Quick Taco Salad Recipe
Taco salad with beans is a great way to get your daily servings of vegetables and protein.
It’s simple to put together and is a healthier option than tacos with tortilla shells. And you may use any style of beans you prefer.
I love serving this taco bean salad for Taco Tuesday.
It’s quick to make since there’s no cooking involved. With traditional taco toppings and a few crunchy tortilla strips, it has lots of taco flavor but with less calories.
This black bean taco salad goes to show that eating healthy doesn’t have to be tasteless.
Plus, there are a variety of ways to enjoy this meal. If you want a heartier salad, add grilled chicken or seasoned ground beef.
In addition to black beans, I like to mix in fire roasted corn for some heat. Diced onion, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado and shredded cheese, top it off.
Recipe Highlights
- This taco salad with beans recipe yields 2 dinner salads or 4-6 side salads.
- This salad is easy to put together for a busy weekday meal and since it’s made with beans instead of meat, and skips the taco shells, it’s a lower calorie way to enjoy Taco Tuesday.
- Garden ripe tomatoes are the perfect addition to this versatile taco salad. Add any toppings you think will give it a taco-taste.
- Here’s a tip: Pan-sear plain corn to give it a fire-roasted taste.
Serving Suggestions
Taco salad can be served a variety of ways.
It can be an entire meal and served in a full-size bowl or dinner plate or it can be served as a side salad.
You can mix together the taco salad and all its ingredients (except the tortilla strips and dressing) so the flavors have a chance to blend or make a taco salad bar and select your favorite toppings.
For more delicious Mexican sides, you might enjoy Elote with Hot Cheetos or Mexican Corn on the Cob.
Taco Salad Preparation Tips
I love biting into a salad and hearing the fresh crunch of crisp lettuce.
My favorite way to make the lettuce nice and crisp is to wash it with a salad spinner.
If you don’t have a salad spinner, paper towels are a good way to remove the moisture, too. Here is what you do.
- Layer paper towels in the bottom of a colander and put the washed lettuce on top.
- Add a second layer of paper towels over the lettuce.
- Push down on the paper towels until they’re wet. Change them out a few times if necessary to absorb the excess liquid.
- Now you’ve got crisp lettuce to serve and enjoy.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- 1 Head of lettuce or a bag of chopped lettuce
- Grape Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatoes
- White Onion
- Black Beans (or any style you prefer)
- Southwest Tortilla Strips
- Fire-Roasted Corn (optional)
- Shredded Cheese (like cheddar or a Mexican blend)
- Additional Toppings: Seasoned ground beef or turkey, grilled chicken, avocado, chopped bell pepper, sliced jalapeno, olives, cilantro lime quinoa, fresh Pico de Gallo
Oxo Good Grips Salad Spinner: If you’re looking for an effortless way to rinse your lettuce look no further. This salad spinner is for you! I love this kitchen gadget because it is easy to use and draws out water from rinsing within seconds. I love how elegant the clear bowl is, it serves well when entertaining guests.
FullStar Vegetable Pro Chopper: Don’t feel like chopping produce? This full-star vegetable pro chopper is a great tool to use when chopping fresh vegetables. I love how easy this is to use and with the interchangeable blades. You can make dishes like veggie pasta, zucchini chips, and dice your fresh garlic effortlessly.
Walden Farms Chipotle Ranch Dressing: If you’re searching for a low-calorie tasty salad dressing. This brand of dressing is for you. Walden farms dressing has fewer calories than most dressings and this is one of my personal favorites. It tastes great and is low in fat content.
Bolt House Farms Cilantro Avocado Dressing: If you’d like to have a dressing that’s already prepared then Bolt House Farms brand of avocado dressing is for you! This dressing is light in calories and tastes delicious. Avocado and cilantro add a flavorful bite to your favorite salad when blended together.
Storing Taco Salad With Beans
- Store salad in an air tight container for peak freshness.
- Keep salad dry, no dressing.
- Salad can be kept for 5 days if stored properly.
Taco Salad With Beans
Taco salad with beans is a great way to get that taco Tuesday taste with fewer calories than tacos in shells. This salad is easy to make and is a healthier alternative to street tacos. I love to drizzle this salad delicious with a creamy, cilantro avocado dressing. Making this dish a "go to" salad favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 head of lettuce
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup tortilla strips
Instructions
- Chop lettuce with veggie chopper or use your kitchen chopping knife.
- Cut grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes in half.
- Dice white onion.
- Mix salad with shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes, white onion, southwest tortilla chips, and black beans.
- Optional: Season black beans with taco seasoning about 1/4 tsp.
Notes
- If you'd like your beans heated you may heat in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds.
You can use dried beans and season anyway you'd like, drain and use for taco salad.
Canned beans can be used. Drain, heat, season, or enjoy plain.
Additional Toppings: Diced bell pepper, Chopped green onion, Fire-roasted corn, Fiesta seasoned ground meat or Veggie crumbles, Shredded chicken, Cubed avocado.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80