How To Make Rainbow Taco Salad

 

Servings: 3-4 | Prep Time: 20 minute | Ingredients: 14

 
 
 

I think we can all agree that sour cream is life’s most delicious food group. So for us to be sharing a sour cream-less Taco Salad, well, imagine how good it must be. And listen, if you want to use this recipe and serve with a mound of creamy, tangy sour cream, that’s also a fine decision. Making things taste great without the crutches of sour cream, bread, sugar, etc., is the hard part, so that’s what we try to share. And this salad achieves just that.

 
 
 
 

Rainbow
Taco Salad

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground dark chicken or turkey

  • 1 tbsp. cumin

  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder

  • 1 tbsp. paprika

  • 1 tbsp. salt

  • 1 fat head romaine lettuce

  • 1 handful of watermelon radishes (or any run of the mill, non-Instagram friendly radishes)

  • 3 small cucumbers or half an english cucumber

  • 1 half can black sliced olives

  • 1 container supermarket pico de gallo or fresh salsa (found in the refrigerated section)

  • 1 batch of quick homemade guac

  • 3 scallions

  • 2 limes

  • 1 handful of cilantro

 
 

Directions:

  1. Over medium heat, spray your pan with whatever you like to use (we love THIS), and throw in the ground meat and break up a bit with a wooden spoon or spoonula, and throw in the cumin, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Checking in occasionally, and breaking it up more – it will take about 7ish minutes to cook through.

  2. While your meat is sizzling, wash and dry your lettuce, and hand-tear it all into your giant serving bowl and set aside. I like to leave big long leaves for a prettiness factor, but also as a sort of scooping mechanism towards the end of the meal to be sure every little morsel can be devoured.

  3. Make your quick guac and set aside.

  4. Slice your cukes, radishes, scallions, open your can of olives, and place them all in pretty piles on the lettuce in your giant bowl along with your guac and salsa or pico de gallo.

  5. At this point your meat should be done cooking. Because it’s chicken, it won’t have much fat (if any) to drain, and if it looks dryish, throw in a splash of water. Add to the salad.

  6. Garnish with copious chopped cilantro, scallions, and a wedge of lime. Encourage people to actually squeeze the lime onto their salads – this mixed with the salsa and guac offers a perfect bright, saucy flavor - no dressing required.

     

Note: If you’re some kind of saint, you can compose everyone’s individual salad, like we did for the photo. Because it’s prettier.

Double Note: If you’re more of a packet person than a spices/measuring person, this cheap and cheerful taco seasoning is delicious as a replacement to the cumin, garlic, paprika, and salt.

 
 
LIFEAudie MetcalfRecipesComment