Description
This vibrant Taco Salad Flag recipe is a festive and colorful dish perfect for patriotic holidays like the 4th of July or Memorial Day. Combining seasoned ground beef or turkey, black beans, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and blue corn tortilla chips, it creates a fun and visually appealing American flag design that’s delicious and easy to assemble. A great centerpiece for any celebration, this Tex-Mex inspired salad offers a balance of flavors and textures with options to customize for vegetarians or different dietary needs.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- ¼ cup water
Vegetables and Beans
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 ½ cups diced cherry tomatoes or red bell pepper
Dairy and Toppings
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup blue corn tortilla chips
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Meat: In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef or turkey until fully cooked. Drain any excess fat to reduce greasiness.
- Season the Meat: Stir in the taco seasoning and ¼ cup of water, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly to make assembly easier.
- Prepare the Serving Tray: On a large rectangular platter or tray, spread the seasoned taco meat evenly as the base layer, representing the red stripes of the flag.
- Create the Stars Section: In the upper-left corner, arrange a square of blue corn tortilla chips, either whole or crushed, to visually mimic the stars area on the American flag.
- Add Red and White Stripes: Use rows of diced cherry tomatoes (or red bell peppers) for the red stripes, alternating with neat piped lines of sour cream for the white stripes. A piping bag or sandwich bag with a snipped corner can help for precision.
- Sprinkle Cheese: Generously sprinkle shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese over the meat area between the stripes to add flavor and color contrast.
- Add Lettuce: Lay down one or two rows of shredded lettuce either along the bottom or between some layers to add freshness and vibrant green color to the salad flag.
- Final Touches: Optionally drizzle olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the salad with extra blue corn tortilla chips or use lettuce cups as a low-carb serving option.
Notes
- Perfect for patriotic holidays like 4th of July, Memorial Day, or Labor Day celebrations.
- Ingredients can be prepped ahead, allowing quick assembly right before serving.
- Make it vegetarian by omitting meat and increasing black beans or substituting with plant-based ground meat.
- Sour cream piping can be simplified by using a zip-lock bag with a small corner cut.
- This colorful presentation works well as an appetizer or a main course for casual gatherings.
