Dinner just got a whole lot easier and tastier, especially when your CSA share is overflowing with fresh lettuce and ripe tomatoes! Inspired by the ease and deliciousness of a classic Main Street Taco, this taco salad recipe is a family favorite, particularly during the warmer months. We love to customize it based on what’s fresh and available each week, piling everything into a large salad bowl for a fun, family-style meal. The real star of this dish? Local grass-fed beef, which brings a richness and depth of flavor that truly elevates this salad to main street taco status in salad form. For this version, we used ground beef from Autumn’s Harvest Farm – their commitment to local, pastured meat is something we wholeheartedly support.
Close-up of a vibrant taco salad with grass-fed beef, showcasing fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and crispy tortilla strips.
Elevate Your Salad with Fresh Herbs and Local Beef
Week 10 of our CSA shares brought us generous bunches of fresh cilantro, and if you’re familiar with CSA herbs, you know they are often far more abundant (and flavorful!) than what you find in typical grocery stores. One of my favorite ways to maximize these fresh herbs is to chop them finely and mix them directly into the lettuce base of salads. It infuses every bite with incredible flavor. For this main street taco salad, we tossed the cilantro right in the salad spinner with the lettuce to wash them together – simple and efficient!
Overhead view of a colorful taco salad, highlighting the black beans and various fresh toppings.
While the grass-fed beef is browning on the stovetop, take advantage of the time to chop your other vegetables and grate the cheese. For a satisfying crunch reminiscent of your favorite main street taco, I love to top this salad with slivers of crispy fried corn tortillas. However, if you’re looking for alternatives, quesadillas or tortilla chips also work wonderfully. Because of all the flavorful layers in this salad, a heavy dressing is really unnecessary. Instead, we find that fresh lime wedges, squeezed generously over the top, provide the perfect zesty finish. If you absolutely can’t imagine a salad without dressing, a light vinaigrette would be your best bet, ensuring it complements rather than overpowers the fresh flavors.
Another angle of the taco salad, emphasizing the grass-fed beef and the overall freshness of the ingredients.
A tempting shot of a taco salad, focusing on the layers of ingredients including beef, tomatoes, and cheese.
Close-up of a black bean taco salad, showcasing the texture and vibrant colors of the dish.
Main Street Taco Salad Recipe with Grass-fed Beef
Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
- 1 head lettuce, any crisp variety
- 1 large ripe tomato, diced
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
For the Grass-fed Beef:
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- ½ large yellow onion or 1 spring onion, diced
- ½ large green bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Optional: ½ hot pepper, such as serrano, seeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for a little heat)
For Topping:
- Grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend) or queso fresco
- 2 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions:
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Prepare the Beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté until they become translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper (if using), and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add diced green bell pepper and continue cooking until slightly softened, approximately 5 minutes. Introduce the grass-fed ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until the beef is fully browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt to taste.
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Wash and Prep Salad Ingredients: Thoroughly wash the lettuce and cilantro. Use a salad spinner to remove excess water. Place the clean lettuce in a large salad bowl or arrange it on a large platter. Dice the tomato and grate your chosen cheese.
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Fry Tortilla Strips: Cut corn tortillas into thin strips. Pour about ¼ cup of olive or canola oil into a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until they are golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the crispy strips with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.
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Assemble the Salad: Layer the warm grass-fed beef mixture over the bed of lettuce. Scatter diced tomatoes and grated cheese generously over the beef. Top with the crispy fried tortilla strips just before serving to maintain their crunch. Garnish the main street taco salad with lime wedges. Serve immediately and encourage everyone to squeeze fresh lime juice over their portion.
