Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Taco Meat
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce or salsa
- 2 tablespoons water
For the Salad
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1 cup corn, drained or grilled
- ½ small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup whole Kalamata or black olives, optional
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 cups tortilla chips, roughly crushed
- ½ cup roasted or sun-dried tomatoes, optional
Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing
- ¾ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or water, as needed
Instructions
1. Prepare the Taco Meat
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and chopped onion. Cook for about 2–3 minutes until the onion begins to soften.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the ground beef. Break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely browned.
Drain off excess grease if necessary.
Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Add the tomato sauce and water.
Stir everything together and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the beef is well coated in the seasoning and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Remove from the heat and let the meat cool slightly before adding it to the salad. Adding very hot meat directly to the lettuce can cause the greens to wilt.
2. Prepare the Dressing
Add the sour cream or Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and salt to a bowl.
Whisk until smooth and creamy.
Add 2 tablespoons of milk or water and whisk again. If you prefer a thinner dressing, add another tablespoon.
Taste and adjust the lime juice and salt if needed.
Refrigerate the dressing while you prepare the salad.
3. Prepare the Vegetables
Wash and dry the romaine lettuce thoroughly. Chop it into bite-sized pieces and place it in a large serving bowl.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and dice the cucumber.
Finely chop the red onion and slice the jalapeño into thin rounds.
If using canned corn, drain it well. For extra flavor, place the corn in a dry skillet over medium-high heat and cook for several minutes until lightly charred.
Drain the black olives and slice them into rings.
Dice the avocado shortly before serving so it stays fresh and green.
4. Assemble the Taco Salad
Start with the chopped romaine lettuce as the base.
Scatter the tomatoes, cucumber, corn, red onion, black olives, jalapeño, and avocado evenly over the lettuce.
Spoon the warm or room-temperature seasoned ground beef over the salad.
Sprinkle generously with shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese.
Add the fresh cilantro leaves.
Finish with crushed tortilla chips over the top. Keep some larger chip pieces for extra crunch and a more attractive presentation.
If desired, add roasted tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes for a richer, slightly sweet flavor.
5. Serve
Serve the salad immediately with the creamy cilantro-lime dressing on the side.
You can also drizzle a little dressing over the top just before serving and leave the remaining dressing for everyone to add according to taste.