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When it comes to Mexican food, the possibilities are endless. From traditional tacos to enchiladas, savory gorditas and wet burritos, Mexican food is bold and delicious, with flavors that linger on your tongue and in your mind long after you have cleaned your plate.

Even the side dishes and condiments are good. They’re so good in fact, you can make an entire meal out of chips and salsa, guacamole, refried beans and Mexican rice.

Over time, Mexican food in the United States began to evolve – especially in places like California, New Mexico and Texas. Experimentation with spices like cumin and garlic powder gave way to new Mexican-inspired dishes like avocado eggrolls, and taquitos were born.

In the 20th century, the glorious southwestern fusion birthed fajitas and one of my favorites: taco salad. Taco salad is the perfect union between tasty tacos and all of the salad veggies I just can’t get enough of. Cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions and olives, meet seasoned beef, creamy cheese, beans and crunchy tortillas.

Taco salad is so easily customizable, too. Honestly, you can use just about whatever you’ve got in the fridge, season it up and toss it into a delicious salad. No ground beef? No problem, just substitute chicken; breast, legs or thighs will do. Don’t have a pack of tortilla shell bowls in your pantry? Totally fine. Hulk smash a few tortilla chips over the top, and you’ve got the same effect. No tomatoes? Maybe your kids will like it more. Or better yet, follow my Twist of Lime Taco Salad recipe below. It just might become your new go-to on Taco Tuesday.

TWIST OF LIME TACO SALAD

Ingredients

1 lb Ground beef
1/4 Yellow onion, diced
1 clove Garlic, pressed
1 can Black beans
1/2 cup Queso fresco
1 stem Green onion, chopped
Grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 of a Cucumber, peeled and sliced
6-8 large leaves of Green lettuce, washed and patted dry
1 lime
1 packet of Fajitas seasoning
Catalina dressing
Salsa Verde Doritos

Directions: In a deep skillet over medium heat, combine ground beef and diced onions. Once the beef begins browning and onions start to become translucent, add in your garlic (adding garlic to a hot skillet too early can cause it to burn) and half of the packet of fajitas seasoning. Continue cooking until the meat has fully browned and the garlic and onions have turned soft. Remove from heat and let cool. Heat black beans over medium heat and season with the remaining fajitas seasoning. Again, once cooked through, remove from heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, begin shredding your lettuce by either hand tearing or with a knife. Begin adding vegetables to a salad bowl, layering in the lettuce, green onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice over the vegetables- be careful to catch the seeds.

Layer in ground beef mixture, black beans and queso fresco. Give the salad a quick toss. Next, coat the salad in Catalina dressing and remaining lime juice. This will give the salad a smoother texture as well as add a bit of a tangy bite. Lastly, crush a few Salsa Verde Doritos in your hand and sprinkle over the top of the salad. Your perfect Twist of Lime Taco Salad is ready to serve!

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