What to Serve with Taco Salad: 10 Festive Side Dishes

Tacos are insanely delicious. They’re colorful, crispy, and flavorful. But they can be a little too messy to eat sometimes. This is why taco salads were invented.

A taco salad has all the ingredients of a classic taco, but as a salad it’s a lot easier to devour. It’s got tender, juicy ground beef, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, cheese, and salsa – all that taco goodness. While some like it topped with tortilla chips, others prefer eating it in a tortilla bowl. Either way, it’s fantastic!

Taco salad is also easy to make, so it’s an excellent meal option any day of the week. Many see taco salad as a stand alone dish, but I love pairing it with other Mexican dishes. I mean, what’s more exciting than turning your simple dinner into a fabulous Mexican feast? 

If you can’t think of any sides that will go well with taco salad, don’t worry, I’m here to help. These sides are all so good, you’ll need to make large batches because your friends will surely ask for seconds. Here are ten of the best dishes to serve with taco salad. 

1. Chips and Salsa

Let’s start with the most classic Mexican side of them all: chips and salsa. It’s a fantastic party starter that’s easy to whip up. You’ve already got tortilla chips and salsa ready for your taco salad anyway, so this won’t require any extra effort. 

2. Black Bean Soup

Soup and salad is always a wonderful pairing – regardless of the cuisine. To go with your Mexican theme, you’ll want a classic Mexican ingredient for your soup, and black beans are your best bet here.

Black bean soup is easy to make. All you need are onions, bacon, your choice of Mexican spices, and of course, canned black beans.

3. Spanish Rice

Rice is another Mexican staple and is an awesome side for taco salad. It’s particularly great when you’re serving a huge crowd, because it will fill them up quickly!

While you can never go wrong with a simple steamed white rice, you can definitely make things more exciting by adding two simple ingredients: cilantro and lime. This makes for a zesty, refreshing combo that pairs perfectly with your taco salad. They’re also not too bold, so they won’t overpower the main dish.

4. Elote

Taco salad is rich and savory, so you’ll want to pair it with something sweet and refreshing. Elote, a popular Mexican street food, perfectly fits the bill. It’s bursting with so much flavor and texture, it’s a must-have for any Mexican party!

Just picture this: crunchy, sweet, and juicy grilled corn coated with sour cream, mayo, chili pepper, and cheese. Just the thought of it makes my mouth water. 

5. Margarita

When it comes to drinks, nothing tastes better with taco salad than a huge margarita. This cocktail only requires a few ingredients, but it definitely packs a punch.

All you need to make this refreshing beverage is some tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur. That’s it! You can also flavor it with simple syrup to make it a little sweeter, and a little bit of fruit or fresh mint wouldn’t hurt either. You can serve it frozen, on the rocks, or on its own.

6. Horchata

Here’s another classic Mexican drink that will bring some sweetness to your savory dish. This tasty beverage is made with rice and milk, and is flavored with sugar and cinnamon.

It’s an ideal drink in hot weather, or with spicy food, so drink your horchata with plenty of ice. 

7. Mexican Desserts 

No matter how scrumptious your taco salad is, you have to save room for dessert. Mexican cuisine has some of the best sweets that you don’t want to miss! Here are a few of my favorites:

8. Dulce de Leche

Dulce is Spanish for “sweet”, while de leche means “made of milk.” From that translation, you can already tell that this dessert is phenomenal.

This yummy treat is achieved by cooking sweetened condensed milk for several hours. The result is thick caramel that you can use as a spread, dip, or sauce. It also works as a delectable filling for cake!

9. Churros

Since you’re already serving dulce de leche, why not make some churros as well? The deep-fried dough coated in cinnamon and sugar tastes even more amazing when dipped in caramel.

10. Mexican Chocolate Mousse

Mexican chocolate is made of ground chocolate infused with chili, sugar, and cinnamon. It’s got some nice heat going on, giving it an interesting and complex flavor.

Make a mouse out of it for a wonderful dessert that’s got a bit of spiciness and earthiness. To me, it’s the perfect way to end your Mexican feast.