Ditch the messy tacos and make this healthy taco salad recipe instead...loaded with delicious turkey taco meat, crunchy tortilla chips, cheese and more! Easy to prep and perfect for a meal prep lunch or dinner.
We are huge taco fans at my house (this Crockpot Taco Soup and these Turkey Taco Lunch Bowls are proof!). One of my personal favorites is this healthy taco salad, which is loaded up with everyone's favorite taco ingredients!
With crunchy tortilla strips, juicy turkey taco meat, and tons of fresh veggies, this healthy taco salad is both healthy and delicious...the best of both worlds!
It is simple to prep, easy to customize, and with a few tricks? Works amazingly well for meal prep.
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Why You'll Love This Healthy Taco Salad Recipe
- it is ready in under 20 minutes
- you can enjoy it as a meal prep lunch
- you can swap out ingredients based on what you have in the fridge or pantry
Taco Salad Meal Prep Video
Want to see exactly how to make this salad? Watch this 1-minute video! You can find more recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Taco Salad Recipe Ingredients
To make taco salad, you will need:
- ground turkey- which lightens things up from ground beef. Feel free to swap with any ground beef or even tofu (check out these Tofu Tacos!).
- taco seasoning- we are cooking our ground turkey up with this homemade taco seasoning (or use store bought for a shortcut)
- romaine lettuce- for the base of the salad. I love the crunch that romaine lettuce brings, but you could swap for your fave leafy greens.
- tomatoes- cherry or roma, chopped
- black beans- for extra protein and flavor. Make your own Instant Pot Black Beans!
- corn- fresh, frozen or canned
- salsa- instead of a salad dressing, salsa brings a ton of flavor to this salad!
- cheese- mozzarella or Monterey jack are great choices
- tortilla chips- use your favorite corn, grain-free or other tortilla chips
How to Make Taco Salad
- Start by cooking your turkey in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula as you go. Cook for about 7 minutes or until you don’t see any more pink bits. Drain any excess grease if needed.
- Stir in your taco seasoning and ⅔rds cup of water, cooking until sauce is bubbly, thickened, and evenly coats the meat. Set this aside for now.
- Portion the romaine lettuce evenly across four bowls. Add in ¼th of the taco meat, then top with ¼ cup of cheese, tomatoes, corn kernels, black beans, and tortilla chips.
- Garnish bowls with avocado, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole to taste.
Meal prep tips
- hot or cold- you can serve this salad with warmed up taco meat, or cold taco meat
- prep ahead- you can cook your taco meat ahead and store for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- romaine lettuce, corn, black beans + cheese may be prepped up to 4 days ahead
- jar salad- if you want to take this salad to work, assemble in 1 quart jars! Place the salsa and taco meat in the bottom and work your way up, placing the greens at the top.
- make sure you add your tortilla chips and avocado (if desired) to the salad just before serving)
Find my favorite kitchen equipment in my shop!
Healthy Taco Salad Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- You can substitute ground turkey with ground chicken or chopped chicken if you prefer. Simply cut up 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or tenderloins and cook as you would the ground meat. Cook through, stir in the water and seasoning, then simmer until sauce is thickened.
- Add more veggies for more nutrition. Sliced radishes add great crunch while grated carrots are easy to work into every bite.
- Bulk it up if you want. Stir 1-2 cups of pinto beans or quinoa into the taco meat. Brown rice or Mexican rice can also be added to bowls to make this meal stretch further.
Serving Suggestions for Taco Salad
We love this topped with chopped avocado, a dollop of sour cream, a spoonful of salsa, and some guacamole. You could also add sliced radishes, a drizzle of queso dip, or some jalapeno ranch dressing.
How to Store Healthy Taco Salad
I recommend layering this salad into mason jars or storing your components separately. If you layer your taco meat and wet condiments at the bottom of the jar with the romaine lettuce at the top, your salad will stay fresh for up to 4 days. You will need to cut the avocado fresh and add it with the tortilla chips just before serving. Those two ingredients won’t keep in the jar no matter how you layer it!
Taco Salad Recipe FAQs
I highly recommend using mason jars! By layering the taco meat (and condiments) at the bottom of the jar and the romaine lettuce at the top, your lettuce will remain crisp for up to 4 days! Important: skip the avocado (or cut it fresh) and add the tortilla chips just before serving. For this salad I recommend quart-sized jars (4 cup/2 pint). Go big!
You can eat it right out of the jar (give it a good shake up first), or you can bring a bowl and shake it all out into the bow. I prefer the bowl option, personally!
H
More salad recipes
- Kale Caesar Salad
- Caprese Chicken Quinoa Salad
- Cobb Salad Recipe
- Chopped Chickpea Salad
- Black Bean & Corn Salad
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Healthy Taco Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey (or ground beef)
- 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning (or one package storebought)
- 1 cup black beans (from a can; drained & rinsed)
- 1 cup corn kerneals (from a can; drained & rinsed)
- 1 cup tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 4 handfulls romaine lettuce (or iceberg; washed, dried & cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup tortilla strips
Optional
- 1 avocado (peeled & chopped; optional)
- sour cream
- salsa
- guacamole
Instructions
- Cook turkey over medium heat in a non-stick pan, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook for 7 or so minutes, until no pink remains.
- Drain the pan from grease or liquid if necessary.
- Add ⅔ cup of water to the pan with the taco seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently until sauce is bubbly and thickened and meat is evenly coated.
- Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine all ingredients and divide between four bowls.
- Enjoy!
Tips:
- condiments at the bottom
- taco meat
- black beans
- corn
- tomatoes
- romaine lettuce at the top
Nutrition Information
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Hi, I'm Annie. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor in nutrition and nearly 20 year of both classical training, and self-taught experience, I've spent my career proving that home cooking can be practical, delicious and inspiring. What started in 2013 as one food blog has grown into a full-time business. Today, my husband Clayton and I run five food websites that connect with millions of home cooks every month.
When I'm not in the kitchen or behind the camera, I'm using fueling my love of travel, or chasing down new ideas that keep food fun and fresh.
Lucie says
I love this recipe and I have recommended your blog to my daughter who now plans most of her weekly meals from your recipes! Thank you for all your hard work!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Lucie, we're so glad to hear that you love this recipe, and thank you for spreading the word about Sweet Peas & Saffron to your daughter! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review!
Catalina says
I’m have to say it ; I am obsessed with your blog . I am a mom and wife looking for making my cooking easy everyday !! The salad is great !! And all your ideas are awesome !!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Catalina! I'm so so happy to hear the website has been helpful to you, and that you enjoyed the taco salad. Thanks so much for taking time out of your day to leave a review, I really appreciate it! <3
Kim says
Is this a keto friendly recipe???
Denise Bustard says
Hi Kim! I am not a keto expert but I do know taco salad can fit into a keto diet. I would recommend using homemade taco seasoning or seeking out a low carb one, because they can have sneaky carbs. You may want to use beef in place of turkey, and omit the beans, corn and tortilla chips. I think it would be keto-compliant with these changes!