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.