Our mouthwatering spicy nacho salad will crush your cravings for Mexican food in a healthier way!
Our spicy nacho salad is perfect for a quick and delicious family dinner or lunch to go! This delectable dish is a healthy spin on a Mexican restaurant favorite. This nacho-inspired salad is chock full of veggies, lean protein, and whole grains, making it an awesome option on your weekly menu. Try our take on this restaurant favorite and it might just become a family go-to!
Fresh and Lean Ingredients Make an Exquisite Salad
This Mexican salad includes tons of fresh vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins, and whole grains. Try it for lunch for a nutrient-packed mid-day boost!
Fresh Vegetables
Between this recipe’s red bell pepper, celery, lettuce, and red onion, this colorful salad is packed full of beneficial vitamins and minerals. It’s important to make sure you’re reaching your veggie goals every day (the USDA recommends 3 servings per day) to make sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals. This recipe will surely help you get there!
Healthy Fats
You may have heard about good fats and bad fats, but to give you the 411, “good” fats have protective compounds including omega-3 and 6 and are found in plant and seafood sources, like nuts, avocados, olives, and fish. “Bad” fats are saturated fats found in high fat dairy and red meat and should be had in moderation. This recipe uses avocados and olive oil to boost both omegas and flavor! We’ve also chosen to flavor this salad with salsa rather than using a cream-based dressing to reduce fat overall. Another low fat addition to this recipe is the use of lean ground turkey instead of ground beef, which significantly reduces the saturated fat content.
Lean Protein
Along with its low-fat benefit, lean ground turkey is a great source of protein. With 8 grams of protein per ounce, this powerhouse ingredient contributes to muscle and bone health, as well as keeping you full throughout the day.
Whole Grains
Surprise! Corn is a starch! I’ve seen a lot of confusion around this ingredient, so I’m here to clear it up for you. Corn is a whole grain, vegetable, and fruit depending on which portion you use. It is also a great source of fiber, valuable B vitamins, and other essential minerals. We use corn as a carbohydrate source in this recipe, as well as corn chips for their benefits and flavor. And of course, it wouldn’t be a nacho salad without the nachos!
Try this Easy to Make Nacho Salad
Make this simple nacho salad recipe at the beginning of the week to meal prep or on a busy night for an easy family-friendly dinner!
First, season the turkey in a bowl with cumin, salt, and pepper. Next, you’ll heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the seasoned turkey. Crumble and cook it until browned with no pink, about 7 minutes. Drain any fat, then add the black beans to the pan and mix them in to warm them up and transfer some flavor. Remove this mixture from the heat and set aside. Next, layer the rest of the lettuce, corn, onion, pepper, celery, avocado, and cilantro, then top with the turkey mixture. When serving, add salsa and top with a lime wedge.
Spicy Nacho Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 13.5 oz black beans drained and rinsed
- 3 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 cups corn tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
- 1 red onion sliced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1 avocado sliced
- 3 tablespoons cilantro fresh, chopped
- 2 cups salsa
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a bowl, season turkey with cumin, salt, and pepper
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and then add turkey
- Crumble and cook until browned with no pink, about 7 minutes
- Add black beans to the pan and mix in to warm
- Remove from heat. Layer the rest of the lettuce, corn, onion, pepper, celery, avocado, and cilantro, then top with the turkey mixture
- Top with salsa and a lime wedge
Nutrition Information
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