Taco Salad Jars with Green Chile Yogurt Dressing

Salad jars and I go way, way back. One of my recipe development clients requested a salad-in-a-jar a few years back, and then a Greek layer dip in a jar.

And somewhere along the way, jars like my Asian noodle salad became some of my most popular recipes, so people browsing Pinterest and search engines for recipe ideas must be liking them, too!

Sure, they’re portable (not to mention adorable). But my favorite thing about mason jars is how fresh they keep all of the ingredients. I prepped these Taco Salad Jars with Green Chile Yogurt Dressing, stored them in the fridge, and ate them for the next 3 days in a row.

And the tortilla chips that make up the top layer? They somehow stayed just as crunchy on day 3 as they were on day 1.

Speaking of those tortilla chips – these have a special story behind them. Garden of Eatin’ recently debuted these new “farm-to-snack” Tuscola County Blue Corn Chips, produced by dedicated farmers in Tuscola County, Michigan.

This county is one of the most diverse and important agricultural areas in the country, and is about 2 hours north of where I am just outside of Detroit. These chips are made with organic, non-GMO ingredients, whole corn kernels and do not contain any artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

These jars have all the usual suspects of a great taco salad – seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and crunchy tortilla chips – along with a fresh homemade corn salsa and a simple creamy yogurt and green chile dressing.

These would be perfect to take to a tailgate this fall, or to pack and eat as lunches through the week!

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Taco Salad Jars with Green Chile Yogurt Dressing

Yield: 3 quart-sized jars*

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

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Ingredients

For the Taco Salad Jars:

• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 large head Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 cups Garden of Eatin' Tuscola County Blue Corn Chips, lightly crushed

For the Corn Salsa:

• 2 cups fresh corn kernels, steamed and cooled (from about 5 ears)
• 1 jalapeño pepper (seeds removed), minced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Green Chile Yogurt Dressing:

• 1 container (7 ounces) Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons diced green chiles, drained
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Dash hot sauce (I used sriracha)

Instructions

1. In medium skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through. Drain excess fat; stir in taco seasoning. Transfer to bowl and let cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, make Corn Salsa: In medium bowl, toss corn, jalapeño, cilantro, onion, lime juice, salt and pepper until well combined.
3. Make Green Chile Yogurt Dressing: In small bowl, stir together yogurt, chiles, lime juice, cumin and hot sauce.
4. Make the Taco Salad Jars: Divide Green Chile Yogurt Dressing equally among 3 wide-mouth quart mason jars. Divide ground beef over dressing. Layer Corn Salsa, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce and chips over beef. Top with lids and refrigerate up to 3 days. To serve, pour onto plate or bowl, stir and enjoy.

Notes

*This recipe makes 3 quart-sized salads, which I would consider a "dinner-sized" salad, or a lunch for a big appetite. You could also divide the ingredients between 5-6 wide-mouth pint mason jars for a smaller serving.

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Disclosure: This was a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Garden of Eatin’. Sponsored posts help me pay for the costs associated with this blog (groceries…lots of groceries), and help support me as I pursue a career in recipe development and food photography. All opinions are 100% my own.