Cinco de Mayo is coming and I’ve got the perfect Mexican recipe for you. Make this easy and delicious beef taco salad with a homemade chipotle ranch dressing. This salad is the definition of flavor explosion!
You have no idea how much I love this easy beef taco salad. Like, seriously love it. It’s got all the flavors that I’ve ever dreamed of. The ground beef is browned and cooked with my favorite taco seasoning, as well as my secret ingredient: salsa! Yup, salsa makes everything so much better. And let me tell you about the homemade chipotle ranch dressing…it’s tangy, slightly spicy, sweet, creamy…all at the same time. There’s nothing better than this delicious beef taco salad, guys.
Cinco de Mayo is coming soon, and I know you’ll be looking all over the web for fun Mexican recipes. The great part about this beef taco salad is that you can easily multiply the ingredients to feed a crowd. I hope you like it as much as I did!
The Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Okay, let’s talk about the taco salad dressing first! Dressings can really take salads to a whole new level, and this chipotle ranch dressing certainly does.
This chipotle ranch dressing with honey is tangy, sweet, slightly spicy, creamy, and refreshing…all in one. These are the dressing ingredients:
- chipotles peppers in adobo sauce
- fresh cilantro
- ranch dressing
- lime juice
- garlic
- sour cream
- honey
- water
The honey adds a subtle sweetness that marries all the flavors together. The lime juice adds freshness. The chipotles in adobo sauce gives it a little kick. So good!
Beef Taco Salad Ingredients
Assembling a salad is always easy and super fun. Here are the beef taco salad ingredients:
- ground beef
- taco seasoning
- mild salsa
- romaine lettuce
- cherry tomatoes
- avocado
- roasted corn
- cheese
- tortilla chips
- toppings: sour cream, cilantro, salsa
- chipotle ranch dressing
As you can see, this salad calls for several ingredients but the only thing that needs cooking is the seasoned ground beef, so it’s super easy. You can even prep the ground beef 1 day in advance, so all you have to do is throw the rest of the ingredients into a bowl and dinner is served!
How to Make this Easy Beef Taco Salad
Ready to taco ’bout how to make this salad?! Let’s get started, shall we?
Per usual, you can find all the specific ingredient quantities in the recipe card.
- Make the chipotle ranch dressing.
- In a large skillet on medium high heat, sear and brown the meat. Then break it apart and continue cooking until cooked through. Drain excess fat. Tip: break up the meat in chunks to sear, and leave undisturbed for about 3 minutes or until bottom is nicely browned. Then break up the meat and cook, stirring.
- Reduce heat to medium. Mix in taco seasoning to the meat and stir until the meat is evenly coated. Add some olive oil, as this will help incorporate the taco seasoning. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and reduce, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Next, stir in your favorite salsa and reduce. Why? Flavor! The beef should be nicely moist – if too wet, keep cooking to reduce, and if is too dry, add more salsa.
- Assemble the salad: layer some romaine lettuce on a bowl. Then add some halved cherry tomatoes, corn, diced onions, prepared beef, cheese, tortilla chips or strips, cheese, and avocado. Drizzle with some of the chipotle ranch dressing.
- Serve with sour cream, more salsa, and cilantro.
That’s all! Isn’t it super easy?! I promise all the best flavors are there, all in one bowl.
Make Ahead Tips
Life is busy, I know, so here are some prep ahead tips for ya:
- Prepare the ground beef 1 day ahead. When ready to serve, reheat in the microwave oven.
- Prepare these salad ingredients ahead of time: romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions.
- Make the chipotle ranch dressing up to 2 days in advance.
I hope you like this salad! It’s definitely one of my favorites. And please don’t forget to pin this recipe. Thank you so much for reading!
Check out other Cinco de Mayo recipes:
- Mexican street corn salad
- loaded baked taquitos
- my favorite guacamole
- one pot mexican chicken and rice
- the best chicken quesadillas
- chicken fajita bowls
- Mexican Chicken Carnitas from Isabel Eats
If you try my recipe, use #cookingformysoul on Instagram! Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook for the latest fun updates and recipes!
Beef Taco Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
Seasoned Ground Beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup your favorite salsa, plus more as neded
- 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce - (large)
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 1 cup sweet corn - (canned)
- 1/4 cup diced red onions - (small dice)
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Tortilla strips or chips
- Sour cream for topping
- Cilantro for topping
- Salsa for topping
- Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Instructions
- Make the Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add beef and let it sear about 3-4 minutes. Tip: break it up in chunks for better searing. Then, break up the meat and continue cooking until cooked through, stirring as needed. Drain excess fat.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the taco seasoning to the beef and stir until thoroughly mixed with the meat. Add water and simmer until the liquid is reduced. Then stir 1/4 to 1/2 cup salsa and reduce. The beef should be nicely moist - if too wet, keep cooking to reduce, and if too dry, add more salsa.
- Assemble the salad: layer lettuce on salad bowls, then add some halved cherry tomatoes, corn, diced onions, prepared beef, cheese, tortilla chips or strips, cheese, and avocado.
- Serve with some sour cream, cilantro for garnish. Drizzle chipotle ranch dressing to taste. Enjoy!
sheenam @ thetwincookingproject says
found my taco tuesday recipe 🙂