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Friday freedom!!! The snow finally melted and the grocery stores are restocked. There’s still a ton of icy snow all over the place but at least the roads are clear! It’s nice to be out in the world again 😁. Ok let’s jump right in with some turkey taco salad, topped with my fave cilantro avocado dressing of course.
Since I’ve been trying to lower the amount of carbs in my previously crazy bread heavy diet, this turkey taco salad is a great way to get some delicious Mexican flavors without tortillas (greens for the win!).
While this recipe is great for a weeknight dinner, turkey taco salad is also perfect for meal prepping. You can even freeze the meat and beans if needed and then throw them in the microwave!
Honestly though, my favorite thing about this turkey taco salad is it takes basically 15 minutes to make. Just cook up the turkey, whip up the dressing in a food processor and then assemble!
Ok friends. Have a great weekend and don’t forget to jazz up next weeks dinners with some turkey taco salad 😎.
Turkey Taco Salad with Cilantro Avocado Dressing
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
Description
Easy, healthy 20 minute week night dinner recipe with all the fixings and homemade dressing (gluten free!).
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup mild to medium salsa (I used La Victoria)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained
- 1 cup cooked corn kernels (drain if canned, thaw and drain if frozen)
- ½ - 1 cup Mexican cheese blend
- 1 avocado, pitted and diced
- 2 romaine lettuce hearts, halved and roughly chopped
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped to garnish
For the Dressing
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and steams
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced (1 clove is fine)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (more as desired)
- Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for the salad dressing in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add more water as desired to thin out the dressing. Make sure to taste test after adding water and adjust seasonings to taste!
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add ground turkey, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until turkey is cooked through (temps at 165°F). Stir in salsa and cook one more minute. Remove from heat. Add to salad immediately or chill in fridge until ready to use.
- Combine all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. Drizzle with cilantro avocado salad dressing. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately,
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Charlene Rhodus says
Tried this tonight and it was so good! We fried up a few corn tortilla strips to put on top and added a dollop of sour cream and a few dashes of hot sauce. Excellent. Will make again!