Quick and Easy Turkey Taco Salad Bowls for Taco Tuesday
Healthy Taco Salad
One way I streamline meal planning is by having theme nights for each day of the week, like Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, and/or Pizza Friday. These are just some ideas, but if you start embracing a Taco Tuesday theme night, you’ll know you’re having tacos in some form every Tuesday, making meal planning so much easier!
And don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you have to eat regular ol’ tacos every Tuesday. There are so many different taco recipes to try! On my site alone, I’ve got a bunch of taco ideas like fish tacos, spaghetti squash taco bake, taco zucchini boats, Asian tofu tacos, and of course, this healthy taco salad.
Healthy Taco Salad Ingredients
Here’s what I use for my Turkey Taco Salad Bowls:
- Ground turkey – A leaner protein option than beef!
- Vegetables – Mini bell peppers, romaine lettuce, grape or cherry tomatoes, frozen sweet corn, jalapeño pepper, and avocado.
- Shredded Mexican cheese – I like adding a little cheese, but you can omit it if you’re dairy-free.
- Fresh salsa – Choose your preferred spice level!
- Taco seasoning – You can use store-bought or make your own taco seasoning!
- Olive oil
- Tortilla chips
- Chopped cilantro and hot sauce – Optional, but I recommend them for that extra punch of flavor.
Creamy Southwest Dressing
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I love a good salad. One key factor in making any salad truly delicious is the dressing! A good dressing ties everything together and elevates the whole dish. For this healthy taco salad, I paired it with a creamy southwest dressing that’s so good! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Plain Greek yogurt – You can use traditional Greek yogurt or a dairy-free version if needed.
- Lime juice
- Spices – Cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Fresh salsa
- Fresh cilantro
How to Make Healthy Taco Salad
This Turkey Taco Salad Bowl is packed with flavor from the turkey taco meat, which includes roasted peppers, taco seasoning, and salsa. The roasted peppers really take it to the next level, and the prep work is minimal!
Roast Peppers:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Place the peppers on a baking sheet, spray with olive or avocado oil cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the peppers are soft.
- Let the peppers cool, remove the stems and any large seeds, then dice them into small pieces. You should end up with about 1/3 cup of diced peppers.
Make Dressing:
- Add all the ingredients for the dressing into a blender and blend until fully combined and smooth. You can also use an immersion blender if you prefer.
Cook Turkey:
- Add oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the ground turkey.
- Break the meat into small pieces using a spatula or meat chopper as it cooks.
- Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the turkey is no longer pink.
- Add taco seasoning, salsa, and roasted peppers to the pan and toss everything to combine. Set aside.
Prep Salads:
- While the turkey is cooking, start prepping your salad ingredients.
- To assemble the salad, begin with a base of romaine lettuce in each bowl. Then add the toppings: turkey taco meat, tomatoes, corn, cheese, jalapeño, avocado, and chips.
- Drizzle the dressing over each salad and serve with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Add fresh salsa and a few drops of hot sauce if you like.
- Another option is to place all the salad ingredients into a large bowl, toss them with the dressing, and then portion into three bowls.
Meal Prepping Taco Salad
This recipe is perfect for meal prep! I recommend prepping the turkey and dressing ahead of time. Then, when you’re ready to enjoy, all you have to do is quickly chop the fresh salad ingredients, assemble the bowls, and dig in!
Healthy Taco Salad
Ingredients
Turkey Taco Meat
- 12 mini bell peppers
- olive or avocado oil spray
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons fresh salsa
Salad
- 1 large head romaine lettuce washed, rinsed, dried and chopped
- 1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup thawed frozen sweet corn
- 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese + more to taste
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper de-seeded and chopped (optional)
- 1 avocado chopped into chunks
- 1/4 cup tortilla chips broken into pieces
- chopped cilantro for garnish
- hot sauce to taste (optional)
- fresh salsa to taste
Creamy Southwest Dressing
- 4 ounces plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh salsa
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Roast peppers: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place peppers on a baking sheet, spray with olive or avocado oil cooking spray, sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and place in the oven to roast for 20-30 minutes, or until peppers are soft. Let peppers cool, remove stems and any large seeds and then dice into small pieces. The diced up peppers should measure out to be about 1/3 cup.
- Make dressing: Add all ingredients for the dressing into a blender and blend until fully combined and smooth. You can also use an immersion blender for this.
- Cook turkey: Add oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add turkey. Break meat into small pieces using a spatula or meat chopper as it cooks. Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the turkey is no longer pink. Add taco seasoning, salsa and roasted peppers to the pan and toss to combine. Set aside.
- Prep salads: While the turkey it cooking start to prep your salad ingredients. To build salads, start with a base of romaine lettuce in each bowl and add the toppings — turkey taco meat, tomatoes, corn, cheese, jalapeño, avocado and chips.
- Serve: Drizzle a little dressing over each salad and serve with chopped cilantro and extra dressing. Add some fresh salsa and a few drops of hot sauce if using. Another option is to place all the salad ingredients into a large salad bowl and toss with dressing, then portion into two-four bowls for serving.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Emily Hart, a 32-year-old chef with a lifelong passion for cooking that goes far beyond just a career—it’s the heart and soul of who I am. From the moment I was old enough to hold a spoon, I’ve been enchanted by the way food brings people together, how flavors can tell stories, and how a simple dish can evoke powerful emotions. The kitchen is my sanctuary, where the sizzle of pans and the aroma of fresh ingredients inspire me to create something special every day.
For me, cooking isn’t just about following recipes; it’s about experimenting, pushing boundaries, and blending culinary traditions to create something new and exciting. Whether I’m preparing an elegant five-course dinner or a comforting bowl of homemade soup, I pour my heart into every detail. I believe that food has the power to connect us all—whether through shared meals or teaching others how to find joy in cooking.
Over the years, I’ve honed my skills not only in crafting delicious meals but also in understanding what makes people feel at home when they sit down at the table. I love sharing my passion with others through cooking classes, collaborations with fellow food enthusiasts, and simply bringing people together one plate at a time. Cooking is my art form, and every dish is an opportunity to share a piece of myself with the world.
