• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
  • The Med Diet
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
The Matbakh
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • The Med Diet
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • The Med Diet
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Easy Taco Salad with Quick Avocado Lime Dressing

    By Lily・Published:Mar 8, 2023・Updated: Mar 11, 2023・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    taco salad with avocado lime dressing

    This easy taco salad with avocado lime dressing is filling, fresh, well-balanced, and yummy. It's made with taco meat, homemade avocado lime cilantro dressing, tortilla chips, and chopped vegetables.

    healthy ground beef taco salad

    Make this salad for meal prep, or a macro-friendly eating style. Personally, this is one of my macro-friendly meals when tracking macros because it keeps me full, tastes delicious, and has a great carb/fat/protein split.

    What You Will Love

    This classic taco salad is colorful, vibrant, and full of texture. If you have leftover taco meat from taco night, this is a great way to use it!

    I've played around with different spices, veggies, and dressings, and this is the best taco salad recipe that's tasty, quick, and uses a lot of fresh ingredients.

    lean ground beef taco salad with avocado cilantro dressing

    Ingredient Notes

    ingredients to make taco salad.
    • Taco meat: I prefer lean ground beef, but you can also use ground turkey or ground chicken. Use homemade taco seasoning or store-bought taco mix packets.
    • Avocado lime cilantro dressing: This salad dressing is so simple. It's made with four ingredients: ripe avocados, fresh cilantro, lime juice, salt, and water.
    • Salad vegetables: Use any type of vegetables that you like. My go-to for this recipe are romaine lettuce, bell peppers, green onion, and grape tomatoes.
    • Toppings (optional): This easy recipe can be doctored up with your favorite toppings. Add sour cream, cheddar cheese, pinto beans, black olives, sweet corn, hearty black beans, or whatever your heart desires.

    See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

    Quick Overview

    quick overview for how to make easy healthy taco salad

    Steps 1, 2, 3, & 4: Wash and chop the veggies.

    Steps 5, 6, & 7: Make the taco meat and avocado lime dressing.

    Step 8: Assemble the taco bowl.

    How To Make Step by Step

    cutting a yellow bell pepper

    Wash the vegetables. Chop the bell pepper.

    placing the chopped bell pepper into a bowl

    Set chopped bell pepper aside.

    cutting the washed romaine lettuce

    Rough chop the romaine lettuce.

    chopping green onions.

    Chop the green onions.

    chopping small tomatoes.

    Cut the grape tomatoes into bite-sized chunks.

    browning ground beef in a skillet.

    Add the lean ground meat to a large skillet on medium heat.

    ⭐️ Cooking tip: Personally, I don't add oil or fat when cooking meat. There's fat already in the ground beef, so cook the meat at a medium temperature for the fat content to melt out. This reduces fat content and calories. ⭐️

    adding homemade taco seasoning to the browned beef.

    Brown the ground meat (about 3 to 5 minutes), breaking up the clumps. Add the taco seasoning. Mix together.

    add water to the taco meat.

    Pour some water.

    slow simmer the taco meat.

    Simmer the taco meat for 5 to 7 minutes on medium-high heat until the meat sauce thickens up.

    taco meat cooked.

    Set the meat aside to cool down.

    blend the avocado, cilantro, lime, and salt together.

    In a blender, add the ripe avocados, fresh cilantro leaves, lime juice, garlic cloves (if using), a pinch of salt, and water.

    blended avocado lime cilantro dressing.

    Blend on high. The avocado lime dressing will be a little fluffy.

    taco salad with tortilla chips and avocado lime dressing

    In a large bowl, add the chopped vegetables as the base. Top with the beef mixture and creamy avocado taco salad dressing. Serve with tortilla chips. I crunch mine with my hands.

    Tips and Tricks

    • I recommend homemade taco seasoning mix. It takes just 5 minutes to mix and you can bulk batch enough for 8 lbs of meat. There are no fillers or additives, and you can adjust it to your liking.
    • Make spicy ground beef by adding some extra chili powder.
    • This easy taco salad recipe is so easy to customize- just add your favorite taco ingredients and play around!
    • Use leftover taco meat from lean ground turkey tacos!
    homemade taco salad

    Variations and Substitutions

    • Substitute red onion for green onion.
    • Use lean ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef. If using very lean meat, I recommend using a tad bit of olive oil to brown the meat.
    • Make your own dressing or use store-bought creamy salsa dressing.
    • Pour the taco salad ingredients into a taco shell instead of using chips. Alternatively, bake some corn tortillas and use those instead of fried chips.
    • Add some hot sauce or sour cream on top!
    homemade ground beef taco salad

    Equipment

    This recipe needs a blender, chef's knife, cutting board, and a large salad bowl.

