Beef Taco Salad

This beef taco salad is made with seasoned minced (ground) beef which is served with a quick healthy salad and pieces of corn taco shells to add a delicious crunch.

With summer around the corner, why not add this beef taco salad to the list of salads you can enjoy during the warmer months ahead. This healthy salad is low in calories and high in protein which is important for your muscles. It is relatively low in in carbs and most of the carbs come from the taco shell which for me is the star of the show in this salad. I love the crunchiness of the taco shells which goes perfect with the seasoned beef.

To save time and ingredients, I season the minced beef with Schwartz fajita seasoning which gives the meat a smoky and spicy flavour. Once cooked, the seasoned beef is served with a crunchy fresh salad, some cheddar cheese and avocados. Optionally, it can be topped with some reduced fat sour cream which pairs nicely with this salad.

Ingredients for Beef Taco Salad

For the beef

• Beef mince - also known as ground beef. I use lean mince 5% fat.
• Onion – use a brown onion..
• Garlic – use fresh garlic cloves..
• Bell pepper – use a red bell pepper.
• Black pepper – use a good quality black pepper.
• Taco seasoning - I use schwartz fajita seasoning.
• Stock cube – use a chicken or beef stock cube dissolved in 500ml water. Try and go for a low salt version.

For the salad

• Lettuce – I use romaine lettuce. You can use iceberg instead if you prefer.
• Onion – for the salad, I use a red onion.
• Tomatoes – I use cherry tomatoes but you can use chopped larger tomatoes.
• Avocado – use a well ripened avocado.
• Cheese – I use cheddar cheese for this recipe.
• Crunchy taco shells – 1 shell per person. You can also use tortilla chips.
• Sour cream - use fresh soured cream.
• Mayonnaise - I use reduced fat mayonnaise.

How to Make Beef Taco Salad

1. Add the minced beef, chopped onions, chopped garlic and chopped bell peppers to a dry non stick frying pan or skillet then place on a medium heat. Using a heat resistant spatula, start to break up the minced beef while the beef is browning.  Keep turning the mince until all the beef is brown and you can no longer see any red or pink.

2. To the browned beef, add the black pepper and fajita seasoning then mix them into the beef. Pour in the stock cube that has been dissolved in hot water and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes then increase the heat and continue to cook until all the water dries out. Watch the pan carefully to avoid it drying out and burning. As soon as the water completely dries out, remove the pan from the heat and set aside while you prepare the taco shells and salad.

3. Warm the taco shells in the oven according to the instructions on the packaging. Remove from the oven and break them up into pieces.

4. To 4 salad bowls, add the romaine, red onions and cherry tomatoes then top with the beef. Add the avocados then sprinkle the cheese onto the beef and add in the broken taco shells. Mix together the soured cream and mayonnaise then add a tablespoon to each bowl and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• You can use any type of lean mince or lean ground meat for this recipe including turkey, chicken or pork. Lamb doesn’t work as well as it tends to be quite greasy.
• I don't use any oil for this recipe as the fat in the beef will be enough to brown the meat.
• You can easily half the recipe if you only need 2 servings or you can divide the ingredients by 4 to make 1 serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition based on 1 serving without sour cream - Calories: 459kcal | Fat: 28.2g | Saturates: 10.0g | Carbs: 21.8g | Sugar: 8.5g | Fibre: 5.1g | Protein: 30.3g | Salt: 1.32g

Storage

You can prepare the beef in advance and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Once the salad is assembled it should be eaten immediately.

Recipes that may interest you!

• Steak Salad with Dijon Mustard Dressing
• Spicy Chicken Wings with Avocado Salad
• Low Carb Cheese Burger Bowl