Taco Salad Recipe

 This recipe is really more like a meal suggestion.  It can be tweaked all kinds of ways and will still taste delicious.  I make this all the time, because it's so easy and quick.  It's perfect for Saturday lunch or a weeknight supper when life is hectic. 

 Most of the ingredients you likely already have on hand and you can add/take-away/substitute in a variety of ways that suit you and your family.  Here are the ingredients I used this weekend when I took photos:

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 can pinto beans

cumin

minced garlic

salt

pepper 

frozen corn

lettuce

cherry tomatoes

olives

avocado

sour cream

salsa

tortilla chips

 We are very fortunate that we have access to a freezer full of grass fed, pasture raised beef, thanks to the cows my parents raise, but chicken would also be delicious.  I prefer to add the corn and beans to the beef so that the salad has a nice warm topping. And while I love a pot of beans made from scratch, nothing beats using a can every now and then when you're in a hurry! 

Beef/Beans/Corn Mixture

1 lb ground beef

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 can pinto beans

1 cup frozen or fresh corn

Begin by heating a skillet over medium-high heat and cooking the ground beef, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper until the beef is no longer pink.  Drain the fat from the beef and return to skillet.  Drain and rinse the can of pinto beans. Add the pinto beans and corn to the beef, stirring for a few minutes until thoroughly heated, and then remove from heat.  I usually add another few grinds of salt at this point too.

Salad

lettuce

black olives

cherry tomatoes

avocado 

Meanwhile, chop your salad ingredients.  Our tomatoes in the garden are just about finished - I will miss them so much!  Other ideas for ingredients that would be delicious to add: cilantro, green onions, shredded cheese, red onion. 

 Salad Dressing

sour cream

salsa

When I first threw this salad together, I made a dressing that had several ingredients.  One day when I was really in a hurry, I combined just these two ingredients and could hardly tell a difference.  Since then, that's all I use.  I don't measure - I just eyeball equal amounts of each.  Every now and then I'll even eliminate the sour cream and just use salsa.  But only for me... the rest of my family would not be happy!  ;-) 

When serving the salad, I also include a bowl full of tortilla chips.  We usually crush a few of them and mix in with the salad in our bowls.

 Add a base of salad, the meat topping, a little salad dressing, a few chips and you're good to go.  This is a delicious, simple, quick meal that's also very filling!  My girls absolutely love it when I make this salad... our youngest daughter, Rosetta, always says, "SO yummy!"   

P.S.  This also makes great leftovers.  I place the salad and meat topping in the same bowl, but on separate sides and put the salad dressing in a different container. 

Hope you enjoy!