A classic taco salad is one of our favorite back-pocket meals. This paleo-friendly version is made with ground beef, olives, avocados, and a sweet and spicy dressing. It's a great meal if you're cooking for one or two, but you can also set everything out like a taco bar if you're serving more people. Smarts: Don't hesitate to customize this meal. Taco salad makes a great base for leftover vegetables, your favorite protein, and extra toppings.
Adobo sauce
- 1 Tbsp
(usually found with canned chipotle peppers)
Honey
- 1 Tbsp
Paprika, smoked
- 1/2 tsp
Oil, cooking
- 3 Tbsp
Tex Mex Salad with Ground Beef:
Cumin, ground
- 1 tsp
Coriander, ground
- 1 tsp
Paprika, smoked
- 1 tsp
Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp
Salt
- 1/2 tsp
Bell peppers, any color
- 1
, diced
Beef, ground
- 1 lb
Lettuce, any crisp variety like iceberg or Boston leaf
- 8 oz
, shredded
Tomatoes, Roma
- 4
, chopped
Avocados
- 1
, diced
Olives, black and sliced (4 oz / 113 g)
- 1 can
, drained and rinsed
Oil, cooking
- 1 Tbsp
Pepitas / pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup
Prep
Make honey-adobo dressing - Whisk together vinegar, adobo sauce, honey, paprika (portion for dressing), and oil (portion for dressing). (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Make spice mix - Combine cumin, coriander, paprika (portion for salad), garlic powder, and salt. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Bell peppers - Dice bell peppers. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Season ground beef - Combine beef with spice mix. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Heat a skillet with oil (portion for taco salad) over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and saute until beef is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
Assemble salads by forming a bed of lettuce and topping it with bell peppers, tomatoes, avocados, and olives. Top with beef and pepitas.
Dress salads with honey-adobo dressing. Enjoy!
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