Loaded Beef Taco Salad with Crunchy Tortilla Chips, Cheddar, Tomatoes & Olives

Seasoned taco beef

• 1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup (120 ml) water

Chips and fresh toppings

• 10 oz (285 g) sturdy tortilla chips, triangle or restaurant style, 1 standard bag
• 6 cups (360 g) finely shredded iceberg lettuce, about 1 medium head
• 2 cups (225 g) shredded cheddar, shredded from a block
• 3 Roma tomato, diced (seeds scooped out so they stay dry)
• 1 cup (120 g) sliced black olives, drained and patted dry

Creamy salsa dressing (served on the side)

• ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
• ¼ cup (60 g) smooth salsa
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• ¼ tsp ground cumin

1. Prep the toppingsFinely shred the lettuce, dice the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds, pat the olives dry on paper towels, and shred the cheddar from a block. Keep everything cold in the fridge while the beef cooks.The lettuce is in thin, fluffy shreds, the tomatoes are in small dry cubes, and the olives are dry rings.
2. Brown the beefHeat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, until deeply browned with no pink left. Spoon off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.The beef is in small, well-browned crumbles with no pink and little fat in the pan.⏱ 8 min timer, browning
3. Season and simmerReduce the heat to medium. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, oregano, pepper, tomato paste and water. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the liquid has cooked down and clings to the meat. Let it cool 3 minutes so it does not wilt the lettuce.The beef is a rich reddish brown, thick and crumbly, with no liquid pooling in the pan.⏱ 5 min timer, simmering
4. Build the chip borderUse a large round platter or a 16-inch (40 cm) foil pan. Stand the chips upright around the rim with the points facing out, overlapping them like a sunburst. Spread a loose layer of chips over the middle.A ring of golden chip points fans out around the edge of the platter.
5. Layer the saladPile the shredded lettuce over the chips in a thick, fluffy layer, keeping the chip points showing. Spoon the warm beef over the lettuce in clusters, leaving some lettuce peeking through. Heap the cheddar in the center and over the beef, then dot the tomatoes and olives across the top.A thick orange blanket of cheddar in the middle, dotted with red tomatoes and black olive rings, with beef and pale lettuce showing at the edges.
6. Mix the dressing and serveStir the sour cream, salsa, lime juice and cumin until smooth, then pour into a small bowl. Serve the salad right away so the chips stay crisp, scooping from the center down to the chips, with the dressing on the side.The platter looks piled high and fresh, with crisp chips all around and the creamy dressing waiting beside it.

• Use sturdy chips. Thick restaurant-style triangles hold up under the toppings. Thin chips go soft quickly.
• Keep the lettuce dry and cold. Shred it finely, dry it well and keep it chilled until assembly so it stays crisp under the warm beef.
• Drain the beef well. Leave just a tablespoon of fat in the pan. A greasy beef layer makes the chips soggy.
• Simmer until the liquid is gone. The beef should look thick and crumbly, not saucy, so the platter stays crisp.
• Cool the beef for 3 minutes. Warm is perfect, but piping hot beef wilts the lettuce and melts all the cheese into the beef.
• Shred cheddar from a block. It makes thick, fluffy strands that pile up in the center. Pre-shredded cheese is coated and looks thinner.
• Dry the tomatoes and olives. Scoop out the tomato seeds and pat the olives dry so no extra juice runs into the lettuce.
• Assemble at the last minute. Build it right before serving. For a party, cook the beef and prep the toppings ahead and layer when guests arrive.
• Scaling: The servings buttons change the ingredient list. Step text keeps the original 6-serving amounts, which fills one 16-inch (40 cm) platter. For 12 servings, build two platters.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving, with the dressing served on the side. Contains dairy. Check the chip and seasoning labels if you need it gluten-free.

Easy swaps

Ground turkey or chicken: use the same amount and add 1 tbsp oil to the skillet, since it is leaner.

Homemade taco seasoning: use 2 tbsp of store-bought taco seasoning in place of the individual spices, and skip the extra salt.

Cheese: use Colby Jack, Mexican blend or pepper jack. Sharp cheddar gives the boldest flavor.

Romaine instead of iceberg: slice thinly. It is a little sturdier but less crunchy.

Dressing: Catalina, ranch or Thousand Island all work on the side. Serve extra salsa too.

Extra toppings: add sliced green onions, pickled jalapeños, black beans or diced avocado at the end.

Heat: stir 1 to 2 tsp chipotle powder or a diced jalapeño into the beef.

Make ahead and storage

Make ahead: cook the beef up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Prep the toppings the day before, store them in separate containers, and reheat the beef before assembling.

Leftovers: the assembled salad does not keep well. Store the beef, toppings and chips separately, and keep the beef up to 4 days in the fridge.

Reheat: warm the beef in a skillet or the microwave until steaming, then rebuild a fresh plate.

Freezer: freeze the cooked beef up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Do not freeze the toppings or chips.