Taco Salad Dressing Recipe (Fast & Flavorful)

Here’s a super quick taco salad that even picky eaters will like because you can put each ingredient separately. Sometimes, I give taco shells to my five-year-old and let him make his tacos with the stuff (except the salad dressing). You can add tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, and Cheddar cheese to the salad as you like. Yummy!

This taco salad isn’t just tasty because of the fresh ingredients like seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, corn, and black beans. The dressing is what makes it delicious. Made with fresh cilantro, garlic, and taco sauce straight from the bottle, this easy taco salad dressing takes it to the next level.

This image shows a colorful taco salad with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, shredded cheese, avocado, and crunchy tortilla chips, drizzled with a creamy lime taco salad dressing on top.

Taco Salad Dressing Recipe

This tasty Taco Salad is packed with flavorful beef atop crunchy lettuce, topped with all your favorite fixings. And don't miss out on our delicious lime crema taco sauce drizzled on top! Making tacos at home is not only fun but also tastes just as great as going out (maybe even better because it's fresher and uses better ingredients). Taco salad is like a taco but taken apart, giving you a new twist on the classic. They're really satisfying and incredibly simple to whip up.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6
Calories 335 kcal

Equipment

  • Whisk or fork
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring Cup

Ingredients
  

For the Salad

  • 1 pound Ground beef or turkey
  • 1 packet Taco seasoning mix
  • 1 head Iceberg lettuce chopped
  • 1 cup Cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 can 15 ounces Black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can 15 ounces Corn kernels, drained
  • 1/2 Red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 Avocado diced
  • 1/4 cup Chopped cilantro optional
  • Tortilla chips for serving

For the Dressing

  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Sour cream
  • 1 tbsp Taco seasoning mix
  • 1 tbsp Lime juice
  • 1 tbsp chopped Cilantro optional
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream.
    This image shows a beautifully caramelized Tarte Tatin, fresh out of the oven, with golden-brown apples glistening on top of a flaky, buttery pastry.
  • Add the taco seasoning mix and lime juice to the bowl.
    This image shows crispy, golden apple fritters covered in a shiny glaze, resting on a wire rack after being fried to perfection.
  • Mix everything together until well combined.
    This image shows crispy, golden apple fritters covered in a shiny glaze, resting on a wire rack after being fried to perfection.
  • Taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
    This image shows a batch of warm, baked apple cider doughnuts coated in cinnamon sugar, arranged on a baking sheet ready to enjoy.
  • If desired, stir in chopped cilantro for extra flavor.
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
    This image shows a creamy apple cider pie, topped with swirls of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, served on a rustic pie plate.
  • Enjoy on top of your taco salad!
    This image shows a creamy apple cider pie, topped with swirls of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, served on a rustic pie plate.

Notes

  • To make a creamy base, start by mixing together the mayo and sour cream.
  • Add the taco seasoning to give it a flavorful kick.
  • Squeeze in some fresh lime juice for that tangy taste.
  • If you like, toss in some cilantro for an extra burst of herbiness.
  • Give it a taste and tweak the seasoning to your liking.
  • You can serve it right away or pop it in the fridge to chill for later.

Nutrition Facts:

Nutrition Value
Calories 335 kcal
Fat28g
Carbohydrates 13g
Protein 19g
Cholesterol 70mg
Sugar3g
Sodium 715mg
Calcium 209mg
Iron3mg
Potassium 590mg

What Kind of Chips should I Use for Taco Salad that Tastes Good?

You can totally make the beef mixture ahead of time! Just pop it in the fridge for a few days. When you're ready to eat, warm it up in a pan on low heat or in the microwave. If it's too thick, you can add a bit of broth to thin it out. This trick makes meal prep super easy!

Juanita’s chips are really good for taco salad! If you can find them, buy a lot because they’re worth it. If not, Fritos are a tasty alternative. They have a yummy corn flavor that goes great with salad. So, Juanita’s or Fritos, both are delicious choices!

Can I Use Taco Seasoning from the Store?

Store-bought taco seasonings can be good, but they often have extra stuff like cornstarch that we don’t need for this recipe. Also, since we’re using bottled salsa that already has onion and garlic flavors.

For this recipe, you can keep it simple and quick by just using chili powder and cumin. But you can totally spice it up more if you want! Try adding things like coriander, paprika, or cayenne. You can even experiment with different types of chili powder, like Ancho, New Mexico, or California. It’s all about what you like!

Can I Prepare it in Advance?

You can totally make the beef mixture ahead of time! Just pop it in the fridge for a few days. When you’re ready to eat, warm it up in a pan on low heat or in the microwave. If it’s too thick, you can add a bit of broth to thin it out. This trick makes meal prep super easy.

3.7/5 - (8 votes)

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