Tex-Mex · Salads & bowls

Ground beef taco salad

Name: Ground beef taco salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon neutral oil; 1 small yellow onion, finely diced; 1 pound 85% lean ground beef; 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/2 cup water; 1/3 cup sour cream; 1 lime, zested and cut in wedges; 2 romaine hearts, chopped and thoroughly dried; 1 can (15 ounces) pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 ripe avocado, diced; 3 ounces sharp cheddar, grated; 2 cups sturdy tortilla chips, lightly crushed; 1/2 cup fresh salsa; 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Warm chile-spiced beef over crisp romaine with tomatoes, beans, avocado, cheddar, tortilla chips, salsa, and lime crema.

About 35 minTotal

About 35 minActive

$$Cost

EasyDifficulty

Makes 4 servings

Equipment

Use another covered 12-inch oven-safe skillet or transfer before the oven finish.
Best large covered skillet
All-Clad D3 12-Inch Fry Pan with Lid · 41126
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use another covered 12-inch oven-safe skillet or transfer before the oven finish.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched the twelve-inch footprint, fitted lid, tri-ply heat distribution, 600°F oven and broiler rating, current model 41126 and UPC, ownership burden, and exact Amazon identity. Kwilt has not cooked with this pan.
All-Clad D3 12-Inch Fry Pan with Lid · 41126: Its twelve-inch cooking surface gives rice, shrimp, meat, and vegetables room to cook evenly, while the fitted lid and 600°F oven rating cover both the lidded stovetop method and the shepherd's-pie oven finish. Trade-off: It is a premium-priced pan, food can stick without sound preheating and fat control, and the long handle plus lid need more storage room than a basic skillet.
Another workable path: Use another oven-safe 12-inch skillet with a well-fitting lid; if the handle has a lower heat limit, transfer oven-finished food to a suitable baking dish.
Sources
All-Clad model 41126 specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sour cream
1 lime, zested and cut in wedges
2 romaine hearts, chopped and thoroughly dried
1 can (15 ounces) pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ripe avocado, diced
3 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
2 cups sturdy tortilla chips, lightly crushed
1/2 cup fresh salsa
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

Heat oil in a . Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add beef and cook 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and no pink remains; drain excess fat if necessary.
Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Stir in water and simmer 3 minutes until the seasoning clings rather than pools.
Whisk sour cream with lime zest, juice from half the lime, remaining salt, and 1 to 2 tablespoons water until drizzleable.
Divide romaine among bowls and arrange beans, tomatoes, avocado, cheddar, and warm beef over it. Add tortilla chips only now so they remain crisp.
Top with salsa, lime crema, scallions, and remaining lime wedges. Do not mix the whole platter in advance; individual bowls protect chips and let diners control beef, salsa, and dressing.

TexasSouth Texas and Tex-Mex cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Taco salad is an American Tex-Mex restaurant and family-dinner creation whose appeal is warm seasoned beef against cool lettuce, tomato, dairy, avocado, salsa, and crisp corn chips.

Taco salad is an American Tex-Mex restaurant and family-dinner creation rather than a traditional Mexican salad. Its appeal is taco-night contrast in a bowl: warm seasoned beef, cool lettuce and tomato, creamy dairy and avocado, and crisp corn chips. A fresh salsa and lime crema replace the very sweet bottled dressings that divide reviewers without making the meal less familiar. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Keep the nostalgic ground-beef, bean, cheddar, avocado, and chip structure, use explicit review feedback to reject Catalina sweetness, and build brightness from fresh salsa and lime crema instead.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe