Recipe: Taco salad
I make a variation of taco salad every few weeks. While Tex-Mex restaurants use the word “taco” as an excuse to load their salads with tortilla chips, I prefer to load mine with vegetables instead.
This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free. You can omit the beef and double-up on beans for a vegan version.
If you do eat meat you can swap the beef for pork, chicken or turkey (or a combination).
If you prefer less heat, omit the fresh and pickled jalapeños, lower the amount of chipotle powder and omit the chilli flakes.
If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you can prepare the pico de gallo ahead of time, pack the salad vegetables separately (without seasoning) and the beef and beans separately. When ready to eat, heat the beef and beans (anywhere from warm to hot), assemble and adjust seasoning.
Taco salad
Ingredients
Pico de gallo
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 3 fresh jalapeños optional
- 1 small red onion
- 1 lime
- 1 small bunch coriander leaves only, divided
Salad
- 2 baby cos lettuce
- 1 bunch radishes
- 2 avocados
- 1 lime
- pickled jalapeños to taste
- sea salt to taste
Taco seasoning
- 1 tsp chipotle powder or to taste
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes optional
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Beef and beans
- 500 g beef mince regular fat
- 1 can black beans
Instructions
Pico de gallo
- Chop tomatoes, jalapeños, onion and half of the coriander leaves.
- Mix, season with lime juice, salt and pepper.
Taco seasoning
- Mix all ingredients of the taco seasoning in a small bowl.
Beef and beans
- Drain beans, season with 1 tsp of the taco seasoning. Reserve.
- Heat a cast iron or other heavy-bottomed pan at high heat. Drop beef mince and leave for a couple of minutes until it starts to brown. Break down mince with a spoon or spatula, add the rest of the taco seasoning and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until fully cooked. Reserve.
Salad
- Shred lettuce, season with salt and serve on plates.
- Slice radishes, season with salt.
- Slice or cube avocado, season with salt.
- Arrange beef, beans, pico de gallo, radishes, avocado and pickled jalapeños (if using) on top of the lettuce. Squeeze lime juice on top and garnish with the rest of coriander leaves.
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