Versatile Taco Salad Recipe: Multiple Options For Easy Meal Planning

Sometimes you just need a recipe, like this Easy Taco Salad, that is quick to prepare and uses ingredients that are already in the house.

Easy Taco Salad Recipe

We have all been in the situation where we just do not know what to fix for dinner and the refrigerator doesn’t hold many inspiring options. This Easy Taco Salad can be the answer to the question, “Mom, what’s for dinner?”

Barbara adapted this Easy Taco Salad from Recipes from the Hearts of Our Families and Friends at First Baptist Church of Shelbyville, Indiana. I have to say it again, church ladies sure know how to cook! The original recipe was intended to feed a crowd – maybe at a church pitch-in. Barbara adapted it to feed her family of four without a huge amount of leftovers.

Ingredients

• Ground beef
• Lettuce
• Red kidney beans, drained
• Tomatoes
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Corn chips
• Italian Dressing, bottled

How to Make Easy Taco Salad

Step by Step Instructions

1. Shred lettuce, dice tomatoes and green onions, grate cheddar cheese, and drain beans and rinse well.
2. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet; season generously with salt and black pepper. Drain excess grease, if needed.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the prepared ingredients and the crushed corn chips. Pour in Italian dressing, and toss.

Recipe FAQs

• If you do not have any fresh tomatoes in the house, a can of diced tomatoes will work just fine. Drain them first.
• You can add taco seasoning to the ground beef if you want to add more flavor.
• The addition of the corn chips in this easy taco salad adds that extra crunch. You could use crushed tortilla chips.
• If you want to fix the salad ahead of time, just leave out the corn chips and dressing and add those right before serving.
• Looking for a lighter salad option, check out our Simple Mango Farro Kale Salad.
• Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite pantry and kitchen items.

Recipe Variations

• Use ground chicken, ground turkey or diced, cooked chicken breast instead of the ground beef.
• Iceberg lettuce or Romaine lettuce work best, but feel free to add in other types of salad greens.
• Add bell peppers, if desired. Red bell peppers, green bell peppers, or orange or yellow work.
• Substitute red onion or yellow onion for green onions.
• Garnish with sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo, queso or avocado slices before serving.
• Add fresh cilantro.
• Instead of kidney beans, use black beans, butter beans, or any other cooked bean.
• Make this a pasta salad by adding cooked and drained pasta.
• Black olives would be a tasty addition.
• Season up the meat as it cooks. Use a taco seasoning packet, homemade taco seasoning, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, chili powder, etc.
• Any type of diced tomatoes will work.

Taco-Inspired Recipes

We love anything taco and celebrate Taco Tuesday almost every week. Here are some of our favorite taco-related recipes.

• Deep Dish Taco Squares
• Taco Dip with Meat and Beans
• Easy Crock Pot Taco Soup
• Taco Rice Skillet
• Crock Pot Low Carb Taco Soup
• Instant Pot Shredded Taco Beef
• Mexican Goulash

Salad Recipes

Crunchy Ranch Pea Salad

Classic Waldorf Salad

Classic Spinach Salad

Cold Seafood Salad

Kitchen Utensils

• Veggie Chopper
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Ground Meat Chopper
• Large Bowl
• Tongs
• Italian Dressing