This healthy taco salad is packed full of protein, has only 4 grams of net carbs, and serves perfectly as a lunch, dinner, or zesty snack. It’s a super versatile meal and, the best part, it’s ready in only 10 minutes!
Taco Bell might be more or less out of the picture for us on keto. As much as I might sometimes reminisce about the meaty, cheesy goodness that comes with a late night taco drive thru, I know that I can make a much healthier (and yummier) recipe at home!
Eating keto doesn’t mean we have to give up our favorite foods! You see, the trick to making the keto lifestyle work for you is by finding ways to satisfy that junk food craving with just as tasty alternatives.
Fast food restaurants have some low carb options, but you never really know what additives are in them (and you probably don’t want to know, either). So when it comes to making a delicious, clean, and guilt-free meal you’ll never get tired of, you really can’t do much better than this healthy taco salad!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- We love this one because it is so versatile, you can serve it as a main dish, you can serve it as a side, you can make it as meal prep and pack it to take to work for lunch.
- It is healthy and so so good, so this is always a big plus for me. I am always looking for ways to make healthy food taste delicious for the whole family and this one is it.
- Easy to make in 10 minutes or less
- It’s so packed full of flavor, you’ll forget you’re eating a salad.
- Almost no carbs makes this one a real winner.
What Should I Serve with This Healthy Taco Salad?
One of the great things about this taco salad recipe is that you can have serve it as the main course of a meal, or as a hearty side dish. I love to eat this taco salad as is, but if you’re thinking of bulking it out, serve it with some of my keto tortillas on the side, or crumble a handful of keto tortilla chips on top to add a bit of crunch!
Is This Taco Salad Keto Friendly?
Absolutely! Ground beef is a great keto option that’s low in carbs and high in protein. Avocado is one of the best fruits you can eat on a ketogenic diet too, as it’s high in fats and low in carbs. The cheddar cheese has a high fat content, where cheeses like cottage cheese are low in fat, so use a high fat cheese as much as possible. This healthy taco salad has all of the flavor and protein you’ll need to be fully satisfied.
Ingredients
- 3 cups crispy lettuce, chopped
- 0.55 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp taco spice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1 avocado
- 2 tbsp tomato salsa
- ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsp red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ lime, juiced
How to Make Healthy Taco Salad
1. Fry the ground beef on a medium to high heat in a large skillet with the olive oil and the taco spice until browned, about 5 minutes. Then set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, layer the lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
3. Add on the ground beef.
4. Slice the avocado and spread the slices around the salad.
5. Drizzle on the salsa and sprinkle on the cheese.
6. Then, top with a sprinkle of cilantro, the red onion slices, and squeeze on the lime. Serve and enjoy this delicious salad.
Variations of This Healthy Taco Salad
- You can easily substitute the ground beef for another meat you prefer like ground turkey or chicken, even ground chorizo is amazing.
- You can make it vegetarian very easily too by taking out the meat for your favorite meat alternative, like tofu, tempeh, or seitan, or incorporate some beans instead. Just make sure the beans you use are low carb options, like edamame, lupini beans, or black soybeans.
- If you aren’t a fan of avocado you can use sour cream instead. It’s really lovely to add some creaminess to the salad.
FAQs
You can use parsley or basil instead, it doesn’t taste the same, but it does give a nice herby flavor that’s super tasty.
Yes, I would say 1 day ahead of time is great, but anything longer than that and the tomatoes and lettuce might start to taste a little less fresh in the fridge.
Definitely, just finely dice some tomato, red onion, cilantro and mix together with lime juice and a pinch of salt.
This is something I love to do, it makes this dish even quicker for a week night meal.
How to Store Healthy Taco Salad
Simply seal it in a container and keep it in the fridge for no more than a couple of days. If you’re worried about your avocado browning, just squeeze a little bit of lime juice over it! I would recommend though, that if you want to keep your salad as fresh as possible, mix your ingredients serving by serving so you’re able to store your ingredients separately afterward.
Healthy Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups crispy lettuce chopped
- 0.55 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp taco spice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- 1 avocado
- 2 tbsp tomato salsa
- ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsp Red onion thinly sliced
- ½ lime juiced
Instructions
- Fry the ground beef on a medium to high heat in a large skillet with the olive oil and the taco spice until browned, about 5 minutes. Then set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, layer the lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
- Add on the ground beef.
- Slice the avocado and spread the sliced around the salad.
- Drizzle on the salsa and sprinkle on the cheese.
- Then top with a sprinkle of cilantro, the red onion slices, and squeeze on the lime. Serve and enjoy this delicious salad.
Notes
Nutrition
Tham
Thursday 27th of April 2023
Good chop, Thanks!
Ketoinpearls
Wednesday 3rd of May 2023
Anytime!
Tham
Thursday 27th of April 2023
Good