Loaded Taco Salad 🌮🥗🧀
Description
This Loaded Taco Salad is a colourful, crowd-pleasing dish packed with seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, shredded cheese, black olives, crunchy tortilla chips, and fresh vegetables. It’s everything you love about tacos served in one big bowl. Perfect for potlucks, family dinners, parties, or meal prep, this hearty salad is loaded with flavour and texture in every bite.
Servings
Serves: 8 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- 2 cups tortilla chips, crushed
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 avocado, diced (optional)
- ½ cup salsa
- ½ cup sour cream or ranch dressing
Instructions
Step 1
Cook ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain excess grease.
Step 2
Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package instructions. Allow it to cool slightly.
Step 3
In a large salad bowl, layer lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and cheese.
Step 4
Add seasoned beef evenly over the vegetables.
Step 5
Top with tortilla chips, green onions, and avocado if using.
Step 6
Drizzle with salsa and sour cream or ranch dressing before serving.
Step 7
Toss gently and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Add chips just before serving to keep them crunchy.
- Ground turkey can be substituted for beef.
- Fresh vegetables provide the best flavour and texture.
Tips
 Add jalapeños for extra spice.
 Use homemade taco seasoning for more control over flavour.
 Make it meal-prep friendly by storing ingredients separately.
 Top with guacamole for extra richness.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
- Calories: 390
- Protein: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fat: 25g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 4g
Approximate values.
Health Benefits
- Rich in protein from beef and cheese.
- Provides vitamins and minerals from fresh vegetables.
- Lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber add fibre and hydration.
- A complete meal with protein, healthy fats, and vegetables.
Q&A
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, prepare all ingredients separately and assemble before serving.
Q: Can I use chicken instead of beef?
Absolutely! Grilled or shredded chicken works great.
Q: What dressing works best?
Ranch, Catalina, salsa ranch, and sour cream are all excellent options.
Q: Is it gluten-free?
Yes, if you use certified gluten-free tortilla chips and seasoning.
Final Thoughts
This loaded taco salad combines all the bold flavours of tacos with the freshness of a salad. It’s crunchy, cheesy, hearty, and guaranteed to be a hit at any gathering.