Beef Taco Salad with Avocado Dressing
Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this hearty beef taco salad is a delicious fusion of flavors and textures, brought together with deliciously creamy avocado, yogurt, and lime dressing.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the meat:
- 3/4 lb ground beef or turkey or chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 can low-sodium 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
For the dressing:
- 1 Hass avocado pitted, peeled, and mashed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For the salad:
- 6 cups coarsely chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 slices sweet onion halved and separated
- 1/2 cucumber peeled and sliced
- 1/2 pint grape tomatoes halved
- 1 Hass avocado pitted, peeled, and sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or more to taste
- tortilla chips
- 4 lime wedges
Instructions
Prepare the ground beef:
- 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, and season with a pinch of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon).
- Stir in the tomato sauce and black beans, then add the cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Allow the mixture to cook for 2 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper, and adjust the chili powder if desired.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Stir occasionally, and once done, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Make the dressing:
- While the beef mixture cooks, make the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, combine the mashed avocado, olive oil, yogurt, lime juice, milk, and garlic. Whisk until smooth and creamy, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the cilantro. Cover and set aside.
Assemble the salad:
- Divide the lettuce between 4 plates, top each with sliced onion, and arrange the cucumber, tomatoes, and avocado slices around the edges of the plates. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the meat mixture into the center of each salad and top with grated cheddar.
- Arrange a few 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
Make-ahead tip: You can cook your ground beef mixture up to two days in advance and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave before making your dressing and assembling the salads.
Nutrition
Calories: 748 | Total Fat: 49g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1233mg | Carbohydrates: 53g | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 17g | Protein: 32g