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    Home » Beef

    Low Carb Taco Salad Recipe

    Published: Mar 16, 2018 / Updated: Jul 1, 2020 / 19 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    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!

    close-up of low carb taco salad in a white bowl

    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 southwest beef taco salad with avocado in a bowl

    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.

    ground beef with southwest seasoning in a skillet

    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, my beef taco soup, or to browse my other low-carb recipes. Don't mind the carbs? Try my regular beef taco salad recipe.

    bowl of southwest taco salad beside small dressing bowl with a spoon and lime wedges

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

    Questions? Ask me in the comments below.

    This low-carb taco salad recipe is healthy, easy to make, and it's ready in less than 30 minutes. This beef taco salad is loaded with delicious southwest flavors! A clean eating recipe that's perfect for meal prep. 

    Low-Carb Taco Salad Recipe

    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! 
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Tex-Mex
    Servings 4
    Calories 415 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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 recipeCalories: 415kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 30gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 995mgPotassium: 863mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1749IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 170mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword Low-carb taco salad recipe
    Author Natasha Bull
    « Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup Recipe
    Instant Pot Irish Stew »

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    1. Julie Swartz says

      June 1, 2021 at 12:07 PM

      How would you prep this for a week with the salad and salad dressing?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 1, 2021 at 1:10 PM

        Hi! So, I would store the dressing in its own container. I'd store the meat in individual portioned containers (like enough for just one meal). The lettuce I'd probably wash and then store separately too (like in a ZipLoc with some paper towel or whatever works for you). You could probably cut up the veggies and store them together or in separate containers if you prefer. I would eat any leftovers within 5 days at the most, and I would microwave the meat before eating once you get past 3-4 days to be on the safe side (it's better warm anyway, in my opinion).

        Reply
    2. Kristin says

      April 25, 2021 at 1:44 AM

      5 stars
      Hi Natasha! My fiancé and I are trying to eat lower carbs, and tried this tonight, and it was insanely delicious!! We love spice so added a few chipotles, and this dressing is so yummy!! You’re right, you don’t miss the tortilla with so much flavor! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!! 💛💕

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 25, 2021 at 10:50 AM

        That's awesome!! I'm so happy you two enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Kim says

      July 1, 2020 at 5:35 AM

      Is this a keto friendly recipe??

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 1, 2020 at 8:45 AM

        Hi Kim! I just added the full nutrition info for you (I didn't have the option when I first published the post).

        Reply
    4. Jess says

      January 2, 2020 at 12:26 PM

      5 stars
      Yummy! The sauce and avocado and onion def make this!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 2, 2020 at 12:27 PM

        Excellent.. so happy it was a hit, Jess!

        Reply
      • Marianne says

        January 30, 2020 at 9:04 PM

        This recipe sounds so good! I'm looking for new meal prep ideas for my boys when they come home for lunch. They would love this!

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          January 30, 2020 at 9:56 PM

          Let me know what they think!

          Reply
    5. Travel Beauty Lifestyle says

      March 24, 2018 at 2:31 AM

      Yum. It is my favorite salad. Thanks for sharing

      Reply
    6. Matt Robinson says

      March 18, 2018 at 9:33 PM

      I grew up with 8 siblings, so my mom made us taco salad all the time. Absolutely love this version!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 19, 2018 at 8:12 AM

        8 siblings?! Wow! And thank you. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Jennifer Farley says

      March 18, 2018 at 9:17 AM

      My favorite kind of salad!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 18, 2018 at 9:50 AM

        Thanks, Jennifer! 😊

        Reply
    8. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      March 16, 2018 at 5:15 PM

      5 stars
      I think besides Caesar salads, taco salads are my favorite! This looks fabulous!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 16, 2018 at 7:12 PM

        Thank you!! Caesar is my favorite too. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Tieghan Gerard says

      March 16, 2018 at 1:47 PM

      I LOVE taco salads and this looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 16, 2018 at 1:48 PM

        Thanks so much! Enjoy your weekend!

        Reply

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