This salad is my new weeknight go-to for a healthier dinner option. I love to use ground turkey because it’s generally leaner than ground beef and still tastes delicious!
The Greek Yogurt dressing for this turkey taco salad is also stellar. It only has six ingredients (plus a pinch of salt if you like), and it’s such a lighter, healthier alternative to other taco salad dressings. It also tastes amazing the second the ingredients are all whisked together, so there’s no waiting around for the flavors to blend!
This recipe makes two large salads, so it’s perfect for dinner OR it can be used as a make-ahead meal, so you have a couple of salads to take to work during the week! It’s packed with flavor and comes together in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients for the Turkey Taco Salad:
Ingredients for the Turkey Meat:
- 2 tsp. Oil (such as Avocado Oil or Olive Oil)
- 8 oz. Ground Turkey
- Homemade Taco Seasoning*:
- 1/2 tsp. Cumin
- 1/2 tsp. Mexican Oregano
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp. Chili Powder
- 1/8 tsp. Cayenne optional
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Onion (white, yellow or red onion)
- 1/4 cup Salsa
- 1/4 cup Hatch Green Chiles** or Salsa Verde
- 2 tbsp. Water
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro
*You can substitute the Ground Turkey Seasoning blend with one tablespoon of your favorite taco seasoning, if desired.
**Hatch Green Chiles are delicious green chiles that are grown in the Hatch region of New Mexico. They are widely available at most major grocery stores, but if you can’t find them, standard green chiles or salsa verde will work!
Ingredients for the Salad:
- 6 cups chopped Salad Greens*
- 1 Avocado, chopped or sliced
- 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1/2 cup Quartered Cherry Tomatoes
- handful of crunchy Tortilla Chips (optional)
*I love arugula in this salad because it has a peppery taste that blends so well with the other ingredients. I also love romaine lettuce, fresh spinach, or a spring mix, but please use your favorite salad greens!
Ingredients for the Turkey Taco Salad Dressing:
- 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp. Lime Juice
- 2 tsp. Honey
- 2 tbsp. Salsa
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro
- 2 tbsp. chopped Green Onions
- pinch of Salt, if desired
This salad is really easy to prep on the weekend and keep on hand for a couple of meals throughout the week. Feel free to double the recipe to make a few servings if you’d like! I definitely recommend keeping the cooked turkey stored separately from the lettuce and toppings, that way nothing gets soggy. The cooked turkey will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
IMPORTANT INGREDIENT NOTES & RECOMMENDATIONS
- Use 93% lean ground turkey for the healthiest option.
- You can substitute the homemade taco seasoning blend with one tablespoon of your favorite taco seasoning if desired!
- Use your favorite salsa for both the turkey and the sauce! The flavor definitely makes a difference, I recommend using one that you have eaten before and love.
- I mentioned this earlier, but Hatch Green Chiles are delicious green chiles that are grown in the Hatch region of New Mexico. They are widely available at most major grocery stores, but if you can’t find them, standard green chiles or salsa verde will work!
- Keep the meat, greens, and toppings stored separately if you are making these salads ahead of time!
- If possible, make the turkey taco salad dressing an hour or two ahead of time so the flavors can blend together. This isn’t a necessary step, but it does taste better this way! The dressing will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, just like the turkey meat. And if you prefer sour cream instead of Greek yogurt – they are interchangeable!
How to Make this Turkey Taco Salad
- Stir all of the Turkey Taco Salad Dressing ingredients together until well combined. Set aside while you cook the turkey, or cover and refrigerate the dressing for an hour (or two) before serving.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, the turkey seasoning blend, and the chopped onion. Break the turkey apart and mix it into the seasoning and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is browned.
- Stir in the salsa, green chiles, water, and cilantro. Turn the heat to “low”, cover the pan, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Uncover the pan and stir the turkey ingredients. If there seems to be too much liquid, turn the heat to medium and stir frequently for a few minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Divide the greens between two bowls, followed by the turkey taco meat and salad toppings. Drizzle the dressing over both salads and serve immediately.
This is such a perfect salad recipe for smaller households, and is also perfect if you’re trying to eat a little better this year! You can also add any toppings you like. Some of my favorites include:
Other Taco Salad Topping Ideas:
- Fresh or Pickled Jalapeños
- Mexican Cheese Blend or Cotija Cheese
- Roasted Corn
- Pico de Gallo
- Black Beans or Pinto Beans
- diced Bell Peppers (any color!)
- crispy Tortilla Strips (or crushed Tortilla Chips)
Other Salad Recipes to Try:
- Brussels Sprouts & Arugula Salad with Shrimp, Bacon, and Buttermilk Dressing
- Roasted Garlic Kale Caesar Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs (for Two)
- Grilled Chicken Kale Salad with Asiago Buttermilk Dressing
- Small Batch Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad
- Grilled Romaine Wedge Salad for Two
I hope you love these turkey taco salads! If you make them and snap a photo, I would love it if you tagged me on Instagram so I could see! A comment and rating below would also be appreciated, and please feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any questions!
xx Sara
Healthy Ground Turkey Taco Salad for Two
Ingredients
For the Turkey Taco Salad Dressing:
- 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
- 2 tbsp. Salsa
- 1 tbsp. Lime Juice
- 1 tsp. Honey or Agave Syrup
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro
- 2 tbsp. chopped Green Onion
- pinch Kosher Salt if desired, to taste
For the Turkey Seasoning:*
- 1/2 tsp. Cumin
- 1/2 tsp. Mexican Oregano
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 tsp. Chili Powder
- 1/8 tsp. Cayenne optional
For the Ground Turkey:
- 2 tsp. Oil like Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- 8 oz. Ground Turkey
- 1/2 medium Onion** finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Salsa
- 1/4 cup Hatch Green Chiles or Salsa Verde
- 2 tbsp. Water
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro
For the Salad:
- 6 cups Salad Greens***
- 1 Avocado sliced or chopped
- 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar****
- 1/2 cup quartered Cherry Tomatoes
- handful crushed Tortilla Chips optional
Instructions
For the Dressing:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
For the Ground Turkey:
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add turkey, seasoning blend, and chopped onion. Break the turkey apart, mixing it into the seasoning and onions, until well combined. Cook for 4-5 minutes until turkey is browned.
- Stir in salsa, green chiles, water, and cilantro. Cover the pan with a lid, and turn the heat to low. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid, and stir the turkey mixture together. (If there seems to be excess liquid, turn the heat underneath the pan to medium and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated.) Remove the pan from the heat.
For the Salads:
- Divide the salad greens between two bowls. Divide the turkey mixture over the greens, then divide the toppings over the turkey. Drizzle the dressing over the tops of the salads, and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
We love these salads! The dressing is my favorite part but the entire salad is so delicious. I love that it makes two salads but I can almost stretch it to three if I really want to. Perfect for lunch during the week! Thanks for the recipe!
SO glad that you enjoy them, Camila! Love that you can stretch it to three salads – it really is such an easy meal to prep! Thank you for the awesome comment!
This was amazing. I will definitely make this again. The sauce is the best!!! I doubled the recipe to feed the family. Next time will triple the recipe to feed the extended family!!
Yaa!! Thank you SO much for making it!! I’m so glad you loved it!