Healthy Taco Salad
I love quick, healthy and tasty meals. This Healthy Taco Salad made with spiced lean ground beef is exactly that! Packed with protein, this layered taco salad recipe is gluten free and uses a homemade seasoning blend.
Salads can most definitely be made into a hearty meal. This Healthy Taco Salad boasts grass fed beef as its protein and a homemade spice blend to keep it simple.
This dinner staple can be on the table in under thirty minutes and your family WILL be wanting seconds.
I love salads for dinner! Typically they are the super healthy variety like this curried quinoa salad, for instance.
Today’s Taco Salad still has some healthy components but it’s honestly a tad on the indulgent side, especially when you have 2 helpings like someone I know (me) or 3 helpings like someone else I know (Joe).
I guess it’s fair to say we truly enjoyed this meal. 🙂
HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY TACO SALAD
Meet my Taco Salad! That was meant to sound like “meet my millionaires!” Millionaire Matchmaker, anyone? Besides taco salads, another indulgence of mine is trashy reality TV … I know I’m not alone … Right?
The protein in my taco salad was lean grass fed beef but if you want to lighten it up feel free to try ground turkey or chicken. The key here is to make up your own taco seasoning. It’s quite easy and you probably have all of these spices in your cupboard.
I’ve made this seasoning before with my Mexican Spiced Brown Rice Bowl. It’s tried and true, has no strange additives like the store bought version and you (or your family) will never know the difference. Adjust the heat to your liking. I find my blend to be spicy but not too much so.
The base and crunch of the salad were these amazing chips from Neal Brothers.
They have flax seeds in them!
Start with a bit of oil in your saucepan and saute up a clove of garlic.
Garlic is the BEST!
Then pop in your lean beef.
Once the beef has been browned, add in your taco seasoning and a touch of water, give it a good stir and simmer. That’s it!
Here’s a taster for the chef. 😉
My salad was a layer of chips, shredded romaine lettuce, then the seasoned beef, grated cheese, salsa and 1/2 of an avocado.
Joe also adds a dollop of sour cream – Greek yogurt could be a healthier swap for that!
If you are looking for a meal the whole family will enjoy, look no further! Make it a Taco Salad night at your house and have everyone build their own with a variety of toppings.
This beats Taco Bell any day of the week.
MORE GLUTEN FREE DINNER RECIPES:
Walnut Bolognese Spaghetti Sauce
*Originally posted September 13, 2016. Updated June 5, 2020*
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Healthy Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. extra lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Chips of choice I used Neal Brother’s with Flax Seeds
- Taco Seasoning:
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp each of ground cumin, garlic powder, and crushed pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp water
- Toppings:
- Shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa, avocado, and anything else you may want to throw on!
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in medium saucepan.
- Saute garlic until soft, probably less than 1 minute
- Add in beef, season with sea salt & pepper and saute until completely cooked through and browned.
- Add taco seasonings and water and stir well. Bring to a quick boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
- Assemble your salad with your toppings of choice. I layer with chips, lettuce, beef, salsa, avocado, cheese.
Nutrition
