Taco Salad Bar
/Do you have plans for Cinco de Mayo? Yes, I know this weekend is Saint Patrick’s Day, so you’re probably thinking about Guinness, corned beef, boiled potatoes and whisky. And I can’t blame you. I’m a huge fan of a good Irish Stew or Shepard’s pie. But, you know what I like even more?
Mexican food. All of the Mexican food. Mexican, Tex-Mex, Americanized Mexican, and even that random taco stand down the street. Don’t get me wrong, I love food from other Central American countries as well (My sister makes a delish Nica Salad… I’ll have to convince her to share her recipe), but right now, my brain is thinking about Cinco de Mayo, and Mexican.
Yes, I know Cinco de Mayo is more of an American Holiday… I’ve made that disclaimer both times I’ve shared my recipes previously (You can find them here and here). That being said, as I mentioned previously I love this food, and I’ll embrace any reason to eat it. I know I’m not alone because Taco Tuesday is a thing. (And I’m not sad about it, one bit.)
In fact, I have full on embraced Taco Tuesday, especially as we have lived out of our makeshift kitchen in the basement. With only one teeny-tiny change. We do Taco Salad Tuesday.
Why? Because not only is it ridiculously easy, but it’s also super delicious, that’s why. All you have to do is choose a base, add some things on, then top it off!
Base
Greens
Ground Beef/Turkey/Chicken
Add-ons
Tomatoes
Olives*
Onion*
Beans (black or pinto)*
Jalapeños or Banana Peppers*
Multi-colored bell peppers
Cauliflower rice
Toppings
Sour Cream
Avocado
Cheese
Salsa*
Guacamole
Lime
Hint: *Keep these items (or similar) on hand in your pantry or fridge for last minute salad or taco salad nights
When it comes to greens, use what you and your family enjoy. Spinach, spring mix, butter lettuce, and a variety of blends all work really well for taco salads. You can get as fancy or as simple as you want here. If I have some on hand, I’ll even add cilantro or other herbs into the green mix for a flavorful pop.
For the meat, I switch it up. If I was able to get grass-fed beef at a good price, we’ll have that. On the other hand, I can get organic ground turkey at Costco for a song, so I generally have several packages in the freezer, just make sure to pull it out to defrost a couple days before you plan on cooking it! As long as you have unfrozen meat, it cooks quickly in a skillet while you are pulling everything else out of the fridge and getting it ready. Plus, since it’s super low-maintenance you can do any extra cleaning or chopping of veggies as needed while the meat is cooking. Add some chili powder and cumin for flavor, or even cayenne pepper if you like some heat. (You can see my generic Taco Spice mix here, but I’ll be honest, I don’t measure anymore, and I often add other spices such as garlic, cayenne pepper, and sometimes a little salt if I’m doing turkey or chicken).
When it comes to the add-ons and toppings you can have as many or as few as you like. I generally have banana peppers, olives, and an onion on hand. I always have multiple salsa options, and it’s rare that I don’t have an avocado or two in the house.
My Taco salads general look like this:
Greens (I switch it up regularly), tomatoes, banana peppers, olives, avocado, and taco meat. Then I top it off with salsa instead as a dressing. Yum.
But since it’s so easy to mix and match ingredients, you can easily make taco salad over and over again without ever having the same salad. Your health conscious brain as well as your sophisticated taste buds can all rejoice. You’re welcome.