Skinny Taco Salad
This Skinny Taco Salad recipe, made with ground turkey, is my at-home version of a classic restaurant salad. This Mexican-inspired salad is easy to make and healthy too!
Taco salad was one of the first “adult” meals I ever ordered in a restaurant. An all-knowing teenager, I was eager to prove to my mom that I was mature in every way, including my meal choices. Surely if I selected a dish from the salad section of the menu as I assumed other mature, responsible women did too, she would extend my curfew
Although my logic turned out to be flawed (didn’t she hear me ask for the dressing on the side?), I happily discovered that taco salad tastes absolutely delightful.
About Skinny Taco Salad Recipe
My Turkey Taco Salad recipe has all the fixings you’ll find in your favorite healthy taco; black beans, corn, spiced ground turkey, cheese, avocado, salsa, the works! But it is sooooo much easier to eat.
Instead of attempting to cram all the good stuff into a shell that shatters the moment you take a bite, I piled the taco fixings onto a bed of crisp romaine lettuce, then showered crunchy tortilla strips over the top.
One of the elements of restaurant salads I didn’t consider when I was a teenager but am more aware of now is the fact that, despite their perception as being “healthy” options, heavy dressings and an overabundance of high-fat toppings can often make salads a poorer nutritional choice than other items on the menu.
Making your own healthy taco salad at home means that you can control the ingredients and portions to make it as wholesome as you choose!
To create a lower-calorie taco salad recipe that still packs restaurant-worthy satisfaction, I use ground turkey in place of ground beef, then pile it high with flavorful but healthy toppings such as black beans and tomatoes. I go lighter on the cheese, using an extra-sharp cheddar to make sure I can still taste it in every bite.
To make healthy taco salad dressing, I mix together salsa and plain nonfat Greek yogurt. The yogurt tastes just like a big dollop of sour cream, without the additional calories, and it gives the Skinny Taco Salad an extra boost of protein, too.
The final element of this Skinny Taco Salad is the taco “shell.”
One of the secrets to making a really great salad is adding crunch. In place of fried chips, I use oven-baked strips of flour tortillas.
It only takes a few minutes to toss the tortilla strips into the oven, and the texture they add to the Skinny Taco Salad is completely worth the small effort. If you’d like to keep the salad gluten free, you can cut and bake corn tortillas instead.
Taco Salad—A Meal Prep Maven
This Skinny Taco Salad recipe is also ideal for meal prep.
Chop the veggies and cook the turkey in advance and store them individually in the refrigerator. Then throughout the week, you can quickly assemble individual portions and add any other toppings you desire.
I’ve suggested some of my favorite additions, but feel free to jazz it up with avocado, add some kick with jalapeño, or take this Skinny Taco Salad wherever else your Tex-Mex dreams may dare.
More Healthy Salad Recipes to Try
- Caesar Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crispy Chickpea Croutons
- Balsamic Chicken Salad with Avocado Feta and Blackberry
Skinny Taco Salad
Ingredients
For the taco salad:
- 2 fajita-size flour tortillas — swap corn tortillas to make gluten free
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil — divided
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt — divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper — divided
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 head romaine lettuce — roughly chopped
- 1 can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained — (15 ounces)
- 1 can Mexican-style corn, drained — (11 ounces)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes — halved
- 1 medium ripe avocado — peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
For the salsa yogurt dressing:
- 1/4 cup prepared salsa
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
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Place a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Stack the tortillas and cut them in half, then slice each half into 1/2-inch strips. Scatter the strips in the middle of the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, then sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat, then spread them into a single layer. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes, turning halfway through. Set aside to cool.
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Meanwhile, in a large, nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium high. Add the turkey, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Break up the meat and stir with a spoon until it is cooked through, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the salsa and Greek yogurt to make the dressing.
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Place the romaine in a large serving bowl. Top with 1/4 cup of the salsa-yogurt mixture, the turkey, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, cheese, and green onions. Toss lightly to combine, then sprinkle the tortilla strips over the top. Serve immediately with remaining salsa-yogurt dressing as desired.
Recipe Notes
- To make the recipe gluten free, swap corn tortillas in place of the flour tortillas. Check the baking time a few minutes early, as the corn tortillas may crisp more quickly.
- Make it ahead: Store the cooked ground turkey in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, the corn and black beans in a separate container for up to 4 days, the dressing in a container for up to 4 days, and the chopped tomatoes in a container for up to 3 days. Washed, chopped lettuce can also be stored in the crisper drawer for 2 to 3 days. Assemble the salad just before serving.
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving (1 (of 4)) — Calories: 487, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 1043mg, Carbohydrates: 54g, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 9g, Protein: 39gDid you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!
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About Erin Clarke
I’m fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food taste incredible. Wearer of plaid, travel enthusiast, and firmly convinced that sweets and veggies both deserve a place at the table. MORE ABOUT ERIN…
Taco salad is a classic, and my go-to for when I don’t know what to make for dinner! Kudos to you for making a skinny version! We all know those restaurant versions are like a millions calories lol!
