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Bowl full of camping taco salad.
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Camping Taco Salad

This camping taco salad is an easy meal that can be prepped ahead of time. It features basic ingredients and lots of topping options!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 129kcal
Author: Sarah Trenalone

Ingredients

Taco Meat:

  • 1 tablespoon oil (if your meat is very lean you may need extra oil)
  • 1 pound ground turkey (or use beef, chicken or meatless ground beef)
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (omit or reduce if your taco seasoning has salt)
  • 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 14 ounce can pinto or black beans

Taco Salad (amount variable):

  • chopped romaine lettuce
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • Shredded cheese (Mexican blend, pepper jack or whatever you have on hand)
  • Diced avocado or guacamole
  • Sour cream
  • Sliced red onion
  • Hot sauce
  • Salsa
  • Taco sauce I like to use Cholula Cremosa Sauce
  • Salad dressing Such as Ranch or Southwest Ranch

Instructions

Prepare the meat (at home or at camp):

  • Add oil to pan and warm over medium-low heat (or slightly indirect campfire flames).
    Add the turkey, taco seasoning and salt.
    Cook until meat begins to brown, breaking into smaller pieces with a metal spatula as the meat cooks.
    Note: If substituting ground beef for ground turkey, brown the meat and drain off excess fat before adding the taco seasoning.
    Taco meat cooking in skillet.
  • Add tomatoes, and continue simmering until the meat is cooked through and the tomato liquid mostly cooks off.
    Taco meat with tomatoes in skillet.
  • Drain beans and add to meat. Cook until beans are warm.
    Alternatively, if your fire was a little hotter than intended and your meat seems a little dry, add the beans along with all (or most) of the liquid from the can.
    Taco meat, tomatoes, and beans in skillet.
  • If preparing at home ahead of time, allow taco meat to cool for a few minutes, then move to the fridge. Optionally, place in a freezer storage bag and freeze for up to 4 months until packing camping cooler.
    After moving to the cooler, keep the cooler as cold as possible (packed with ice or other frozen goods) and use meat within 1-2 days.
    Reheat on a camp stove or campfire before serving.
    Note: If reheating from a mostly frozen state, it may be helpful to add a little extra liquid to the meat, such as salsa, to help ensure that it doesn't stick to the pot or pan.
    Taco meat stored in plastic freezer-safe bag.

Assemble Taco Salad:

  • Add lettuce to bowls. Add taco meat and desired toppings. Serve immediately.
    Bowl full of camping taco salad.

Notes

Nutrition information is for the taco meat, but does not include additional salad ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 574mg | Potassium: 398mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 131IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
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