By Krista Teigen
Published Apr 28, 2025
When I’m ravenously hungry, there’s nothing better than digging into a giant taco salad bowl. Piled high with lettuce, fresh veggies, beans, cheese, and deliciously seasoned ground beef, this taco salad has all the fuel I need to get through a busy day. Perfect for meal prep, this hearty salad is ready to go in just 35 minutes and makes enough to last all week!
Taco salad is one of my favorite things to eat at my local Mexican restaurant. It has all the great flavor of beef tacos but in a convenient format that keeps me from making a mess—Yes, I’m that girl who always inevitably ends up with taco juices dripping down my hands. This recipe makes 4 super hearty salads, or 6 moderately-sized salads. Either way, it’s guaranteed to sate your appetite!
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the Taco Meat
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ ½ onion chopped
- ▢ 1 pound ground beef*
- ▢ 1 ounce taco seasoning (1 packet)
- ▢ ½ cup salsa** plus more for topping
For the Dressing
- ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
- ▢ ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
- ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
- ▢ 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad
- ▢ 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ▢ 15 ounces canned black beans drained (1 can)
- ▢ 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- ▢ 1½ cups corn*** off the cob, canned, or frozen
- ▢ ¼ cup chopped red onion
- ▢ 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- ▢ 1 avocado diced
- ▢ 1 cup tortilla chips****
- ▢ Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for topping
- ▢ Sour cream optional, for topping
Video
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once heated, add in the onion, and cook until softened. ½ onion
- Add in the ground beef and taco seasoning, and cook until the beef has browned. 1 pound ground beef*, 1 ounce taco seasoning
- Stir in the salsa. Take the pan off the heat and set aside. ½ cup salsa**
- Place the lettuce in a large bowl. 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- Arrange the ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, corn, red onion, cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips on top. 15 ounces canned black beans, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1½ cups corn***, ¼ cup chopped red onion, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, 1 avocado, 1 cup tortilla chips****
- Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl. ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
- Top with cilantro, sour cream, and more salsa. If you’re like me and love spicy food, drizzle over some hot sauce. For a milder option, try my taco sauce ! Chopped fresh cilantro, Sour cream
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Taco Salad Step by Step
Cook the Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat, then cook ½ of a chopped onion until softened. Add in 1 pound of ground beef and 1 ounce of taco seasoning, and cook until the beef has browned. Stir in ½ cup of salsa, remove from the heat, and set aside.
Dress and Serve: Whisk together ¼ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of red wine vinegar, ¼ cup of chopped fresh cilantro, ½ teaspoon of ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon of chili powder, 1 minced clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of honey, and a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black peppers in a jar or bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Top with cilantro, sour cream, and more salsa.
How to Store and Reheat
I recommend storing the components of this taco salad in separate airtight containers and assembling just before serving. The beef will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. I enjoy this cold the next day, but you can also reheat the beef in the microwave.
more salad recipes to try!
Olive Garden Salad with Copycat Dressing
Caprese Salad Recipe
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Peruvian Chopped Salad Recipe
Taco Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Taco Meat
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion chopped
- 1 pound ground beef*
- 1 ounce taco seasoning (1 packet)
- ½ cup salsa** plus more for topping
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 15 ounces canned black beans drained (1 can)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1½ cups corn*** off the cob, canned, or frozen
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 cup tortilla chips****
- Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for topping
- Sour cream optional, for topping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once heated, add in the onion, and cook until softened. ½ onion
- Add in the ground beef and taco seasoning, and cook until the beef has browned. 1 pound ground beef*, 1 ounce taco seasoning
- Stir in the salsa. Take the pan off the heat and set aside. ½ cup salsa**
- Place the lettuce in a large bowl. 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- Arrange the ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, corn, red onion, cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips on top. 15 ounces canned black beans, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1½ cups corn***, ¼ cup chopped red onion, 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, 1 avocado, 1 cup tortilla chips****
- Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl. ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
- Top with cilantro, sour cream, and more salsa. If you’re like me and love spicy food, drizzle over some hot sauce. For a milder option, try my taco sauce ! Chopped fresh cilantro, Sour cream
Video
Notes
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
