This recipe is a lot more assembly than it is actual cooking, with the turkey the only thing to touch some heat. But that is what makes it the perfect warm weather salad! There’s something about Mexican food that just seems so summery! And with the constant stream of cookies that come out of my kitchen, it is nice to have to a really delicious salad every once in a while. Gotta get those veggies somewhere!
I like to make everything for the salad first and have it basically done and ready. So you can just make the turkey and then while it’s finishing off, you can assemble your salads and then toss the warm taco meat on top. Couldn’t be easier! Also that means you can snack on chips and guac while you do the rest of your cooking. After all, the best part of cooking is snacking, am I right? A quick note on that guacamole by the way, I always remove the seeds and inside parts of a tomato before I add it to my guacamole. I think it creates a better texture of the guacamole. But that step is definitely optional.
This salad is also super easy to customize to what you have on hand. You can replace ground turkey with whatever meat you have or is available – ground beef or ground chicken all work! Ground turkey has pretty low fat content, so you don’t have to drain off any of the excess fat before you add the water and spices. If you use ground chicken from leg meat or a ground beef with a higher fat percentage, you will want to drain the excess fata after the meat is browned but before you add your water. You can also replace the shallot in the guacamole with red onion, though I think the shallot gives a great, mild flavor. And definitely feel free to customize the salad toppings – mix up the cheeses, omit jicama and replace with cabbage. The world is your oyster!
Turkey Taco Salads
Ingredients
For the turkey taco meat:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup water
For the guacamole:
- 2 ripe avocados skin removed and chopped
- 1 medium tomato seeds and flesh removed (optional), chopped
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 medium jalapeno seeds removed, diced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the pico de gallo:
- 1 medium tomato seeds removed, chopped
- 1/4 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 medium jalapeno seeds removed, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 small cloves of garlic minced
For the salad:
- 3 heads romaine chopped to bite size pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped jicama
- Shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled cotija cheese to taste
Instructions
For the dressing:
- Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl, whisk to combine. Set aside while you make the other elements of the salad.
For the pico de gallo:
- Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, stir to combine. Set aside while you make the other elements of the salad.
For the guacamole:
- Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, stir to combine.
- Mash with a fork to desired consistency. I like my guacamole chunky so I mash about half of the avocado and leave the rest chunky.
- Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap tightly against the guacamole to not allow any air to touch the guacamole. Set aside while you make the rest of the salad. (Or more realistically, snack on guacamole while you cook the rest of the salad).
To make the taco meat:
- In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and ground turkey.
- Cook the turkey until it browned and you no longer see any pink.
- Add the water and spices. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to cook uncovered for about 10-15 minutes, or until the water is fully evaporated.
To assemble:
- Combine all of the ingredients for the salad (romaine, cheese, jicama).
- Toss with the salad dressing.
- Top with the guacamole, pico de gallo and taco meat.
