Taco Salad in a Jar
Have you tried making mason jar salads?! Give this taco salad in a jar a try and you’ll be hooked! This easy-to-make and prep salad is the perfect Weight Watchers ground turkey recipe.
Meal prepping stuff like these salads is a little bit of work early in the week and then it’s super easy to stay on track throughout the rest of the week.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
For Weight Watchers, I highly recommend meal prepping when you can.
Life is just easier when there is something that you can grab and eat when you have to be on the go, when you have to work late or leave early, and especially when a craving strikes.
Courtesy WW Point Calculation
- Be sure to calculate the points value of the foods and recipes you eat in the app.
- Always add ingredients and serving sizes and don’t rely on the nutrition facts in the recipe.
- Accuracy will come from the information you input on the app.
Ingredients for this recipe
Lettuce: Shredded.
Tomato: Diced.
Mexican blend cheese: Shredded and reduced fat.
Ground Turkey: Cooked with a package of taco seasoning.
Tomatoes: With diced chilies (Rotel is great).
Refried beans: Fat free.
Sour cream: Fat free.
Tortilla chips: Optional.
How to make taco salad in a jar
Step 1: Cook ground turkey with one package taco seasoning. and cook as directed on package.
Step 4: Fill each jar with one cup of shredded lettuce.
Step 6: Top tomatoes with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese.
Step 8: Top ground beef with ¼ cup refried beans.
Step 2: Add one can tomatoes with diced chilies to the skillet, stir well. Set aside to allow to cool. Step 3: Heat refried beans according to package instructions. Set aside to cool.
Step 5: Top lettuce with tomatoes.
Step 7: Top cheese with ¼ cup ground beef mixture.
Step 9: Spoon one tablespoon sour cream on top of each jar. Garnish with 5 crushed tortilla chips (optional).
Expert Tips
This recipe will make about 4 salads. If you double the recipe you’ll have extras but I prefer to make 4 at a time. If you are making more than one type of salad you can always cut the recipe in half as well!
Storage suggestions
Keep the salad in the jar for up to 4 days until you’re ready to eat!
Common Questions
Yes! It’s a type of mason jar salad and a great choice for making meal prep salads. You can, however, put this taco salad in any kind of jar that you like! These plastic mason jars with lids are fabulous if you are taking your taco salad on the go or for kids who you don’t want to give glass jars to!
Of course it is a healthy taco salad option! With just a few healthy ingredients you can really enjoy these mason jar salads without any guilt. If you are really trying to be healthy you can alter the ingredients really easily…just don’t add in the things like cheese and tortilla chips if you want a more healthy taco salad recipe.
I don’t normally use a taco salad dressing. To me the salsa and maybe a little sour cream do a good job of adding “dressing” to this salad recipe but you can certainly use a taco salad dressing if you like. Ranch dressing would go really good with these taco salads or you can make a dressing with some salsa! Feel free to add some taco sauce to the recipe as well if you want a more “wet” salad that feels like it has dressing but is still sticking with the taco flavors.
This recipe will make about 4 salads. If you double the recipe you’ll have extras but I prefer to make 4 at a time. If you are making more than one type of salad you can always cut the recipe in half as well!
What to serve with taco salad
Serve your salad with Weight Watchers Black Bean Soup, Vegetarian Weight Watchers Chili, or Weight Watchers Black Bean Salad.
Taco Salad in a Jar
Ingredients
- 4 c Lettuce shredded
- 1 medium Tomato diced
- 8 Tbsp Mexican Blend Cheese shredded, reduced fat
- ½ lb 93/7 Ground Turkey cooked with package of taco seasoning
- 10 oz Tomatoes with diced chilies (Rotel is great)
- 1 c Refried Beans fat free
- 4 Tbsp Sour Cream fat free
- 20 Tortilla Chips optional
Instructions
- Cook ground turkey with one package taco seasoning. and cook as directed on package.
- Add one can tomatoes with diced chilies to the skillet, stir well.
- Set aside to allow to cool.
- Heat refried beans according to package instructions. Set aside to cool.
- Fill each jar with one cup of shredded lettuce.
- Top lettuce with tomatoes.
- Top tomatoes with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese.
- Top cheese with ¼ cup ground beef mixture.
- Top ground beef with ¼ cup refried beans.
- Spoon one tablespoon sour cream on top of each jar. Garnish with 5 crushed tortilla chips (optional).
Do all the wet ingredients on top make the lettuce soggy?
No. Iceberg lettuce is hearty and the cheese provides a barrier. I have never noticed soggy lettuce.
How do you keep the lettuce from getting…
In other words, would the lettuce be better off on top if I’m doing a meal prep for the week?
If you are meal prepping these jars, I would definitely put the lettuce on top. Thanks!
How do you heat it up? Or do you just eat the meat cold?
We just eat it cold. Thanks
Could I replace the retried beans with black beans? Will that change the points?
Black beans are zero points. Most fat-free refried beans are also zero points so it should remain the same. Thanks!
What size jar do you recommend?
We use a pint size jar. Thanks!
Guacamole salsa would be the perfect dressing! It’s 2pts per 2 TBSP.
Great idea! thanks!
@Keisha, I love guacamole salsa, but I’m a big wimp and to me, it’s pretty hot. For those wimps like me.
I like the mild sauces, too!
These look delicious. What size mason jar are you using?
Hi Sandie, We used a pint jar. Thanks.
I would think that you would need to reheat the taco meat.
It’s all personal preference. If you use good lean meat you can decide. We always eat them cold.
Would ground turkey work?
Certainly. Any ground meat you prefer will be just fine. Thank you!
@Brenda Deckard, I thought that, too. I was thinking if you set it out for a short time (about 30 minutes (?) and at room temp wouldn’t be bad. Not like cold 🥶.
I am adamant about rinsing the fat from my meat before seasoning. Once I mix the layers together(I usually dump on a plate) I don’t even notice the cold meat because it isn’t greasy. Sitting it our for 20 to 30 mins would work, too. Thanks
Great
Looks delicious