

2. Drain excess grease and return the skillet to the heat. Stir in taco seasoning and water.

3. Let it simmer until the liquid thickens but does not completely evaporate. Set aside and keep warm.

4. Chop romaine lettuce, green onions, and cilantro. Mix and set aside.

5. Grate cheddar cheese, slice radishes, chop tomatoes, red onion, avocados, and thaw corn. Slice jalapeños and crush chips.

6. To make Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch, blend all ingredients until smooth. Thin with milk as needed.

7. To make Creamy Salsa Dressing, mix sour cream, salsa, taco seasoning, and lime zest and juice in a small bowl.

8. Assemble salad by dividing the lettuce mixture into 4 bowls. Top each with taco meat and equal portions of toppings.

9. Add dressing of choice, sour cream, salsa, and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with whole tortilla chips and extra herbs if desired.

Notes

This taco salad is easily customizable. Try Cotija or Queso Fresco instead of cheddar, add black olives, beans, or use Doritos for crunch.

Make it meatless by replacing the ground beef with black or pinto beans.

For meal prep, store components separately and assemble just before eating.

Leftover dressings will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Perfect for parties—set up a taco salad bar with ingredients and dressing options!

Find it online: https://cookingwithramsay.com/ground-beef-taco-salad/