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Loaded Ground Beef Taco Salad with Creamy Taco Salad Dressing

ByJessica Loizzo Updated on

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If your family loves taco night as much as mine does, you’re going to love this Ground Beef Taco Salad. We eat Mexican-inspired food at least once a week in our house, and while tacos are always a hit, sometimes it’s fun to change things up a little.

That’s how this taco salad came to be.

It has everything we love about tacos — seasoned ground beef, crunchy lettuce, beans, cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips — but tossed together in a big salad bowl and drizzled with a creamy homemade taco salad dressing. The first time I made it, my kids immediately said, “This tastes just like a taco!” and that’s exactly what I was hoping for!

Colorful taco salad featuring ground beef, lettuce, corn, black beans, shredded cheese, and lime wedges, served with tortilla chips and various toppings.

Why My Family Is Obsessed With This Ground Beef Taco Salad

As a parent, I’m always trying to land on dinners that everyone at the table actually wants to eat, and this taco salad checks all the boxes. It’s quick, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeknights when you want something homemade but don’t want to spend an hour in the kitchen. The best part? The only thing you actually cook is the ground beef. Everything else is just chopping and layering ingredients you probably already love in tacos — crisp lettuce, cheese, beans, avocado, and crunchy tortilla chips.

Another reason we make this recipe so often is because it’s incredibly customizable. Taco salads are one of those dinners where everyone can build their bowl exactly the way they like it. If someone isn’t a fan of beans, leave them out. If your family loves avocado (like mine does), pile it on. It’s flexible, which makes it a really easy family dinner.

The seasoned ground beef is also one of those simple recipes that ends up pulling a lot of weight in the kitchen. I make a big batch and use it in all kinds of meals. It’s perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos, but it also works great in other easy dinners on the blog like my Easy Beef Taco Skillet which is also a family favorite.

Let’s Chat About This Taco Salad Dressing

Now to my favorite part! The taco salad dressing, which really takes this taco salad over the top. Instead of using bottled dressing, I made a quick homemade taco salad dressing that’s creamy, tangy, and packed with taco flavor. Once you realize how easy it is to whisk together sour cream, mayo, lime, and a few pantry spices, it’s honestly hard to go back to store-bought. I have learned that making it ahead creates a more flavorful dressing because the ingredients have time to marinade. This step isn’t necessary, but it sure is nice to have this step done ahead of time and it only takes a few minutes.

Alright, let’s get into it — here’s everything you’ll need to make this loaded ground beef taco salad and how to bring it all together.

Ingredients and Step-By-Step Instructions

Please note that these pictures are meant to provide a helpful visual overview of the recipe. Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Assorted sauces, spices, and condiments arranged on a neutral surface, including mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, olive oil, and various seasonings, ideal for baking and cooking.
Taco Salad Dressing Ingredients: Sour cream/Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, lime juice, taco sauce and milk.
Delicious cake batter being prepared with a whisk in a white bowl, accompanied by a glass of milk, perfect for baking sweet treats.
Simply whisk all the ingredients together and use a splash of milk to thin it out to your liking.
Creamy caramel sauce in a white bowl with a wooden-handled whisk, perfect for desserts and sweet recipes.
Taste for seasoning and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
Ground meat mixture with spices and salt in a glass bowl, ready for cooking or baking, on a textured surface.
Ground Beef Ingredients: ground beef, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and water.
Ground beef cooking in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned.
Delicious homemade crumble topping being prepared in a cast iron skillet, perfect for desserts like apple crumble or fruit crisps.
Stir in the seasoning.
Delicious homemade chocolate cookie crumble being prepared in a skillet, with a hand pouring water and a wooden spoon ready for mixing. Perfect for dessert recipes or baking projects.
Stir in the water.
Close-up of sweetened ground cinnamon in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon, perfect for baking and dessert recipes.
Let simmer for 5-8 minute or until most of the water has evaporated.
Salad Ingredients: cooked ground beef, romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, green onion/cilantro/red onion, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and taco salad dressing.
Colorful taco salad topped with dressing, cheese, and fresh lime slices, served in a white bowl with various toppings and ingredients around.
Assemble salads to your liking and enjoy!

I hope this recipe brings a little extra ease to your dinner routine and gives you more time to sit down and enjoy a meal together. If you try it, please leave a rating and comment below — it truly helps other readers and I always appreciate the feedback. You can also follow along on Instagram for more simple recipes and weeknight dinner ideas. hope your family enjoys this taco salad as much as mine does!

Yield: 5 large servings

Loaded Beef Taco Salad

Colorful taco salad featuring fresh lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, ground beef, corn, and crunchy tortilla chips, served with lime wedges and creamy dressing for a delicious meal.

This Ground Beef Taco Salad tastes just like a taco but in salad form. It’s loaded with seasoned taco meat, crisp romaine lettuce, beans, corn, cheese, avocado, and topped with a creamy homemade taco salad dressing. Easy to customize and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Ground Beef Taco Meat

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1½ teaspoons cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon paprika (regular or smoked)
  • ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup water

Taco Salad

  • 2 large heads romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded
  • 1 or 2 (15-ounce) cans corn, drained (or frozen corn, thawed)
  • 1 or 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • ½ cup diced red onion or green onions
  • Crushed tortilla chips, for serving
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Taco Salad Dressing

  • ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk (to thin)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2–3 tablespoons mild taco sauce

Instructions

Make the Taco Meat:

  1. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  2. Add 2 pounds ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease if needed.
  3. Stir in 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1½ teaspoons cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
  4. Pour in 1 cup water, stir well, and let the mixture simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beef is flavorful and saucy, about 5–8 minutes.


Make the Taco Salad Dressing:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt), ¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 2–3 tablespoons mild taco sauce.
  2. Add 1–2 tablespoons milk a little at a time until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.


Assemble the Taco Salad:

  1. Place 2 chopped heads of romaine lettuce in a large serving bowl.
    Spoon the warm taco meat over the lettuce.
  2. Add 12 ounces shredded Colby Jack cheese, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, and ½ cup diced onion.
    Sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips and chopped cilantro.
  3. Toss lightly and serve with taco salad dressing and lime wedges.

Notes

• The taco meat can be made ahead and reheated when ready to assemble the salad.
• This taco meat is very versatile — use it for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, or taco bowls.
• If you like a spicier dressing, add an extra tablespoon of taco sauce or a pinch of cayenne.
• For a lighter dressing, substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
• Serve the salad immediately after tossing so the lettuce stays crisp.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

5

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1165Total Fat: 79gSaturated Fat: 29gUnsaturated Fat: 50gCholesterol: 232mgSodium: 1464mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 16gSugar: 8gProtein: 79g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated. Use as an approximation only.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Jessica Loizzo
Category: 30-Minute Dinners

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