Do you love tacos? Are you a regular when your local Mexican restaurant has their “Taco Tuesday” menu special? Do you frequent your local “Taco Truck” often. They are very popular in the Southwest. Are you often found with a taco in one hand and a margarita in the other? Carbs and more carbs! We have the answer to avoid saying yes to all of those questions – Low Carb Taco Salad!
Taco salad is basically like a taco in a bowl. Many of the “chain” or “fast food” Mexican restaurants serve their taco salad in a “carb bowl.” It is edible, crispy and doughy, but contains 50 carbs per serving and over 450 calories. Our recipe eliminates the edible bowl, the crunchy corn tortilla, and the soft flour tortilla. A Glass Salad Bowl works just fine and offers your favorite Mexican flavors without the carbs. No need for an oven or deep fryer. The only cooking involved in this delicious salad is one pan to brown the protein. We used ground beef – our usual 80-20 blend.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
One tip we can offer is to keep the carbs even lower by making your own taco seasoning. Even the top commercial brand in the packet has 4 grams of carbohydrates in just two teaspoons. It contains fillers and preservatives and even added sugar. Our recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning so by making your own you cut out 12 grams of unecessary carbohydrates – plus over 1,140 grams of sodium. Making your own taco seasoning is simple and it can be used for more than just taco salad. It is a wonderful “dry rub” for chicken, pork, or beef and as a coating for your favorite kabobs. You can even add it to your favorite homemade ranch dressing to make a delicious dip for vegetables.
Homemade taco seasoning also tastes much better and the best part is you can adjust the ingredients to your taste. It may not keep in your pantry for years like the leading commercial brand so simply make a smaller amount and enjoy a better alternative! Our recipe is below – it consists of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, sea salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Key Ingredients
It is hard to label a key ingredient in our taco salad. The seasoned beef certainly dominates the salad, but we love the crunch of the red onions, the juicy grape tomatoes, the creamy cheddar cheese and delicious avocado chunks. You can add black olives if you like and top with salsa or sour cream. Some recipes use guacamole instead of the fresh avocados – your choice. Cilantro is a nice touch on top for a garnish.
We like to top our salad with Mexican cream but if it is not readily available you can substitute sour cream. The coolness will balance the seasoned beef and satisfy your cravings on “Taco Tuesday” or any night.
We used a simple green leafy lettuce for our taco salad. You can use a spring mix or romaine if you prefer. The nice thing about an easy taco salad is that it can be blended to your taste.
Another tip would be to make sure you drain any excess grease from your taco meat blend. The salad ingredients will stay firm and you will taste the seasonings more.
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Low Carb Taco Salad – Easy, Fresh, and Light – Homemade Taco Seasoning!
The next time you have a “taco craving” try our easy and tasty taco salad. The carbs are so low that our low-carb margarita is perfect – it has virtually no carbs! Our taco salad will come together quickly and you will likely have leftovers for tomorrow. Enjoy this Tasty Low Carb taco salad tonight!
Low Carb Taco Salad
Ingredients
Taco Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Chili powder
- 2 Teaspoons Ground cumin
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic powder
- ½ Teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ Teaspoon Dried oregano
- ¼ Teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Sea salt
- ½ Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Taco Salad
- 16 Ounces Ground Beef (80-20 Blend)
- 1 Head Green leaf lettuce (chopped)
- 2 Tablespoons Taco seasoning (recipe above)
- 8 Ounces Grape tomatoes (halved)
- 8 Ounces Cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 Medium Avocado (cubed)
- 8 Ounces Red onion (chopped)
- ⅓ Cup Mexican cream
- 2 Tablespoons Cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
Taco Seasoning
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a canning jar, make sure the lid is tight and shake until well combined.
Taco Salad
- Add the ground beef to a skillet on medium-high. Stir fry and separate the beef using a wooden spatula for about 10 minutes, until browned.
- Drain the beef of any excess grease and then stir in 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning and combine well. About 5 minutes.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Add the ground beef mixture and top with Mexican cream and cilantro.
EQUIPMENT
Chef’s Notes
Nutrition
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Our Low Carb Taco Salad was mentioned in this post on Keto Lunches – check it out!