Want to know how to get dinner on the table in 15 minutes? Try out this quick and Easy Taco Salad. It’s one of our summer time favorites when we don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen.
Oh, summer, how I love you! I love your long sunny days. I love your late sunsets. Nothing is better than lazy days by the river. You make me happy. I wish you would last forever.
Anyone else get lazy in the kitchen in the summer? I know I do. I am all about keeping it simple so I can have more time to be outside doing all the fun summer things. Today I am stopping by to share one of my favorite quick and easy summer recipes: Taco Salad. It can be thrown together in just minutes and is loaded with healthy goodness.
One of the things that helps me get in and out of the kitchen quickly is to keep my fridge stocked with lots of fresh seasonal vegetables. I can whip up a salad in just minutes. Pre-washing your salad greens before you store them makes this process even faster. Basically for this taco salad, all you have to cook is the ground meat, which takes about 5 minutes. Chop some veggies and make your dressing and you are good to go. You can even prep the dressing ahead of time. (Oh, and BTW, this taco salad taste uh-may-zing with my dairy free ranch dressing as well.)
So I know that taco salad traditionally has corn tortillas, but in order to make this recipe a bit healthier, I like to use plantain chips instead. Plantain chips are made from banana’s slightly larger, starchier, less sweet cousin. They can be found in many grocery stores and online HERE. We use than often as little scoopers for various dips and spreads. You can even use them to make nachos.
The recipe below will make 2 very large taco salads for dinner OR 3-4 smaller taco salads for lighter meals or lunches. Hope you enjoy!
xo,
Katja
NOTE: This recipe used to be categorized as Whole30 compliant. As of March 2017, the Whole30 program has decided that the plan does not allow any store-bought chips of any origin (potato, tortilla, plantain, coconut, kale…)
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PinIngredients
CREAMY AVOCADO DRESSING
- 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
- 1/3 cup coconut cream (the thick stuff from the top of a full fat coconut milk can)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (I use THIS organic brand)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 packed cup fresh cilantro
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled
- juice from 1/2 lime
- 1/4 tsp unrefined salt
- a pinch of black pepper
- optional: 1/4 tsp chili powder
- extra water for thinning
TACO MEAT
- 2 tsp chili powder (like this)
- 1 tsp cumin powder (like this)
- 1/4 tsp paprika (like this)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (like this)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder (like this)
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano (like this)
- 1/2 tsp unrefined salt
- 1 tablespoon ghee, butter, or coconut oil
- 1 pound ground meat (I use grass fed beef)
FOR SALAD
- 1 large head of romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 1 cup of plantain chips (like this)
Instructions
- To make dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and process until creamy smooth. Adjust for salt and pepper. Thin with additional water to desired consistency.
- For taco meat: Combine spices and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of fat of choice and saute ground meat for 1 minute. Add spices and cook until meat is cooked through. Turn off heat.
- For salad: Combine salad ingredients in bowl. Add spiced ground meat and drizzle with creamy avocado dressing. Enjoy!
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Do you have a favorite quick and easy summer recipe?
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Becky Winkler (A Calculated Whisk) says
August 14, 2016 at 5:55 pmSo pretty! Definitely going to try this during my September Whole30.
Katja Heino says
February 12, 2017 at 9:29 pmThanks! Yes, it’s a great Whole30 go to!
Stephanie Sanders says
August 26, 2016 at 11:19 amI just made this for lunch and it is delicious!! I used spinach instead of romaine (because that is what I had) and all the favors work really well together. Well done!! Thank you!!
Katja Heino says
February 12, 2017 at 9:30 pmYay! So glad that you enjoyed it.
Lisa says
December 31, 2016 at 7:27 pmThanks for this great recipe. Can you suggest an alternative to the coconut cream? Thank you.
★★★★
Katja Heino says
January 2, 2017 at 11:11 pmHi, there! You could try using homemade mayonnaise. It would make it creamy. 🙂
Renee Kohley says
February 13, 2017 at 11:47 amOh but that DRESSING! My goodness! Sounds perfect! I wouldn’t have thought to put the plantains on a taco salad but they are beautiful and I bet taste so good with the savory salad!
★★★★★
Katja Heino says
February 14, 2017 at 8:54 pmIn my humble opinion, plantain chips taste good with just about anything! 🙂
Allison Wojtowecz says
February 14, 2017 at 7:56 amOoh girl. ANYTHING involving avocado + plantains is MINE. These bowls are delicious!
Katja Heino says
February 14, 2017 at 8:51 pmSeriously! I love plantains too!
Cristina Curp says
February 14, 2017 at 11:29 amHeck yeah! Taco salads are my jam! Thanks for the colorful inspiration!
Katja Heino says
February 14, 2017 at 8:51 pmThey are my jam too!!
ChihYu says
February 14, 2017 at 2:00 pmI’m mouthwatering just thinking about this recipe. Especially love that creamy avocado dressing. So yum !!
