Turkey Taco Salad

5 from 2 votes

Turkey Taco Salad is made with seasoned ground turkey, veggies, and salsa, all piled on lettuce and topped with your favorite taco fixings and a creamy cilantro dressing!

Prep Time35

Total Time35

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: Healthy

Keyword: Turkey Taco Salad

Servings: large salads

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $12.12

Equipment

Ingredients

Salad

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion diced, 1/2 large onion, see note 1
1 cup diced sweet bell peppers 2 small or 1 large
2 teaspooons minced garlic
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 packet taco seasoning see note 2
1 cup salsa or picante sauce
1 (15-ounce) can chili beans in mild sauce or black beans or kidney beans; leave chili beans undrained; kidney/black beans need to be rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups chopped romaine lettuce washed and dried completely
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Toppings as desired see note 3

Dressing (see note 4)

1 large lime
2 tablespoons traditional ranch seasoning mix not prepared
1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 garlic clove
1 tomatillo 1/2 cup, husk removed and coarsely chopped
1/2 of 1 bunch fresh cilantro 1/2 cup, tightly packed
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped jalapeño
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
Salt and pepper

US - Metric

Instructions

Zest and juice lime to get 1/2 teaspoon zest and 2 and 1/2 tablespoons juice. Add to a blender along with dry ranch seasoning mix, minced garlic, chopped tomatillo, and cilantro (I take a large bunch, separate it in half, and twist to rip out half (stems are fine!), jalapeno, mayo, and buttermilk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust to personal preference (more lime, cilantro, garlic, salt/pepper). Chill in the fridge to allow flavors to meld and intensify while making the salad.
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add diced onion, diced pepper, and garlic. Stir occasionally for 5–7 minutes or until tender; reduce heat if anything is burning. Add ground turkey and taco seasoning and cook another 5–7 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink, breaking up turkey as you cook. Stir in salsa and beans and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and remove from heat.
Divide lettuce evenly among plates or bowls or one large salad plate. Add fresh cilantro. Top with the taco turkey mixture and add your favorite toppings! I suggest freshly grated Cheddar cheese, avocado, lime, chopped tomatoes, and tortilla strips. Drizzle the dressing over the salads and enjoy immediately. Do not assemble any salads that won’t be enjoyed immediately; if you want leftovers, store lettuce, taco meat, and toppings separately.

Video

Notes

Note 1: You can use red onion instead of the yellow onion called for in the recipe. Use half the red onion in the ground turkey mixture and the rest to top the salad.

Note 2: To make your own taco seasoning, combine the following spices:

1 tablespoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper
1/2 tablespoon beef bouillon powder (optional)

Note 3: Try some of these optional toppings: 1 cup chopped or halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese, fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, 1 large ripe avocado (chopped or thinly sliced), 1/4th of 1 red onion thinly sliced, and tortilla strips.

Note 4: This dressing is likely more than you’ll use on the salad (unless you’re a huge dressing lover). While you can halve the recipe, I like to always have more just in case. Add dressing to salad plates slowly and to personal preference. Leftover dressing will stay in the fridge for up to a week and goes well with veggies or on other salads.

Nutrition Note: Nutrition information for this salad varies widely, depending on your toppings, the amount of toppings, how much dressing, etc. I recommend adding your customized salad to My Fitness Pal®. The nutrition label I’ve included is only for the base salad ingredients and does not include additional toppings.

Storage: I recommend only dressing what you will enjoy the same day because the dressing makes the salad soggy over time. Store all ingredients separately, then assemble before enjoying. One of my favorite ways to re-purpose these leftovers is in a wrap!

Nutrition