Recipe: Layered Taco Salad with Guacamole

This lightened-up layered taco salad is flavor-packed, hearty, crisp, and satisfying. Perfect for serving as an appetizer or even as a meal—this dish is a real crowd-pleaser! It layers tortilla chips, seasoned ground turkey, Mexican-style cheese, red onion, tomatoes, and lettuce. Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, and an (easy!) homemade guacamole to round out the flavors of this colorful dish.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 10-12
Serving size: Approximately 1 cup salad

Ingredients

Taco salad:

• 2 pounds 99% lean ground turkey breast
• 20 ounces canned Mexican-style diced tomatoes with green chilis, mostly drained, divided, reserve 2 heaping tablespoons for guacamole
• 1-ounce package reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
• ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 10–15 baked low-fat tortilla chips
• 8 ounces Mexican-style reduced-fat shredded cheese
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, roughly chopped (or see MOBE kitchen tip below)
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Guacamole:

• 3 ripe avocados, pitted
• ¼ cup red onion, diced
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 heaping tablespoons diced tomatoes (from above)
• ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  

For serving (optional):

• 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon low-fat sour cream
• Lime wedges

Instructions

Prepare the salad by first mixing the following ingredients in a large bowl: ground turkey, 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ½ jalapeño (if using), and tablespoon fresh lime juice. Stir well.

Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup red onion and sauté until glazed and softened for about five minutes. Add turkey mixture and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up clumps, approximately 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

While the turkey is cooking, make the guacamole by first mashing the avocados until smooth in a medium mixing bowl. Add ¼ cup red onion, ¼ cup cilantro, two heaping tablespoons canned tomatoes, ½ jalapeño, two tablespoons lime juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using).

In a serving bowl, layer a base of chips, then turkey, then cheese, then remaining red onion, then remaining diced tomatoes, and then lettuce. Repeat the layering of ingredients. You may repeat layers three to five times, depending on the size and shape of your bowl.

Garnish salad with a large dollop of guacamole and sour cream. Serve remaining sour cream and guacamole on the side with any remaining chips. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Serve immediately.

MOBE kitchen tips:

• Sharpen up your knife skills by learning from culinary expert, Andrew Zimmern. Watch video.
• For convenience and time savings, purchase pre-washed and pre-chopped romaine lettuce.
• Canned tomatoes provide a great time-saving option for this recipe while providing great flavor.
• A variety of pre-made, packaged guacamole options are available in stores and are easy alternatives if you’re limited on time.

Recipe notes:

• This salad is best served right away so that the tortilla chips don’t get soggy.
• Serve this layered taco salad with tongs or two salad spoons for easy scooping.

Nutrition facts per serving

Calories: 380 / Total Fat: 16g (21% DV) / Saturated Fat: 5g (25% DV) / Trans Fat: 0g / Cholesterol: 50mg (17% DV) / Sodium: 590mg (26% DV) / Total Carbohydrate: 34g (12% DV) / Dietary Fiber: 6g (21% DV) / Total Sugars: 5g / Added Sugar: 1g (2% DV) / Protein: 27g / Vitamin D: 0mcg (0% DV) / Calcium: 232mg (20% DV) / Iron: 1mg (6% DV) / Potassium: 460mg (10% DV)

Allergen statement: Contains milk.

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