If Mexican street corn and taco salad had the perfect summer baby, this would absolutely be it. This salad is smoky, crunchy, creamy, fresh, and packed with enough flavor that nobody is going to feel like they’re “just eating a salad.”

The base is crisp romaine piled high with seasoned ground beef, charred corn and red onion, kidney beans, juicy tomatoes, shredded cheese, and crispy tortilla strips. Every layer brings something different, which is exactly why every bite is so good.

And then there’s the dressing. Lemon, cilantro, scallions, avocado, garlic, Fresno pepper, and olive oil blend into the brightest creamy green dressing that ties the entire thing together.

I love this for summer BBQs, taco night, or meal prep because you can make most of the components ahead and assemble everything when you’re ready to eat.

Grab your biggest salad bowl—the full recipe is below.

Mexican Street Corn Taco Salad with Cilantro Avocado Dressing

A loaded summer taco salad with smoky seasoned beef, charred corn and red onion, crunchy romaine, kidney beans, crispy tortilla strips, tomato, shredded cheese, and a bright cilantro avocado dressing.

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Salad

• 1 head romaine lettuce finely chopped
• 2 cans kidney beans drained
• 1 Roma tomato diced
• ½ cup Mexican shredded cheese

For the Charred Corn Mixture

• 3 corn cobs kernels removed
• ½ red onion diced

For the Seasoned Beef

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1½ tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Cilantro Avocado Dressing

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 Fresno pepper deseeded
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• ½ cup scallions
• ¼ avocado
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Crispy Tortilla Strips

• 2 tortillas sliced into strips
• Garlic powder to taste
• Smoked paprika to taste

Method

 

1. Add the corn kernels and diced red onion to a skillet and sauté until lightly charred and caramelized. Set aside.
2. Add the ground beef to a skillet with the ground coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
3. Cook until the beef is browned and fully cooked through. Set aside.
4. Add the lemon juice, garlic, Fresno pepper, cilantro, scallions, avocado, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a blender.
5. Blend until smooth, creamy, and vibrant.
6. Slice the tortillas into strips and toast with garlic powder and smoked paprika until crisp.
7. Add the chopped romaine to a large serving bowl or platter.
8. Layer the charred corn mixture, seasoned beef, drained kidney beans, crispy tortilla strips, diced Roma tomato, and shredded Mexican cheese over the lettuce.
9. Drizzle generously with the cilantro avocado dressing.
10. Toss until everything is evenly coated and serve.

Notes

• Drain the beans thoroughly. Excess liquid can make the salad watery.
• Keep the tortilla strips crisp. Add them close to serving so they don’t soften under the dressing.
• Great for meal prep. Store the lettuce, beef, corn mixture, dressing, and tortilla strips separately, then assemble right before eating.

WATCH IT COME TOGETHER

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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out or any personal touches you added along the way.


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