★★★★★
Katja Heino says
February 14, 2017 at 8:50 pmThe dressing is the best part!! 🙂
Erin Carter says
February 15, 2017 at 8:34 amSo many pretty colors all in one bowl. Can’t wait to try it!
Katja Heino says
February 15, 2017 at 11:25 amHope you enjoy it, Erin!! 🙂
Michele Spring says
February 15, 2017 at 3:09 pmSuch a beautiful and colorful salad! I bet my whole family would gobble this right on up.
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 3:50 pmThank you!
Stacey Crawford says
February 16, 2017 at 11:34 amThis is colorful and lovely! I love anything taco, and anything with a dip. Great Recipe!!
★★★★★
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 3:55 pmThanks, Stacey!
Mark says
February 16, 2017 at 2:42 pmThis recipe makes me crave summer so badly!
And those plantain chips look absolutely delicious, this would be such a great recipe to have at a barbecue!
★★★★★
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 3:55 pmRight!!??!! I’m ready for some summer foods too!
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
February 16, 2017 at 9:28 pmThis looks so beautiful and so delicious! Love all of those colors!
Kari - Get Inspired Everyday! says
February 17, 2017 at 8:46 pmI pretty much always need dinner on the table in 15 minutes, and I never get tired of Taco Salad! I love that you used plantain chips too as an alternative to the regular corn chips!
★★★★★
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 3:49 pm15 minute meal rule!!
Carrie Forrest says
February 19, 2017 at 9:27 amWow! This would be a total party in my mouth!
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 3:44 pmHA! YES!!
Hannah Healy says
February 19, 2017 at 9:29 amThe colors used in this recipe are so vibrant and amazing.
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 3:44 pmI know! Makes it more fun to eat!
Georgina Young says
February 19, 2017 at 9:52 amOMG I love the colours in this Katja! I really want that avocado sauce right now too haha! Fab recipe thank you 🙂
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 3:44 pmThanks! I love pretty food too. And it’s so easy!!
Jessica DeMay says
February 19, 2017 at 10:04 amTaco salad is my favorite and I’m loving all your delicious toppings!
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 10:09 amMine too. Thanks!
Amy says
February 20, 2017 at 12:14 pmYou have me all hungry for Taco Tuesday! Making this tomorrow 🙂
★★★★★
Katja Heino says
February 20, 2017 at 3:43 pmay! Hope you enjoy it!
Jamie says
February 27, 2017 at 12:10 pmYum I just had this for lunch and will have it for next 3 days! Whenever I make salads with homemade dressings the dressing always tastes bland by itself but when you mix it with the flavors of the salad and meat it tastes like heaven! This one is no exception. Delicious and very filling salad!
★★★★★
Katja Heino says
February 27, 2017 at 4:18 pmYay! Glad you liked it!!
Megan Barker says
September 24, 2017 at 10:39 amHi! Where do you purchase coconut cream? Can it be purchased at Kroger? I just don’t know what I’m looking for, if you could help out 🙂
Katja Heino says
September 24, 2017 at 7:49 pmHi, Megan! The coconut cream is the thick part from a can of full fat coconut milk. Place the can in fridge overnight, and when you open can, you will see that the thick part and watery part have separated. Carefully remove thick part and use that for this recipe. Most health food stores sell full fat coconut milk. So does Trader Joe’s. Hope that helps.
Cindy Bartel says
October 15, 2017 at 12:45 pmHave you ever make your own plaintain chips? They are not compatible anymore on the Whole30.
Katja Heino says
October 17, 2017 at 11:33 amI haven’t tried yet, but I want to. I’ve made tostones before and those would be great in this recipe.
Bonita Gilchrist says
October 26, 2017 at 11:43 amThis was delicious! I especially loved the dressing. I purchased some spicey plantain chips at the farmers market and used them like nachos. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Katja Heino says
October 30, 2017 at 11:27 amYay! So happy you enjoyed it. Spicey plantain chips sound delish.
Kristin says
November 26, 2017 at 5:58 pmHi! Curious how long the dressing would last in the fridge, if, for example, I made enough for a week’s worth of lunches?
Katja Heino says
November 27, 2017 at 10:37 pmHomemade dressings last for about 5-7 days in the fridge. I usually try to use it by the 5th day. Hope that helps. 🙂
Shanon says
May 22, 2018 at 8:29 pmWe have made this recipe three times and it tastes amazing!
Katja Heino says
May 23, 2018 at 10:51 amYES! I’m so happy to hear that. 🙂
Chris says
March 16, 2019 at 1:07 pmI made this without the plantain chips due to wanting it to be Whole30 compliant. My wife and I love it. I did add a sweet onion and I put some small diced fresh jalapeño peppers (jalapeño on my salad).
Thank you for the recipe. Unbelievable good. Diet or not.
Katja Heino says
March 26, 2019 at 11:25 amYay! I’m so happy you loved it. It’s one of my go-to’s for sure! 🙂