Venison Taco Salad with Chipotle Lime Dressing
This easy venison taco salad features seasoned ground venison, fresh vegetables, crunchy tortilla chips, and creamy chipotle lime dressing.
Servings: 6
Calories: 681kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Venison Taco Meat
- 1 lb ground venison
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon pork lard (or other cooking fat)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¾ cup stock or broth
Chipotle Lime Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime zest (about 2 limes)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tablespoon chipotles in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- salt, to taste
Salad
- 6 cups romaine, chopped
- 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
- ¾ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup cheddar or pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 2 avocadoes, diced
- 6 tablespoon black olives, sliced
- 6 tablespoon green onions, sliced
- 6 tablespoon pickled jalapeños
- 6 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
- 6 oz tortilla chips
Instructions
Venison Taco Meat
- Add seasoning to ground meat (¼ cup per 1 lb of meat) and incorporate spices into meat, using your hands.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lard to pan, let it melt, and swirl to coat the pan.
- Add seasoned meat to pan and spread meat out into a thin layer. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until bottom side is browned and crisp. Flip and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
- Break up meat with a wooden spoon or ChopStir tool. Add in tomato paste and broth. Stir until well combined. Bring to a simmer and let liquid reduce for an additional 2-3 minutes or until liquid is no longer soupy. The mixture should be mostly meat with a little extra thickened sauce to keep it moist. Set aside until ready to use.
Chipotle Lime Dressing
- Add mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, chipotles in adobo, cilantro, and a pinch of salt to a tall jar or measuring cup. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lime juice, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Assembly
- Divide romaine lettuce among 6 bowls or plates. Top each salad with warm taco meat, tomatoes, black beans, shredded cheese, avocado, black olives, green onions, pickled jalapeños, and cilantro leaves. Drizzle with chipotle lime dressing and finish with crushed tortilla chips. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Ground venison makes a flavorful, lean alternative to ground beef in this taco salad. The addition of lard or another cooking fat helps create crispy, browned taco meat while adding richness. If you prefer whole cuts of meat, this salad is just as delicious topped with grilled venison steaks, like from my elk fajitas recipe.
- Use your favorite store-bought taco seasoning or homemade taco seasoning blend.
- I like using a combination of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt because it keeps the dressing creamy without feeling overly heavy. The yogurt also adds a subtle tang that complements the smoky chipotle peppers and fresh lime juice. Adjust the amount of chipotle peppers to suit your preferred spice level.
- Customize this salad with your favorite toppings or use it as a "clean out the refrigerator" meal with extras like corn, cucumbers, cabbage, peppers, radishes, or leftover grilled vegetables.
- Resist the urge to stir it right away. Letting the meat sit undisturbed creates browned, crispy bits that add much more flavor than constantly breaking it apart.
Nutrition
Calories: 681kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1729mg | Potassium: 1036mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 6121IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 5mg
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