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Gluten-free taco salad displayed on a table with fresh cilantro, wooden serving spoons, and a bowl of homemade tortilla strips.
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Gluten-Free Taco Salad

This gluten-free taco salad is fresh, filling, and ready in about 30 minutes. Made with seasoned ground beef, crisp romaine, juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, creamy avocado, and a tangy cilantro lime dressing, it’s everything you love about a taco — in salad form. The best part is the golden, homemade tortilla strips that add the perfect crunch without any gluten!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Oil Heating Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

For the Cilantro Lime Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons water - to thin if needed

For the Fried Tortilla Strips:

  • 4 ct. 4-inch corn tortillas - cut into 1/4-inch strips
  • 2 cups neutral oil - enough to reach 1/2 inch up the sides of a cast iron skillet
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Ground Beef:

  • 1 1/4 lbs ground beef - 85/15 or 90/10 blend preferred
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes - to taste

For the Taco Salad:

  • 8 cups shredded romaine lettuce - about 3 small heads of romaine
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved or quartered
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels - from about 2 ears
  • 1 avocado - diced
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh cilantro - chopped, for garnish

**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!

Instructions

Make the dressing:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, and salt until smooth.
    Bowl with sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, and chopped cilantro for creamy cilantro lime dressing.
  • Thin with 1–2 tablespoons of water until it reaches your desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use.
    A bowl of cilantro lime dressing with a spoon after being mixed together.

Make the tortilla strips:

  • Slice the tortillas into 1/4-inch wide strips, about 2 inches in length.
    Corn tortillas cut into thin strips on a cutting board, ready to fry for taco salad.
  • Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet to 350°F. Test with a tortilla strip — it should sizzle immediately.
  • Working in batches, fry strips for about 1 minute per side, until golden and crisp.
    Corn tortilla strips frying in hot oil in a cast iron skillet.
  • Carefully transfer with tongs or a spider spatula to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with kosher salt while hot. Set aside.
    Golden fried corn tortilla strips sprinkled with salt, draining on paper towel.

Cook the beef:

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no pink remains, about 8–10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
    Skillet with browned ground beef for gluten-free taco salad.
  • Stir in water, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
    Ground beef cooking in skillet with taco seasoning and spices.
  • Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the liquid has absorbed and the meat is coated in spices. Remove from heat.

Assemble the salad:

  • In a large serving bowl, layer the shredded romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, corn, avocado, and cheese.
    Freshly shredded romaine lettuce for gluten-free taco salad.
  • Top with the seasoned ground beef, crispy tortilla strips, and fresh cilantro.
  • Drizzle with the creamy cilantro lime dressing.
    Overhead view of a gluten-free taco salad topped with ground beef, avocado slices, corn, tomatoes, and crispy tortilla strips with cilantro lime dressing.

Notes

  • Gluten-Free Safety: Always check ingredient labels to ensure they’re gluten-free, since ingredient lists and manufacturing practices can change over time.
  • Beef: An 85/15 or 90/10 blend works best for flavor. Be sure to drain off extra fat after browning.
  • Make-Ahead Tip: The beef and dressing can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the fridge. You may want to reheat the beef slightly so it’s not super cold. Assemble the salad just before serving so it stays fresh and crunchy.

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 627mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2996IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 3mg
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