I love a good dinner salad, especially in the summer. This recipe does require some more cooking than your typical salad, but it’s worth it. I personally cook some tortilla strips from scratch (which is super easy to do), though you can certainly use any tortilla chip you like. And the ground turkey, browned with taco seasoning and the black beans, only takes a few minutes to cook. This taco salad features layers of cool, crunchy iceberg lettuce (which I personally love and think it often gets a bad rap), tomato, cheese, cilantro and onion, and the crunchy tortilla strips and warm, savory turkey and beans, all drizzled with the creamy tangy dressing. You’ll love all the different things going on in this easy recipe!
Ingredients in Taco Salad and Substitutions
Ground Turkey – you can use ground chicken or ground beef here if you prefer, or omit and use extra black beans for a vegetarian option. Black beans – or another kind of bean like pinto. Iceberg Lettuce – or another crunchy, light tasting lettuce like romaine. Corn Tortillas – to make homemade crunchy tortilla strips (or, just use store-bought tortilla chips! More on that below.). Taco Seasoning – I use a homemade taco seasoning blend, but you can use store-bought, or another spice blend of choice. Cheddar Cheese – or other shredded cheese of choice, or use a vegan substitute or omit for a dairy-free option. Tomato – I used cherry, but any kind will do. Red Onion – or sweet onion. Cilantro – you can omit this if cilantro isn’t your thing. Sour Cream – or Greek yogurt, for the dressing (you can omit it for a dairy-free/vegan option, more on this below). Avocado Lime Juice Hot Sauce – this is optional for the dressing. I used Frank’s. Cayenne pepper will also work for a spicy kick, or a fresh jalapeño!
How to Make a Taco Salad with Ground Turkey and Black Beans
First, you’ll make the tortilla strips. Sure, you can use store-bought tortilla chips if you want, but the homemade are easy and taste amazing! Just cut corn tortillas into strips, pan-fry in some oil until golden brown, then remove to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Try to leave as much oil as possible in the skillet when you remove them, because you’ll use it to cook the turkey and beans next! Now, cook the turkey and beans. In the same skillet with the oil, add ground turkey, a drained and rinsed can of black beans, and taco seasoning. Break it apart with a wooden spoon (or this handy meat masher that works like a charm!) until the turkey is fully cooked. Then, add a little water and stir it in- this will make a bit of a sauce that will thicken slightly as it reduces and cools. Make the dressing. Just add avocado, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and salt to a blender or food processor. Once it’s smooth, add some water until it’s a “drizzle-able” consistency for your salad. Finally, layer all the parts of your taco salad! You can do this individually in salad bowls or plates, or all together on a large platter to serve family-style.
What to do with leftovers
If you have leftovers, you can use it to make tacos or quesadillas! I just put some of the turkey mixture on a tortilla, topped with cheese, and popped the whole thing in the microwave. Then I added some of the leftover sauce and some of the iceberg lettuce, and added some cilantro and onion on top. It was a fun way to enjoy the leftovers that felt a little different.
Do I REALLY have to make my own tortilla strips from scratch?
No. Do what you want here. Bust out that bag of tortilla chips you bought at the store and crumble them on top and make your life easy! Or… dare I suggest… using crumbled Doritos in this taco salad?
Other recipes you’ll love
One-Pot Taco Pasta (a good way to use that taco seasoning!) Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers (also with ground turkey and black beans) Mango Avocado Salad with Blackened Tofu (which uses a very similar dressing as this taco salad) Deconstructed Wedge Salad (perfect if you have extra iceberg lettuce)
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