    Storage

    This healthy taco salad recipe is an excellent meal prep option. Store the meat, avocado dressing, and vegetables in separate containers. When ready to serve this flavorful salad, reheat the taco-seasoned ground beef (separately), then assemble the salad.

    The avocado lime dressing stays green- yay! Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.

    FAQs

    Are taco salads unhealthy?

    Taco salads can be made healthy with fresh ingredients, lean ground beef, and a creamy avocado lime dressing.

    What is an avocado lime dressing made of?

    Creamy avocado lime dressing is made with ripe avocados, lime juice, fresh cilantro, salt, and water.

    How do you cut lettuce for taco salad?

    The best lettuce for a taco salad is crispy lettuce, like romaine hearts. Wash the lettuce leaves. Using a cutting board and chef's knife, roughly chop the lettuce into 1" chunks.

    Tex-Mex Recipes

    • mild taco seasoning
      Bulk Mild Taco Seasoning
    • freshly mashed garlic guacamole in a bowl
      Garlic Guacamole
    • pineapple salsa in a bowl
      Roasted Pineapple Salsa
    • turkey tacos on a plate
      Easy Lean Ground Turkey Tacos (20 Minutes, Hard Shells)

    Fresh Salads

    • fatoosh chopped salad with pomegranate and pita chips
      Epic Fattoush Salad With Pomegranate
    • lemon mint cabbage salad
      Dried Mint Shredded Cabbage Salad
    • dried cranberries, pecans, gorgonzola cheese, apples, and baby spinach in a bowl
      Apple Gorgonzola Spinach Salad
    • Persian shirazi salad in a white bowl
      Persian Shirazi Salad

    Join The Tribe

    Subscribe to The Matbakh Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Pinterest pages. We also have a saucy newsletter.

    authentic taco salad with avocado lime

    Easy Taco Salad with Quick Avocado Lime Dressing

    Author: Lily
    Course: Main Dish, Salad
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep: 10 mins
    Cook: 10 mins
    Total: 20 mins
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 4
    This easy taco salad with homemade avocado lime dressing is a delicious salad that has it all: Mexican food flavors, fresh colorful vegetables, and lots of flavor. Make this recipe for weekday meal prep or using leftover taco meat.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    Taco Meat

    • 3 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning or taco seasoning packets, see note 1
    • 1 lb ground beef
    • ¾ cup water

    Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

    • 2 large avocados
    • 4 lime
    • 1 cup cilantro leaves
    • pinch of salt
    • 1½ cup water
    • 2 fresh garlic cloves optional

    Salad

    • 3 romaine hearts different from a whole head of lettuce, see note 3
    • 2 bell peppers
    • 2 green onions
    • 20 grape tomatoes
    • tortilla chips

    Instructions

    Chop Veggies

    • Wash and chop the lettuce, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and green onion.

    Make the Taco Meat

    • In a large skillet on medium heat, add the ground beef. Cook the beef while continuously breaking up the clumps.
    • Once the meat is browned, add the taco seasoning. Mix together. Add the water. Simmer the taco meat for about 5 to 7 minutes.

    Make the Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

    • Wash and remove the leaves from the cilantro.
    • Remove the seed from the avocado. Scoop the avocado into a blender. Squeeze the lime juice into the blender. Add water, cilantro leaves, and garlic (if using) into the blender. Blend on high until you have a fluffy mixture.

    Assemble the Salad

    • Add all of the veggies to a salad bowl. Top the salad with avocado lime dressing and taco meat.

