We are on Day 6 of the Mason Jar Salad challenge. Today, I want to share this Taco Mason Jar Salad, one of my blog's most popular mason jar salads. It's a little more high maintenance because you must cook the taco meat ahead. But it's worth it.
Yes, you eat this salad cold! Don't worry; it's still delicious. However, if you prefer to warm up the taco meat, I'd store it in a small portioned-out container.
If you love this salad, try my Dorito Taco Salad in a Jar, this takes the famous potluck and layers it into a portable on-the-go salad. Or this vegan taco salad if you want to skip the meat altogether.
Cooking tips
I mentioned this in the guide, but I want to point out again that it's important to cook and cool the taco meat ahead of time. Adding warm meat will create steam and cause the greens to get mushy.
I use ground turkey to keep this salad lean and full of protein. You can use beef, but I recommend lean ground beef and drain any excess fat.
You can purchase a store-bought taco seasoning, but I highly recommend trying my homemade taco seasoning. Not only is it delicious, but it's free of any additives or preservatives.
This salad includes avocado. To keep it from browning, don't forget to squirt it with lots of lemon or lime juice. If you're worried about the avocado, then you can leave it out and add it the day you eat the salad. Also another thing I LOVE doing with avocados is to freeze them into portions and then take out what I need for salads or smoothies. Here are my how-to-freeze avocado instructions.
Shopping tips.
High-quality ground turkey (or ground beef) makes all of the difference in this taco salad. I recommend organic if possible. You can find organic ground turkey or beef at most grocery stores; I've even seen it at Aldis.
However, sometimes organic ground turkey is hard to find. So, If you don't have access to organic ground turkey, Butcher Box is a great online option. I place an order every other month and always include at least four packages of ground turkey. Butcher Box also has organic beef, pork, chicken, and seafood.
Mason Jar Salad Q & A
What other hearty veggies can I use in the barricade layer?
The barricade layer is essential because it shields the dressing from the lettuce and other vulnerable ingredients. In this layer, use vegetables that can hold up to sitting in dressing for a week or so.
Think vegetables that would do well in a marinade or pickled. For example, the vegetables I put in layer two of a salad in a jar are:
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Red onion
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Asparagus
- Celery
- Carrots
- Peppers
Sharing is caring
The best part about this mason jar salad challenge is the supportive community, so don't forget to share a picture in the OYS Facebook group!
Rate this recipe
If you made this Taco Salad, I'd love you to leave a comment and rating on the Organize Yourself Skinny blog. This challenge only gets better with your feedback.
Here are all of the 10 Mason Jar Salad recipes for the challenge. See the links for the full recipe, pictures, and tips.
- Protein Power Mason Jar Salad
- California Salad in a Jar
- Greek Chicken Salad
- Detox Salad in a Jar
- Steak salad in a Jar
- Taco Salad in a Jar
- Southwest Chicken Salad in a Jar
- Antipasto Salad in a Jar
- Spinach Pasta Salad in a Jar
- Spicy Thai Salad in a Jar
⭐️ The 10-Day Healthy Eating Challenge Kit ⭐️
If you want a beautiful PDF instant download copy with all of the Mason Jar Salad recipes, instructions, and tips in one place, check out the 10-Day Healthy Eating Challenges Kit. This includes the Mason Jar Salad Challenge and the super popular Smoothie Challenge, Overnight Oats Challenge, and Healthy Dinner Challenge. It's on sale for $19 until the end of this live challenge. Purchase it here.
See you tomorrow!
Tammy Overhoff
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