This healthy Taco Salad recipe can be on the table in less than 30 minutes, seasoned ground beef or turkey, beans, corn, and piled high with your favorite toppings.
Meat Mixture: Add ground beef to a skillet over medium heat. Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon into small pieces, until cooked through. Remove grease. Add taco seasoning and water and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in black beans and corn.
Assemble: Add baked tortilla shell (recipe follows) or tortilla chips to the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with a handful of lettuce, then taco meat and desired toppings. Add salsa, sour cream and guacamole (or avocado) on top.
Optional Baked Tortilla Bowls:
Brush a thin layer of canola or vegetable oil on both sides of 8” flour tortillas. Place a 4’’ ramekin or similar size oven-safe bowl, face down, on a cookie sheet. Lay a tortilla over it. Place a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil on top of the tortilla and press down, scrunching the foil and tortilla around the ramekin until it’s shaped like a tortilla bowl (think basket-style coffee filter).
Now flip the whole thing over so it’s open end up. Repeat for however many tortilla bowls you’re going to need (and an extra or two in case one breaks!).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 5 minutes. Take cookie sheet out of oven, use tongs to carefully remove each ramekin and then return the tray to the oven to cook for 5 more minutes.
Remove from oven, carefully lift each shell out of the foil and place bottom up, foil down on the cookie sheet. Gently secure the rim of the tortilla inside the foil so it doesn't burn. Return to oven to cook for 7-10 more minutes or until crisp and golden.
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Notes
*Nutritional info doesn't include optional toppings.Make Ahead Instructions: The taco meat and tortilla shells can be prepped a day or two in advance, stored separately. Reheat the meat mixture in the microwave or in a skillet. All of the veggies and toppings can be chopped and ready, just keep them in separate containers in the fridge.Freezing Instructions: Allow meat mixture to cool completely and store in freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.Vegetarian Taco Salad: Replace meat with cooked, crumbled tofu or add additional beans or veggies.Vegan: Substitute vegan cheese and crumbled tofu.Keto/low-carb: Skip the shell and try out this keto / gluten-free Tortilla bowls recipe.Make Walking Tacos: Scoop the taco meat into a bag of fritos chips, and add your favorite toppings.Taco Salad Bar: If you are serving to a crowd or if everyone has different preferences, set up a build your own taco salad bar!Chicken Taco Salad: Instead of the ground beef, use this chicken taco meat!