Taco Salad with Cumin Dressing

Taco salad doesn’t have to mean a fried tortilla bowl drowning in ground beef and sour cream.

This version goes lighter with chopped cooked turkey warmed in a skillet with whole cumin seeds, piled over crisp romaine lettuce with ripe tomatoes and shredded cheddar.

The real star is the homemade cumin dressing: red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dry mustard, garlic powder, and ground cumin whisked with oil into a bright, earthy vinaigrette that pulls everything together.

And those Parmesan-dusted tortilla chips toasted in the oven? They add a salty crunch that puts bagged chips to shame.

Variations

• Chicken swap. Leftover rotisserie chicken works just as well as turkey and saves even more time.
• Black bean boost. Add a can of rinsed black beans for extra protein and fiber.
• Spicy upgrade. Toss a diced jalapeno into the dressing or sprinkle cayenne over the turkey while it heats.

Kitchen Tips

• Toast the tortillas until crisp. Ten minutes in a hot oven transforms soft tortillas into sturdy, crunchy chips. Hit them with Parmesan while still hot so it sticks.
• Whole cumin seeds in the skillet. Toasting them with the turkey releases their nutty, warm aroma in a way ground cumin can’t match.
• Dress right before serving. The vinaigrette is thin and bright, so add it at the last minute to keep the romaine from wilting.