Tasty Taco Salad

I usually can’t go past a taco salad on a menu — but it doesn’t have to be laden with cheese, sour cream and deep-fried corn chips to taste great. This feel-good sibling will do the trick.

INGREDIENTS Serves 4

  • 6 corn tortillas, thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

  • 250 g (9 oz) lean minced beef, or beef stir-fry strips

  • 400 g (14 oz) tin beans, such as black, pinto or kidney beans, drained well 

  • 1 tablespoon Mexican spice mix (see tip)

  • 1 ripe avocado

  • juice of 1 small lime, or to taste

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander (cilantro)

  • 3⁄4 cup (75 g) finely grated halloumi 

  • 1⁄2 iceberg lettuce, finely shredded 

  • 4 radishes (optional), shaved or shredded

  • 1⁄2 cup (135 g) Sour-ish cream (page 192)

Tomato salsa

  • 250 g (9 oz) tomatoes, halved, seeds removed, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander (cilantro) stems

  • 1⁄2 small red onion or 1 French shallot, finely chopped

  • 2–4 tablespoons finely chopped pickled jalapeño chillies

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

healthy fats | high in protein

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Spread the tortilla strips on the baking tray and lightly drizzle with oil. Lightly season with sea salt, toss to coat, then arrange in a single layer. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

  2. Meanwhile, combine all the tomato salsa ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and set aside until ready to serve. Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Cook the beef, beans and spice mix for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the beef has browned. Season with salt.

  3. Meanwhile, scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl and mash with the lime juice. Season with sea salt and stir the coriander through to combine.

  4. Combine the haloumi with the tortilla strips.

  5. Divide the beef mixture among serving bowls. Top with the lettuce and radish, if using. Serve immediately, with the sour-ish cream, avocado, tomato salsa and the cheesy tortilla strips.

top tip 

There are many different spice mixes available, varying in heat and strength, so bear this in mind when flavouring the dish.

For a dairy-free version, omit the haloumi and sour-ish cream.

divide and conquer

You can make this salad pescatarian by using raw peeled prawns instead of beef and frying them off with just 1 teaspoon Mexican spice mix — or even just use cooked prawns, which will not require cooking at all.

If using prawns, I’d definitely add the radish, as they taste great together.

For a vegan salad, add another tin of beans and omit the beef or prawns, as well as the haloumi and sour-ish cream.

To go half vegetarian, cook the beef or prawns separately with half the spice mix, then add them to individual plates on serving.