Turkey Taco Salad with Avocado Greek Yogurt Dressing

An Everything Taco Salad

This ground turkey taco salad with jalapeno avocado greek yogurt dressing is a perfect meal! It’s packed with veggies, fruits, and a variety of proteins for a filling, flavor-packed dinner. Every bite is a little different, but each one is crunchy, sweet, salty, and creamy. I love this recipe for lunch or dinner and is great for packing up to take to work. 

The most challenging part of this recipe is just the time it takes to chop all the produce. Once you’ve chopped your fruits and veggies, the recipe comes together in no time! Making it a wonderful dish to prep and eat over a weekend. Or divide and conquer the chopping with your partner or room mate and make this a 20 minute meal on a weeknight.

The Supplies

Ingredients

To make this ground turkey taco salad with jalapeno greek yogurt dressing, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Ground turkey
• Cloves of garlic
• Onion powder
• Chili powder
• Oregano
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped Kale
• Shredded cabbage
• Fresh cilantro
• Canned black beans
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Cotija cheese
• Roma tomatoes
• Mango
• Pickled red onions
• Pumpkin seeds
• Tortilla chips, if desired
• Avocado
• Whole milk greek yogurt
• Jalapeno
• Lime juice and zest
• Honey

For the exact ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Equipment

In order to make this ground turkey taco salad with jalapeno greek yogurt dressing, you’ll need the following pieces of equipment:

• Cutting board and knife
• Medium-sized frying pan
• Measuring spoons
• Mixing bowls or salad bowl
• High-speed blender
• Cheese grater
• Silicone spatula
• Salad spoons or tongs

Frequent Recipe Questions

Can I make this recipe in advance? 

• A: This salad is hearty enough that it can be made up to one day in advance. Prepare the salad components and then store the ground turkey and the dressing separately from the rest of the salad. Then, once you’re ready to eat, reheat the turkey on the stovetop or in the microwave and toss the dressing into the salad. 

Is the greek yogurt dressing spicy?

• A: It is not! The jalapeno adds a bit of smoky pepper flavor, but by removing the seeds and blending it with yogurt and honey it tempers the spiciness of the jalapeno. If you would prefer a spicier dressing, use the entire jalapeno and leave a few of the seeds in.

Can I substitute the ground turkey for another protein?

• A: Absolutely! You can make this recipe with a one-to-one substitution of either ground chicken or lean ground beef.

Recipe Tips

When you make this ground turkey taco salad with jalapeno greek yogurt dressing, here are a few tips to make sure it turns out delicious:

• The lengthiest part of this recipe is chopping the fruits and veggies and shredding the cheese. If you’re in a rush, you can look for some prepared ingredients at your grocery store. The ingredients I’d recommend looking for at your grocery store are chopped kale, shredded cabbage, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced mango.
• Don’t skip on massaging the dressing into the kale and cabbage. When it’s raw, kale can be really tough and fibrous. By massaging the dressing into the kale, it softens the fibers in the kale and makes it nice and tender. 
• If you’re making the dressing ahead of time, it will thicken in the refrigerator once chilled. To make the dressing easier to drizzle, stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Recipe Details

Mix the Salad Dressing

To get this recipe started, you’ll first make the avocado greek yogurt dressing. This creamy dressing is a mix of greek yogurt, avocado, fresh cilantro, jalapeno, honey, and lime juice. It’s a tangy, creamy dressing with a subtly herby flavor. Because of the yogurt and avocado, this dressing is really thick on its own. Thinning out the dressing with a couple tablespoons of water will make it easier to drizzle onto the salad once it’s ready!

Brown the Ground Turkey

The next step in this salad recipe is to brown the turkey taco meat. The ground turkey is browned in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. It’s then seasoned with freshly minced garlic, onion powder, chili powder, dried oregano, and some salt and pepper. Stir the seasonings into the browned turkey to coat it in the spices, then pour in a splash of water.

Let the turkey cook in the spices until they’re very fragrant and the water has evaporated. Set the taco meat aside until you’re ready to start assembling the salad. 

Assemble the Ground Turkey Taco Salad

To assemble the salad, add the chopped kale, shredded cabbage, and chopped fresh cilantro to a large salad bowl. Pour a third of the avocado greek yogurt dressing over the top and massage it into the greens. This will soften the kale and cabbage, making it nice and tender to eat.

Pour the drained black beans, shredded cheddar cheese, and crumbled cotija cheese into the salad bowl. Use a pair of tongs to toss everything together until the cheese and beans are distributed evenly among the greens.

Top the taco salad with diced tomatoes, mango, pickled red onions, and pumpkin seeds. Spoon the warm, turkey taco meat over the top of the salad and divide into equal portions. Serve the taco salad with extra greek yogurt dressing on the side, plus tortilla chips if desired.

Love the flavors in this recipe? Be sure to check out these other dishes:

If you make this ground turkey taco salad with jalapeno greek yogurt dressing, be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating. I can’t wait to hear how it goes. As always, tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook in your photos. It makes me feel like we’re getting to cook together!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.