Low Carb Taco Salad Recipe (2024)

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This low carb taco salad recipe is healthy, easy to make, and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s loaded with delicious southwest flavors!

Low Carb Taco Salad Recipe (1)

This low-carb beef taco salad recipe really hit the spot for me. It’s been ages since I’ve had a taco salad with ground beef. And guess what? I didn’t even miss the tortilla chips. There’s plenty of flavor and crunch in here without it.

The taco salad dressing is simply sour cream, the adobo sauce that comes in a can of chipotle chilis, and some fresh lime juice. It tastes amazing with the other ingredients!

Low Carb Taco Salad Recipe (2)

What’s in taco salad?

This easy taco salad recipe includes:

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Extra lean ground beef
  • Tomatoes
  • Red onions
  • Cheese (you can use just cheddar but I used a Mexican shredded cheese blend that includes cheddar, Monterey Jack, and queso quesadilla cheeses)
  • Avocado
  • A homemade sour-cream based chipotle dressing
  • An easy homemade spice blend similar to taco seasoning that you can buy

I left out the tortilla chips – this saves carbs and calories.

I think you’ll love this smoky chipotle taco salad recipe. I love how fast it comes together, and we’ve only got healthy real-food ingredients in here. Definitely one of my favorite comfort foods.

Low Carb Taco Salad Recipe (3)

How do you make taco salad low-carb?

You don’t really have to make too many changes to make a taco salad low-carb. I omitted the tortilla chips that are sometimes included in taco salad recipes. I actually don’t miss them at all, and I find that the onions and lettuce give it enough crunch.

I also left out beans, which you sometimes see in taco salad recipes.

I used a few spices to make my own homemade taco seasoning for this salad, but if you’re in a rush or don’t have the individual spices, you can use taco seasoning instead.

You may also like my low-carb taco bowls, these low-carb taco zucchini boats, mybeef taco soup, or to browse my other low-carb recipes. Don’t mind the carbs? Try my regular beef taco salad recipe.

Low Carb Taco Salad Recipe (4)

Hope you love this low-carb ground beef taco salad recipe!

Questions? Ask me in the comments below.

Low Carb Taco Salad Recipe (5)

5 from 3 votes

Low-Carb Taco Salad Recipe

By Natasha Bull

This low-carb taco salad recipe is healthy, easy to make, and it's ready in less than 30 minutes. It's packed with delicious southwest flavors!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 medium red onion chopped
  • 1/2 cup Mexican shredded cheese blend
  • 1 avocado chopped
  • 1 cup little tomatoes (grape, cherry, etc.) halved
  • 1 small head romaine lettuce torn into bite-size pieces

Dressing:

  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil, beef, and spices to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, using a spoon to break the meat up into smaller pieces (and stir often), for around 7 minutes or until it's cooked through.

  • Meanwhile, prep your other salad ingredients and add them to a large salad bowl.

  • Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk them together.

  • Once the ground beef is cooked, sprinkle it over the salad. Add dressing and toss. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Adobo sauce is the sauce that's in those little cans of chipotle chilis with adobo sauce (find these in the Mexican aisle at the grocery store). The dressing was semi-spicy when I used 1 tbsp of the sauce. It gives the dressing a wonderful smoky flavor. Add more if you want it hotter. Chop up a pepper or two if you want it really spicy!
  • If you don't want to use the individual spices like I did, you can use pre-made taco seasoning if you prefer.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of recipe, Calories: 415kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 106mg, Sodium: 995mg, Potassium: 863mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1749IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 170mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

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Low Carb Taco Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients of taco salad? ›

Layer your lettuce in your bowl and season to taste with salt, then add on your first layer of ingredients (tomatoes, beans, and beef), toss to combine, then add cheese, pico de gallo, cilantro, and tortilla strips. Dollop with sour cream and any desired extra toppings, and get ready to serve.

How many carbs are in a taco salad without the shell? ›

Taco Bell Fiesta Beef Taco Salad, without shell (1 each) contains 41.5g total carbs, 35g net carbs, 19.9g fat, 24g protein, and 438 calories.

