It’s not that taco salad is rocket science, but I feel like it can be done very wrong. The dressing is important. Having dry, crispy greens is important. I want teensy tiny bits of onion, no huge chunks. Pickled if you have them. Garnishing with avo and cheese instead of tossing them IN to get mush is important. I also support chips on top as croutons.

I mix romaine with a bag of the cruciferous crunch from Trader Joes and just pull out big pieces or kale stems. I included cabbage yields in case you are not a TJ’s shopper. In being flexible with what’s in your fridge, try to cut a typical salad green with something sturdy crunchy like kale or cabbage, sliced as thinly as possible. Check the frozen section for fire-roasted corn. If you can find fresh, oil it and char it over the bbq or stove top just to take the raw edge off.