Taco Salad with Beef Cheese (Printable)

A colorful salad served in crispy tortilla bowls with beef, beans, cheese, salsa, and creamy accents.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tortilla Bowls

01 - 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Beef Mixture

03 - 14 ounces ground beef
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

11 - 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
14 - 3.5 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
15 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 1 avocado, diced
17 - 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)

→ Toppings

18 - 1/2 cup salsa
19 - 1/2 cup sour cream
20 - Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
21 - Lime wedges, for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F to prepare for baking the tortilla bowls.
02 - Brush both sides of each flour tortilla with vegetable oil, then shape them over inverted oven-safe bowls placed on a baking sheet.
03 - Bake the tortillas for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove carefully from the molds once cooled.
04 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef while breaking it up with a spoon; drain excess fat afterward.
05 - Sauté chopped onion and minced garlic in the skillet for 2 to 3 minutes until softened; incorporate chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper, cooking for an additional minute before removing from heat.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together shredded romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, drained black beans, corn kernels, sliced red onion, and diced avocado.
07 - Place each crisp tortilla bowl onto individual plates, fill with the salad mixture, top with warm beef mixture, and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
08 - Garnish each assembled bowl with salsa, sour cream, fresh cilantro leaves, and serve alongside lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tortilla bowl is edible and crispy—it's like the plate becomes part of the meal in the best way.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so you're mostly just assembling when people arrive.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but casual enough to make on a weeknight.
02 -
  • Drain the canned black beans and give them a quick rinse; otherwise they'll make your salad watery and muddy-looking.
  • The tortilla bowl is most crispy right after it cools—assemble everything as close to serving time as you can so you get that satisfying crunch with every bite.
03 -
  • Use a cast-iron skillet to cook the beef if you have one—it distributes heat evenly and gives the meat a subtle crust that improves the texture.
  • Don't overdress the lettuce base; the salsa and sour cream provide plenty of moisture, and too much liquid will make the tortilla bowl soggy.
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