There’s no doubt that a scrumptious bowl of taco salad can be enjoyed on its own. However, the fantastic variety of divine side dishes waiting to be devoured, only makes this salad dish incredibly irresistible. Choose from a variety of light Mexican sides to complement your meal.
Table of Contents
- What to Serve With Taco Salad? 8 Delicious Side Dishes
- What is in a Taco Salad?
- How to Make Taco Salad?
- So What to Serve With Taco Salad?
- Taco Salad Side Dish FAQs
What to Serve With Taco Salad? 8 Delicious Side Dishes
While taco salad might be considered an all-inclusive dish that requires no side dishes, there’s no harm in including a couple of scrumptious accompaniments to elevate your meal.
Some of these may include:
- Salsa Verde
- Mexican corn salad
- Chips and salsa
- Guacamole
- Pico de gallo
- Frijoles de la olla
- Lime cilantro rice
- Black bean soup
Salsa Verde
A homemade salsa verde is super easy to make, with fresh and flavorful ingredients, to make the perfect accompaniment for a gorgeous taco salad.
Combine green tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, lime juice, and your favorite seasonings for a sublime addition to your taco salads.
Mexican Corn Salad
Pair your taco salads with a Mexican corn salad, for the perfect taco Tuesday delight.
Mexican corn salad is quite similar to a standard American-style corn salad except that there is an element of uniqueness to it, making it incredibly addicting.
For a fantastic Mexican-style corn salad, you’ll need a fresh dressing made from lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro. You will also need some chopped jalapenos, or serrano peppers, followed by a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Furthermore, Mexican salad is always served at room temperature, so you won’t have to worry about it tasting unappetizing, because this is how it’s served!
Chips and Salsa
Tortilla chips and salsa are generally served as an appetizer at Mexican restaurants but can be served with taco salad as an entrée, especially at dinner parties. If you’re planning to serve your taco salad on its own, then you simply must follow this up with some chips and salsa.
Guacamole
Avocado is a popular element that features in many Mexican dishes, including guacamole which features avocadoes, herbs, spices, onions, coriander, salt, and tomatoes.
The contrasting flavors of brilliantly green guacamole pair perfectly with taco salads, because it’s so rich and creamy, with tantalizing textures that’ll have you going back for more each time!
Pico De Gallo
Pico de gallo is a type of salsa that can easily be prepared at home with fresh ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, and cilantro combined with spices like chili powder, salt, and pepper to create a drool-worthy side dish.
Frijoles De La Olla
Frijoles de la olla are typically boiled beans served with taco salads. They contrast beautifully with fresh salads like taco salad, due to their deep earthy flavor that complements ingredients like tomatoes and cheese.
Lime Cilantro Rice
Rice is the perfect classic side dish cuisine for almost any meal. This is why this scrumptious lime cilantro rice makes an incredible accompaniment to delicious recipes like a taco salad. This type of rice pairs well with a variety of Mexican cuisines such as tacos, enchiladas, or burritos.
This side dish requires unique ingredients like fresh cilantro, butter, long-grain white rice, frozen whole-kernel corn, fresh limes, garlic, and salt. It’s better to cook the rice in the chicken broth because this is where you’ll find the flavor!
When you’re ready to serve the taco salad, add a spoonful of cilantro lime rice onto your plate, then top this with magnificent taco salad.
Black Bean Soup
For alternating textures and flavors, try serving black bean soup with your taco salad. This particular black bean soup is quite special because it is cooked in a crockpot and simmered for hours, permitting a flavorful infusion, that will surely have your taste buds tingling with appreciation.
Your black bean soup will require some olive oil, onions, garlic, cumin, oregano, canned or dried black beans, salt, and pepper. Cook your beans in vegetable or chicken broth as well as water.
If you want some extra flavor, then consider including ham bone, or smoked turkey wings, for a pronounced soupy flavor.
What is in a Taco Salad?
Generally, a hearty bowl of taco salad should include taco chips, some form of protein whether it is meat or fish, lettuce, tomatoes avocadoes, as well as some cooked kidney beans. Finish this with an optional salad dressing, such as sour cream.
This salad should keep you satiated, but if you’re feeling a little peckish you can snack on some fresh fruits or nuts.
How to Make Taco Salad?
Taco salad is both delicious and incredibly fulfilling. It tastes so good, you’ll only want to make it over and over again!
Try this super easy taco salad recipe:
Ingredients
Beef filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.25 lbs of ground beef
- 1 cup bottled fire-roasted salsa
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro
For salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 5 oz. tortilla chips (crumbled)
- 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese
- 2 Roma tomatoes (diced)
- 1 avocado (diced)
- 5 tbsp sour cream
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Crumble the beef in chunks, letting this sear until it has browned. Break the beef using a wooden spoon, and continue cooking.
- Drain the fat from the beef then stir in salsa, chili powder, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove this from the heat and stir in some fresh cilantro.
- Layer lettuce, and top this with tortilla chips, beef, cheese, tomatoes, avocadoes, sour cream, and green onion. Find out how to cut green onions to make the perfect taco salad today!
So What to Serve With Taco Salad?
If you wish to keep the Mexican element in your dishes, then why not include a variety of Mexican-style dishes to round off a tantalizing meal? These phenomenal side dishes make the perfect accompaniment to taco salads, so much so that you’ll have your guests exclaiming in amazement!
Taco Salad Side Dish FAQs
What Goes With Taco Buffet?
If you’re wondering what goes with a taco buffet, then consider these options: Grilled veggies, homemade salsa, air fryer cauliflower, roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and more!
Is a Taco Salad Healthier Than a Taco?
If you eat a taco salad without additional ingredients like guacamole, or taco sauce, then it can be healthier. However, when eating a taco salad, chances are you’ll want to incorporate lots of ingredients and toppings so that it tastes a lot like a taco!
