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Taco Salad Bowls

These easy Taco Salad Bowls are made with seasoned ground beef and your favorite toppings all on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce. Top these healthy salads with a creamy avocado dressing. They only take 30 minutes to make and are great for meal prep!

There are several reasons why I love these Taco Salad Bowls:

  • Customizable toppings – The toppings are easy to customize based on what you like and what you have available in your fridge.
  • Avocado dressing – This avocado dressing is incredible. It’s packed with healthy fats from the avocado and a good dose of protein thanks to the Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt adds both creaminess and tang to the dressing. I’ve also found that the yogurt along with the lime juice helps keep the dressing from oxidizing and turning brown as quickly. I had mine in the fridge for several days and it remained green the whole time!
  • Meal prep – If you meal prep, the ground beef taco meat will keep all week. The topping can be chopped and prepped at the beginning of the week so all you must do is quickly assemble the salad.

These taco salad bowls are great to make at the beginning of the week to have on-hand for a quick dinner, or for make-ahead lunches. The taco meat can be made at the beginning of the week and used throughout. You can even freeze the taco meat for a later date!

All the toppings can be prepped ahead of time and stored in airtight containers in the fridge. You can assemble the salad bowls 1-2 days in advance, but I recommend adding the meat and avocado dressing separately. like to warm the taco meat before adding it to the salad for the best flavor and consistency

If you love these bowls, you’re sure to also be a fan of my other easy dinner recipes, including Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, Slow Cooker Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup and Tomato Avocado Pasta Salad.

Taco Salad Bowls

Photo of Taco Salad Bowls
  • 20 minutes
  • 10 minutes
  • 30 minutes
  • 4 servings

Ingredients

Taco Meat:
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 pound lean ground beef
4 ounce can diced green chiles
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp water

Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup defrosted frozen corn
4-oz can sliced black olives
Queso fresco, tortilla strips, and cilantro for garnish

Avocado Dressing:
1/2 of an avocado
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt to taste
Juice of a lime
1 tbsp of water at a time as needed to thin the dressing


Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients for the avocado dressing to a high speed or regular blender and purée until smooth. Add a tablespoon of water or milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
  2. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray or add in a little oil. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and then add in the ground beef and onion. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to crumble the beef as it browns. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir everything together. Turn the heat down to low and let the taco meat simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  3. To assemble, fill a bowl with romaine lettuce and top with a portion of the taco meat. Top with corn, tomatoes, olives, queso fresco and cilantro. Dollop on some of the avocado dressing and finish with tortilla strips or crushed chips.

Notes

  • Substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken. If you’re vegetarian, try making sofritas.
  • Queso fresco can be replaced with cotija cheese, cheddar, pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese.
  • Instead of taco salad, turn these into rice bowls or quinoa bowls.
  • Add black beans or pinto beans.

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