Our homemade taco salad combines sautéed ground beef, black beans, taco-style spices, lettuce, tomato, sliced avocado, shredded cheese and a deliciously creamy avocado dressing. Served with toasted tortilla chips for added crunch, this salad is easy to prepare and makes flavorful, satisfying, one-dish meal.

Taco Salad with Avocado Dressing

Made with taco-style spices, ground beef and a creamy avocado dressing, this tasty taco salad is a hearty one-dish meal.

Author: Lynne Webb
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (or turkey, chicken)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 can low-sodium (15-ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder (or more to taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne (optional)

For the dressing:

1 ripe Hass avocado, mashed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (1 medium lime)
1/4 cup milk
1 small clove garlic, very finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

For the salad:

6 cups romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
2 thin slices sweet onion, halved
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ripe Hass avocado, halved lengthwise and pitted
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (or more to taste)
Tortilla chips (see notes)
4 lime wedges

Instructions

Start by making the dressing. Place the avocado, olive oil, yogurt, lime juice, milk and garlic in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy, season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cilantro. Cover and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until lightly browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Drain any excess fat from the pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until the onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Stir in the tomato sauce and black beans, then add the cumin, coriander and chili powder. Allow to cook for a minute or two, season to taste with salt and pepper, add a pinch of cayenne and adjust the chili powder if desired..
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
To assemble the salad, divide the lettuce between 4 plates, top each with sliced onion and arrange the cucumber and tomatoes around the edges of the plates.
Scoop the avocado halves from the skin, cut them into slices and add a portion to each plate.
Spoon about 3/4 cup of the meat mixture into the center of each salad and top with grated cheddar.
Arrange some tortilla chips around the edges of each plate and drizzle with a small amount of dressing. Serve with lime wedges and extra dressing on the side.

Notes

To make your own tortilla chips:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut four 6-inch corn tortillas into 6 wedges each. Brush both sides of each wedge with a little vegetable oil and sprinkle the tops with a bit of sea salt. Bake until golden and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

Yum

Taco Salad with Avocado Dressing