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Fajita Taco Salad Recipe

Modified: · Published: by · 1 Comment
5 from 2 votes
Total Time: 20 minutes
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This fajita taco salad with steak makes a delicious, fresh and well-balanced dinner. Flavorful fried steak bites, cheese and a creamy chili oregano dressing give this salad plenty of umami. Charred bell pepper and onion add classic fajita flavors. And to add the crunch you get from a hard taco shell, the salad is finished with crumbled Doritos.

Steak fajita taco salad with dressing in a bowl.

Use sirloin steak for great flavor and time savings:

One of the best things about this salad is that it comes together in just 20 minutes. That's because it uses sirloin steak, a tender cut of beef that has a rich, natural flavor and therefore doesn't need marinating. That saves a lot of time because all the steak chunks need is a few minutes of searing for ultimate flavor.

How to make it:

See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!

Dressing being whisked in a bowl.
  1. Whisk all salad dressing ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Sliced peppers and onions.
  1. Slice bell pepper, jalapeno and onion into thin strips. Set aside.
Raw steak chunks.
  1. Cut the steak into small chunks and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cooked steak and vegetables.
  1. Sear the steak in hot oil, then transfer to a bowl. Add the vegetables to the same pan and cook until starting to soften.

Full Recipe

Steak fajita taco salad with dressing in a bowl.
Author: The Spice Train

Fajita Taco Salad Recipe

5 from 2 votes
This fajita taco salad has all the flavors and textures of fajitas and tacos. It's finished with a delicious, creamy chili oregano dressing.
Print Version (does not include images) Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 577
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Equipment:

  • measuring spoons and cups
  • mixing bowls
  • citrus juicer
  • garlic press (optional)
  • knife and cutting board
  • whisk
  • large cast iron pan
  • slotted spoon

Ingredients:
  

For the dressing (makes about 6 tablespoons):
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ tablespoons full-fat sour cream
  • 1 ½ tablespoons whole milk
  • ⅜ teaspoon lemon juice, more to taste
  • 1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder*
  • ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons mild olive oil
  • salt, to taste
For the beef and vegetables:
  • 8 ounces sirloin steak**, cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon mild olive oil
  • ½ small red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 large or 2 small jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs (the white membranes) removed and sliced into thin strips
  • ¼ red onion, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
For the salad:
  • 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
  • 1 ounce grated cheese, such as monterey jack or cheddar
  • 10 Doritos, crumbled

Method:
 

For the dressing:
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Season to taste with salt and more lemon juice (if desired). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the beef and vegetables:
  1. Season the steak chunks with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in large cast iron pan until very hot. (The beef should sizzle immediately when it hits the pan.)
  3. Sear the beef until the edges are starting to brown (3 to 5 minutes). Turn the beef chunks over halfway through.***
  4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl. Add peppers and onion to the pan (no need to clean the pan in between). Cook until just starting to soften (1 to 2 minutes).
For the salad:
  1. Add lettuce to plates, top with beef, peppers and onion, drizzle with dressing, then sprinkle with cheese and Dorito chips. Serve immediately.

Recipe notes:

*Chili powder is a spice blend made from ground chili peppers, cumin, oregano, dried garlic and salt. It's widely available in spice shops.
**You can use sirloin or a higher quality cut of beef (such as rib eye) for this recipe.
***Don't be tempted to move the beef chunks around much. Leave them alone so they can develop a good sear on each side.
Storage: Transfer the individual components (beef, peppers and onion, lettuce, cheese, dressing) into separate airtight containers and store in the fridge.
Did you make this recipe?Please consider leaving a review- THANK YOU!

Nutrition (estimate only):

Calories: 577kcalCarbohydrates: 22.9gProtein: 41.1gFat: 36.3gSaturated Fat: 10.1gCholesterol: 127mgSodium: 503mgPotassium: 767mgFiber: 2.6gSugar: 5.5gCalcium: 152mgIron: 25mg

More Mexican-inspired recipes:

See all recipes with chili powder →

Comments

  1. Jason says

    Super fast and super easy to make.
    We cut our steak into strips rather than cubes. In our house, this fed two adults, but fell just shy of 3 adult portions. I recommended multiplying the recipe accordingly, depending on the size of your family.

    Reply
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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