Taco Salad Tortilla Bowl (Print Page)

Crispy tortilla bowl filled with layered salad, seasoned beef, beans, cheese, and fresh toppings.

# What You Need:

→ Tortilla Bowls

01 - 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Beef Mixture

03 - 14 ounces ground beef
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

11 - 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
14 - 3.5 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
15 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 1 avocado, diced
17 - ½ cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)

→ Toppings

18 - ½ cup salsa
19 - ½ cup sour cream
20 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
21 - Lime wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the tortilla bowls.
02 - Brush both sides of each tortilla with vegetable oil. Place each tortilla over an inverted oven-safe bowl or ramekin on a baking sheet to shape the bowl.
03 - Bake tortillas for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool before carefully lifting off the molds.
04 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until browned. Drain excess fat.
05 - Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet; cook 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another minute then remove from heat.
06 - In a large bowl, mix shredded romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, rinsed black beans, corn kernels, sliced red onion, and diced avocado.
07 - Place each tortilla bowl on a serving plate. Fill with the salad mixture, then top with warm beef mixture and shredded cheddar cheese.
08 - Spoon salsa and sour cream over each salad. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve alongside lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crispy tortilla bowl is somehow both edible and theatrical, turning a simple salad into something you'll actually want to make.
  • Everything comes together in about thirty-five minutes, and most of that is just waiting for things to cook.
  • You control the texture and temperature by adding warm beef to cool, fresh vegetables, so every bite feels intentional.
02 -
  • The moment those tortilla bowls cool completely is when you can safely remove them—try too early and you'll have tortilla confetti instead of a bowl.
  • Keep your salad components separate until the last moment, because the warm beef will soften and wilt anything that sits too long in the bowl.
  • The beef should still be warm when you assemble, but your salad should be cold—that temperature contrast is part of what makes this dish work.
03 -
  • If your tortilla bowls crack or tear as they're cooling, don't throw them away—they still taste amazing, you just serve them deconstructed on a plate like a salad.
  • Make your tortilla bowls up to four hours ahead and store them in an airtight container, then assemble everything just before eating so nothing gets soggy.
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