Thanks Bethany! I hope you enjoy this one if you give it a try. :)
I wasn’t crazy about this recipe, it was just ok, but Ill keep trying your others until I find one I like
Hi Jackie, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love this recipe! Others have tried it and enjoyed it, but everyone has different tastes. I know it’s disappointing to try something new and not love it, so I hope you find other recipes you enjoy!
Gorgeous! such a beautiful balance there (:
Thanks so much! :)
This looks SO good :)
I don’t eat meat, so the ground turkey is out but with a good vegan meat this will be amazing. Thanks for this :)
Thanks so much, Michelle! I’d love to hear what you use if you give the recipe a try!
hey girl- this salad looks so good!
Thanks Shawnna!
Made this tonight so simple and it was delish! Great and refreshing without feeling heavy! Needed a good salad recipe for the start of summer :) Thanks!
I am so glad you loved this Olivia! Thanks so much for trying it and for taking time to share your review too!
Family loved it!! Will be making it again!!Thanks for posting!!
WOOHOO Shannon! I’m so glad your family enjoyed it. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this awesome review!
Erin I believe you need to recheck the nutritional values. No way does this have 118 grams of protein per serving. Maybe for all 4 servings. I also don’t consider this low carb with 54 grams. I strive for a restricted carb diet of 50-100 grams per day. Looks good however.
Hi Mary, thanks so much for pointing out that typo with the protein! It should be closer to 39 grams, and I’ve updated it in the post as well.
I also don’t think that it has that much sodium. Can you double check that too. I made this except I added bell peppers when browning the turkey meat. It was delish. I had never thought of the salsa mixed with yogurt as dressing but I am now addicted. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
Heather, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to report back. I’ll check on the sodium level, thanks!
This looks delicious.Can’t wait to try it.Just discovered your blog and am loving it.
Thank you, Diane! I hope you enjoy!
Absolutely LOVED THIS!! Made it last night after a day at work and then working out- great simple yet healthy and exciting meal! LOVED IT! Sent the recipe to many friends/family.
YAY Lauren! Thanks so much for taking the time to write this wonderful review. I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad!
This was seriously so good! I have gestational diabetes (boo!) and this fit the bill of healthy, lean, and delish. I was able to kind of deconstruct it for my two-year-old as well, and she loved it too. This is the first recipe I’ve tried from you, and I look forward to making more. Thanks!
Ellen, I’m so happy to hear this recipe was a success! Thank you so much for giving it a try and taking the time to leave this review—I hope you find many more new favorites!
Was the recipe removed? I can’t find it
Alison, I think there must have been a page loading error! Can you see it now? So sorry for the hassle!
I am wanting to make this but can not find the recipe. Please help it looks so good.
Kim,, I think there must have been a page loading error! I refreshed and it looks OK. Can you see it now? I’m so sorry!! Glad you let me know!
Excellent salad! Very flavorful and low-cal. Will make this a go-to meal.
Soooo happy to hear that Maureen, thank you for leaving this wonderful review!
Is it really 54 grams of carbs per 1 serving?!
Thanks! Can’t wait to try this and thank you tor having so many low carb and healthy, whilesome recipes!
Hi Essma, the 54 grams is just an estimate, as the nutrition info I provide is just a guide and not exact. If the precise amount of carbs is important to you, I would recommend calculating the info on a site like MyFitnessPal using your exact ingredients! I hope you enjoy the salad!
This taco salad covers all the bases and is nice, flavorful, and filling. I used Santa Fe Style tortilla strips from the store instead of making my own to cut down on a bit of prep and they added a bit of needed salt to the salad. Thanks for sharing!
YAY Ana, I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad. Thank you for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
It seems yummy! I am about to make it but have a question.. what kind of SALSA do you mix with yogurt ???
Hi Ana, you can use whatever salsa you enjoy and have on hand!
We just tried the skinny taco recipe and my husband says we can have it again and he’s a picky eater! We replaced the taco shells with Late July brand chips made with chia and quinoa. A lot less carbs and more nutritional
Dawn, I am so happy to hear this recipe was a winner for you both. THANK YOU for taking time to leave this kind review too!
tried to buy gf corn tortillas but they contain wheat
Lois, do you mean they were manufactured in a facility that also uses wheat? If you look for certified GF corn tortillas, you should be good to go!
Very good. I purchased store bought tortilla strips. I also doubled the dressing and used almost all of it. Next time I will squeeze some lime juice over the salad before serving.
Mary Ellen, this makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for letting me know and taking time to leave this review. I love the lime idea too!
Just made this! I’m not crazy about the dressing though, mine turned out kind of watery. What kind of salsa did you use?
Hi Jenna, I used a thick, chunky salsa (unfortunately I don’t remember the brand!). If yours was a little more loose or thin, that would definitely cause the dressing to be more watery.
Made it just like the recipe calls for… super simple, easy, and delicious!! Recommending this recipe all the way!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this review, Michelle! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I have lean ground turkey in the fridge and this is just the thing to make it with!
Perfect! I hope you enjoy it, Evon.
The salad dressing is a winner…I always have those ingredients. Forgot the corn, but still delish.Thanks.
Kathleen, thanks for reporting back! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!