Skip to main content
Epicurious

Today’s Taco Salad

When making salads at home, make sure your lettuce is well dried. Here, also be sure the salsa or pico de gallo is completely drained of extra moisture by quickly throwing it in a fine sieve and then gently pressing it with a spoon. Eliminating moisture from the ingredients ensures the finished salad isn’t watery. Well-dried ingredients yield a restaurant-quality (or better!) salad. To make this dish even more special, add low-fat cheese or fresh cilantro.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 1 salad (3 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

4 ounces 96% lean ground beef
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt-free Mexican seasoning or rub (I used Southwest Chipotle Mrs. Dash)
Salt, to taste, optional
3 cups finely chopped arugula or romaine, or a combination
2/3 cup well-drained fresh pico de gallo or salsa
1/2 ounce baked tortilla chips, crushed with your hands
2 tablespoons low-fat Mexican ranch or ranch dressing (I used Follow Your Heart’s Spicy Southwest Ranch)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef, seasoning or rub, and salt. Cook the beef, breaking it into large chunks with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 2 to 4 minutes. Let the beef cool at least 1 minute before adding it to the salad.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, place the greens, pico de gallo, and chips in a large glass or plastic mixing bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the top, add the beef, and toss well. Serve immediately.

  2. nutrition information

    Step 3

    Calories: 257

    Step 4

    Protein: 26g

    Step 5

    Carbohydrates: 24g

    Step 6

    Fat: 8g

    Step 7

    Saturated Fat: 2g

    Step 8

    Cholesterol: 60mg

    Step 9

    Fiber: 2g

    Step 10

    Sodium: 396mg

Reprinted with permission from I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening! by Devin Alexander. Copyright © 2010 Devin Alexander. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Devin Alexander is the author of The Most Decadent Diet Ever, Fast Food Fix, and coauthor of The New York Times bestsellers The Biggest Loser Cookbook and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. She was a chef on NBC's The Biggest Loser and the host of Healthy Decadence on Discover Health and FitTV.
TagsSaladMexicanLatin AmericanGround BeefBeefMeatArugulaLeafy GreensVegetableRomaineLettuceMainDinnerNut FreeQuickEasyWeeknight MealsSauteCookbooks
Read More
Mango Sticky Rice
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
Easy Egg Custard
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
Simple Hot Cocoa for One
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
Dulce de Leche
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Béchamel Sauce
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Mochiko Chicken
Hawai‘i's beloved fried chicken is crispy, sweet, and savory.
Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Sheet-Pan Sausage With Corn, Peach, and Cucumber Salad
This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.