🌮🥗 This Ground Beef Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing is made with crisp romaine lettuce, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, and so much more! It comes together in just 20 minutes and is topped with the most incredible cilantro lime dressing.
Loaded Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
My family and I love all things tacos, like my taco-stuffed avocados, layered beef taco dip, and taco macaroni and cheese.
However, when I want a lighter option that still offers all the best savory, cheesy, Tex-Mex flavors, this taco salad with cilantro lime dressing is what I turn to.
- It’s a perfect weeknight dinner because it’s easy, ready in 20 minutes, loaded with flavor, and a hit with everyone.
- With juicy beef, crisp romaine, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, hearty black beans, creamy avocado, and crunchy tortilla strips, there are so many flavors and textures in every bite!
- The salad is super versatile and easy to customize with different ingredients and toppings.
Ingredients You’ll Need
When I say this salad is loaded, I mean it! Here’s what to gather:
- Olive oil
- Ground beef: I used 85% lean beef for this taco salad recipe, but if your beef contains more fat, you’ll definitely need to drain the excess grease before adding the meat to the salad. You can also swap the beef for ground turkey, if needed
- Taco seasoning: I use store-bought taco seasoning to keep things super easy, but you can use homemade taco seasoning with individual spices if preferred
- Produce: Pre-shredded romaine lettuce (or iceberg lettuce), grape or cherry tomatoes, avocado, and corn
- Mexican shredded cheese blend: Cheddar cheese also tastes great
- Tortilla chips: Substitute Doritos for a Doritos taco salad
- Canned black beans
- Cilantro Lime Dressing: I make my own dressing by combining mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, fresh cilantro, and granulated sugar. I use it in my loaded chicken taco salad, and it’s great with my layered beef taco salad, too. You could also try this creamy avocado cilantro
Mix and Match Ingredients
Feel free to mix and match toppings based on your favorite taco fixings and what you have on hand. For instance, try swapping black olives for black beans. Include guacamole or salsa for more flavor. Or, add veggies, like red onion, green onions, or bell peppers, for extra nutrients and crunch.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make a Loaded Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Prepare the taco meat: Brown the beef in a skillet with oil. Drain excess grease, and add taco seasoning and water. Simmer the mixture over medium heat until it thickens.
- Combine the salad: Prep all the salad ingredients, arranging them on a large platter or in a large serving bowl, starting with the crisp lettuce.
- Make the dressing: Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Serve: Spoon the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine. Enjoy!
Loaded Ground Beef Taco Salad with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing
Equipment
- 1 Serving Platter
- 1 Small Bowl
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Even More Mexican Recipes:
Chicken Tortilla Lettuce Wraps – Filled with Mexican flavors, there’s taco-seasoned chicken, tomatoes, corn, peppers, cilantro, and cheese! Easy, healthy, ready in 10 minutes, and a family favorite!
Lime Cilantro Chicken with Mixed Rice and Black Beans – Easy, one-skillet, 15-minute meal! Tons of textures and bold flavors in every bite! The lime makes this dish just pop!
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Quinoa – All the flavor of chicken enchiladas, minus the work of rolling them! Juicy chicken, corn, black beans, peppers, and loads of melted cheese! Easy, one-skillet, and ready in 30 minutes!
Originally posted July 19, 2019 and reposted April 22, 2022 with updated text.
Made it. Loved it but added a little onion to it. Easy to prepare and delicious. Thank you
Thanks Judie for trying it and the 5 star review – can’t go wrong with a little onion, too!
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.
We love taco salads as well! So versatile and healthy-ish yet hearty!
great
O.M.G. All of these look delish and definitely need to try that dressing! For sure ;-p
O.M.G. All of these look delish and definitely need to try that dressing! For sure ;-p
Thank you and enjoy it!
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!
Hey girl I would so love this! Yummy!
Taco salad is the best…I love the crunchy chips and of course cilantro..
This is seriously my favorite salad – ever. I dream about it sometimes. I need to try your dressing!
The dressing is so good and so versatile. It makes a great veggie dip too!
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!
I wish I could say that I planned this in advance of Taco Tuesday but it was just blind luck :)
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!
The BEST kind of salad :D. And I love how it come together in just 20 minutes.
Perfect for a fast weeknight dinner!
this salad looks so great Averie!! xx
Thanks my friend! xo
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!!
Taco Friday sounds like a plan! Hope you enjoy it as much as the chicken version – LMK!
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!
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 :)