Loaded Beef Taco Salad with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing

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This Beef Taco Salad is loaded with crisp romaine lettuce, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, and more! It comes together in just 20 minutes and is topped with the most incredible cilantro lime dressing. 

loaded beef taco salad in large white serving bowl

Easy Taco Salad Recipe

About a year ago I made a Loaded Chicken Taco Salad and it’s been such a hit with readers that I came up with a beef version. It’s a perfect weeknight dinner because it’s easy, ready in 20 minutes, loaded with flavor, and a hit with everyone.

My family loves tacos of any kind, even in salad form. Think tacos, minus the shells, and with more lettuce and plenty of veggies to keep things healthier.

Along with juicy beef, there’s crisp romaine, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, hearty black beans, creamy avocado, and crunchy tortilla strips. So many flavors and textures in every bite of this loaded taco salad recipe! 

Beef Taco Salad Ingredients 

For the taco salad itself, you’ll need: 

  • Olive oil
  • Ground beef 
  • Taco seasoning
  • Water
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Mexican shredded cheese blend
  • Tortilla chips
  • Corn
  • Canned black beans

And for the taco salad dressing, you’ll need: 

  • Mayonnaise 
  • Sour cream
  • Lime juice
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Granulated sugar

close up of beef taco salad with cilantro lime dressing in small dish on the side

How to Make Taco Salad

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Once it’s browned, drain any excess grease before sprinkling with taco seasoning. Add water, and simmer over medium heat until sauce has thickened some. 

Meanwhile, prep the other taco salad ingredients (dice the tomatoes, cube the avocado, etc). Add the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, tortilla chips, corn, black beans, and beef to a large platter or bowl. 

Make the taco salad dressing by whisking together the mayo, sour cream, lime juice, and taco seasoning. Add the cilantro and and lime juice and stir to incorporate. Evenly drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine.

Loaded Beef Taco Salad with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing - Loaded with your favorite taco fixings, minus the shells, to keep things healthier without sacrificing any FLAVOR!! The dressing is easy, creamy and IRRESISTIBLE!!

Tips for the Best Taco Salad

Feel free to mix and match toppings based on your favorite taco fixings and what you have on hand. Swap black olives for black beans, or add red onions or bell peppers.

I used 85% lean beef for this taco salad recipe, but if your beef contains more fat than mine you’ll definitely need to drain the excess grease before adding the meat to the salad. 

The creamy lime cilantro dressing is a duplicate of the dressing I used for my chicken taco salad. It goes just as well with beef as it does with chicken and if you have any leftover, it makes a great veggie dip. You could also try this creamy avocado cilantro dressing with this beef taco salad. 

Lastly, you can use plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream in the cilantro-lime dressing, if desired. You won’t taste much of a difference, and the dressing will be slightly healthier! 

This Beef Taco Salad is loaded with crisp romaine lettuce, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, and more! It comes together in just 20 minutes and is topped with the most incredible cilantro lime dressing. 

More Mexican Salad Recipes: 

This Beef Taco Salad is loaded with crisp romaine lettuce, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, and more! It comes together in just 20 minutes and is topped with the most incredible cilantro lime dressing. 

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4.68 from 31 votes

Loaded Beef Taco Salad with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing

By Averie Sunshine
This Beef Taco Salad is loaded with crisp romaine lettuce, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, and more! It comes together in just 20 minutes and is topped with the most incredible cilantro lime dressing. 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef, I use 90% lean
  • one 1.25-ounce packet taco seasoning, divided (I use reduced sodium, medium heat), divided
  • ¼ cup water
  • 4 cups romaine lettuce
  • 1 or 2 medium tomatoes, diced (I used Roma, vine-ripened or cherry tomatoes may be substituted)
  • 1 medium ripe Hass avocado, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup Mexican shredded cheese blend
  • 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
  • ¾ cup corn, I used frozen, fresh may be substituted
  • ¾ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup mayonnaise, lite okay
  • ¼ cup sour cream, lite okay, plain Greek yogurt may be substituted
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons lime juice, or as necessary for flavor and consistency
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, optional and to taste

Instructions 

  • To a large skillet, add the olive oil, beef, and brown over medium-high heat, breaking up beef and stirring frequently for even cooking.
  • After beef has browned, optionally drain it (I didn’t need to) and evenly sprinkle with 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, add 1/4 cup water, and simmer over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until sauce has thickened some. Allow beef to rest in pan off the heat while you assemble the salad.
  • To a large platter or bowl, add the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, tortilla chips, corn, black beans, and beef; set aside.
  • To a small bowl, add the mayo, sour cream, lime juice, remaining taco seasoning, and whisk to combine.
  • Add the cilantro and stir to incorporate. Add additional lime juice to thin out dressing if desired. Taste dressing and depending on how much lime juice was used, optionally add sugar to taste if desired. Evenly drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine.

Notes

  • Extra dressing will keep airtight for up to 5 days in the fridge and makes a great veggie dip.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 616kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 44g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 27g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 1114mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Originally posted July 19, 2019 and reposted April 22, 2022 with updated text.

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. YUMMY!!!! We love taco salads. These are some of our favorite ingredients to use. Sometimes I throw on some brown rice. I use cheese dip instead of the grated cheese and do not add any other dressing.  So delicious! Also leave my chips on the side so they do not get soggy.

  2. This looks so delicious and your dressing sounds awesome! Taco anything is always a hit around here so I need to give this easy dinner a try!

  3. This is seriously my favorite salad – ever. I dream about it sometimes. I need to try your dressing!

  4. Well great, now I won’t be able to sleep tonight. I’ll be way too stinking excited for Taco Tuesday tomorrow knowing that this is on the menu! Totally mouth-wateringly amazingly delish!

  5. I fermented a half gallon of salsa before I left for Costa Rica, so all I have been eating since I got back is fresh salads like this with salsa on it. I could eat it forever. I need to make this dressing though!

  6. Jon and I love a hearty salad and I haven’t made anything Mexican in a while. I think I’ll have taco Friday and make it this week. The chicken version was great and I love the dressing!!

    1. I made this last night and it’s every bit as good as the chicken version!! Can’t pick a favorite between the two. I have been on such a basil kick all summer so the cilantro dressing was a nice change-up. I just love fresh herbs in and on everything!

      1. I love both basil and cilantro, sometimes I have to toss a coin to see which one I’m going to make a dressing, dip, sauce, etc out of! Glad you loved this as much as the chicken and you couldn’t pick a favorite :)