How many carbs are in a taco salad? ›

Taco salad, with beef, fried tortilla, cheese, lettuce, tomato, beans, avocado, olives (1 cup) contains 18.7g total carbs, 16g net carbs, 14.2g fat, 7.9g protein, and 232 calories.

What kind of salad dressing has no carbs? ›

Olive Oil and Vinegar

Most olive oil-and-vinegar dressings have zero net carbs, which is why they're recommended for followers of the keto diet.

What are the four 4 components of salad? ›

The basic parts of a salad are the base, the body, the garnish, and the dressing. The five basic types of salad are green salads (tossed or composed), bound, vegetable, fruit, and combination.

What are the 5 components of salad? ›

There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing. Let's talk about each one.

Can you eat taco shells on a low carb diet? ›

Corn is not a keto friendly food, and neither are corn taco shells. Per one taco shell, there are at least 12 grams of net carbs. What can I use instead of taco shells? If you don't want to make these cheese taco shells, you can make keto tortillas but make them smaller, like soft taco shells.

Is a taco salad good for you? ›

Eating a taco salad with beans and meat can help to support muscle growth and repair and may also help to keep bones strong. However, if you're watching your food intake – selecting lean meat (like chicken) may be the better option.

Is a taco salad without the shell healthy? ›

But if you leave out the tortilla chips or taco shell, use fat-free cheese, and swap in plain yogurt for the traditional sour cream, taco salad can become a healthy, filling, low-carb, and flavorful meal.

How many carbs are in taco salad with shell? ›

Amount/Serving%DV*Amount/Serving
Total Fat 28.5g44%Tot. Carb. 63.2g
Sat. Fat 13g65%Dietary Fiber 6.7g
Trans Fat 0.2gSugars 6.9g
Cholesterol 69.8mg23%Protein 28.6g
2 more rows

How many carbs are in taco salad with chips? ›

Nutrition Facts
Taco Salad Base & Chips
Total Carbohydrate37 g
Dietary Fiber4 g
Sugar2 g
13 more rows

Is ranch dressing OK for low carb diet? ›

Since most people following the diet are restricted to between 20 and 50 grams of net carbs per day, and the average ranch dressing is between 2 to 3 grams of net carbs per serving, it can be easily paired with a variety of healthy foods while on a ketogenic diet.

What carbs should I stay away from when trying to lose weight? ›

A low carb diet typically has you limit bread, sweets, and starchy vegetables. Certain types of fruit may also be high in carbs. Carbs are an important source of energy and one of the three main macronutrients in our diets, along with fat and protein.

What vegetables are high in carbs to avoid? ›

However, corn and root vegetables like potatoes, yams, and beets have a high starch content and are best avoided. Choose non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, squash, bell peppers, and asparagus to get your fill of fiber and other nutrients while still moderating your intake of carbs.

What is the main ingredient in tacos? ›

Traditional choices range from chicken, beef, slow-cooked pork, to white fish. Some adventurous souls even opt for beans, sweet potatoes, or lamb. Salsa: Salsa and sauces are the soul of your taco, tying all other ingredients together.

What is the main ingredient of a salad? ›

Pieces of vegetables, fruits, eggs, or grains mixed with a sauce. Garden salads use a base of leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula or rocket, kale or spinach; they are common enough that the word salad alone often refers specifically to garden salads.

What are the most popular taco ingredients? ›

The most common toppings that you will find for crispy tacos are shredded lettuce (romaine or iceberg lettuce), finely shredded cabbage, sliced or chopped tomatoes, and onions (white onion is more popular than red onion). This list can go on for ages, but I will only mention the most popular fried tacos. Shredded Beef.

What are the main ingredients of a salad make up its body? ›

The base includes lettuce, greens, etc. The body is usually a protein like chicken or ham. The dressing can be either a mayonnaise, catsup or vinaigrette.

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