    Equipment

    blender
    chef's knife
    cutting board
    large bowl

    Video

    Notes

    1. Alternatively, use store-bought taco packets. One store-bought packet is equivalent to 3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning used for 1 lb of ground meat.
    2. If homemade taco seasoning doesn't have cornstarch already mixed in, I recommend using 2 teaspoon of cornstarch for every 3 tablespoons of taco mix. 
    3. Romaine lettuce hearts are just the center of a romaine head of lettuce. They are crisp, which is why I like to use them for salads. Substitute a whole head of lettuce in lieu of 2 romaine hearts. Alternatively, use iceberg lettuce.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 1062mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 10316IU | Vitamin C: 113mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 5mg

    More Salads That Don't Suck

    • bulgar wheat tabouli
      Lebanese Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)
    • quinoa tabbouleh parsley salad close up
      Quinoa Tabbouleh
    • close up of middle eastern eggplant salad in a bowl
      Middle Eastern Fried Eggplant Salad (Betinjan Meqli)
    • quinoa salad
      Greek Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    About Lily

    Howdy! My name Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. I'm the founder and one of the recipe authors here at The Matbakh. I enjoy sunsets, long walks to the fridge, meaningful relationships, and anything related to food. I'm so happy you are here!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave A Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Patricia

      March 10, 2023 at 11:42 pm

      5 stars
      This is perfect for lunch or dinner! Love all the textures and how easy it is to put together for a great meal!

      Reply
      • Lily

        March 11, 2023 at 9:32 am

        Thanks!

        Reply
    2. Rachna

      March 10, 2023 at 10:21 pm

      5 stars
      This salad had the perfect textures. The winner for me was the avocado dressing with lime. Loved its clean fresh flavors that really lifted the salad.

      Reply
      • Lily

        March 11, 2023 at 9:32 am

        Thanks for the comment - the avocado lime is one of my faves!

        Reply
    3. Natalie Marie

      March 10, 2023 at 9:00 pm

      5 stars
      This looks SO delicious, but the avocado lime sauce def stole the show!! Can't WAIT to try it out.

      Reply
      • Lily

        March 11, 2023 at 9:29 am

        Thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    4. Andrea

      March 10, 2023 at 8:07 pm

      5 stars
      This taco salad looks and sounds fabulous. Love all the fresh ingredients and flavors.

      Reply
      • Lily

        March 10, 2023 at 8:18 pm

        Thanks Andrea!

        Reply
    5. DJ

      March 09, 2023 at 9:06 am

      5 stars
      I made this tonight using Gardein Beefless Crumbles and it came out incredibly tasty. Thanks so much.

      Reply
      • Lily

        March 11, 2023 at 9:30 am

        Thank DJ, that sounds like a delicious mod!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Howdy, I'm Lily!

    toddler lily using her kitchen set

    I've been cooking things up ever since I was a kid. More about me

    Mediterranean Diet

    • the best protein oatmeal with mashed banana and sliced strawberries
      The BEST Protein Oatmeal (With Quick Oats!)
    • authentic taco salad with avocado lime
      Easy Taco Salad with Quick Avocado Lime Dressing
    • one-pot turkey chili in a bowl with a spoon.
      One Pot Lean Turkey Chili (Three Bean)
    • Greek protein yogurt fruit granola bowl
      Greek Protein Yogurt Fruit Granola Bowls

    Lebanese Food

    the best traditional lebanese food recipes

    Mediterranean Dips

    • fire roasted baba ganoush on a plate with olive oil
      Lebanese Baba Ganoush: The Ultimate Eggplant Dip
    • za'atar labneh in a bowl
      Labneh With Za'atar and Olive Oil
    • pita chips dipping into some labneh with olive oil
      Labneh With Mashed Garlic Paste
    • easy olive tapenade in a bowl
      Black Olive Tapenade Without Anchovies

    Easter Lamb Recipes

    • Garlic and rosemary lamb chops
      Grilled Lamb Rib Chops
    • lamb kabob skewers in a glass container
      Oven Broiled Lamb Kabobs
    • slow roasted boneless leg of lamb
      Slow Roasted Boneless Leg Of Lamb
    • easy ground lamb shepherd's pie
      Easy Ground Lamb Shepherd's Pie
    • lamb ouzi spiced rice with toasted nuts
      Ouzi Spiced Rice With Minced Lamb and Toasted Nuts
    • harissa lamb chili with kale and couscous in a bowl
      Harissa Lamb Chili With Couscous
    • Lebanese fasolia lima bean stew
      Fasolia Lebanese Lamb and Lima Bean Stew
    • slow cooked lamb shanks in the oven
      Slow Oven Roasted Lamb Shanks In Foil Packets

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Stay Connected

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • YouTube

    Legal Stuff

    Privacy Policy

    Terms & Conditions

    Accessibility Statement

    About

    The Matbakh

    About Me

    Contact

    Resources

    Shop

    Recipe Index

    Video Index

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Amooni Media LLC