Quick 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

• 400g beef mince 5% - also known as ground beef.
• 1 medium onion – fine chop the onions.
• 4 garlic cloves – finely chop the garlic.
• 1 red bell pepper – slice into strips.
• 1 teaspoon onion granules - or onion powder.
• ½ teaspoon black pepper – I use coarse black pepper in all my recipes.
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning - I use schwartz fajita seasoning. You can add more or less to your taste.
• 400ml water – boiled from the kettle.

For the salad

• 250g romaine lettuce – chopped. You can also use iceberg.
• 1 small red onion – finely chopped.
• 200g cherry tomatoes – halved.

Additional ingredients

• 2 medium avocados – remove stone and slice the avocados.
• 80g cheddar cheese – grated.
• 4 crunchy taco shells – 1 shell per person.
• 4 tablespoon sour cream - optional.

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 onion granules, black pepper and fajita seasoning then mix it into the beef. Pour in the hot water and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes then continue to cook until all the water dries out. Watch the pan carefully to avoid it drying out then 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. Add the broken taco shells and sour cream if using then 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: 358kcal | Fat: 21.0g | Saturates: 8.7g | Carbs: 13.8g | Sugar: 8.9g | Fibre: 4.8g | Protein: 30.0g | Salt: 1.13g

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