• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Ditch The Carbs
  • Home
  • SHOP
  • Meal Plans
  • Recipes
  • How To Start
  • Guides
  • Videos
  • Kids
  • 4-Week QUICKSTART
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 🛒 SHOP
  • RECIPES
  • CHARTS
  • MEALS
  • FREEBIES
  • START HERE
  • 4-Week QUICKSTART
  • KETO CALCULATOR
  • KIDS
  • BUY ME A COFFEE ☕️
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 🛒 SHOP
    • RECIPES
    • CHARTS
    • MEALS
    • FREEBIES
    • START HERE
    • 4-Week QUICKSTART
    • KETO CALCULATOR
    • KIDS
    • BUY ME A COFFEE ☕️
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Low-Carb Keto Mexican Recipes

    EASY Keto Taco Salad (Cheese Tortilla Strips)

    Published: Jan 27, 2021· Modified: Oct 28, 2022· By Libby Jenkinson May contain affiliate links.

    354 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    5-INGREDIENTS COOKBOOK STARTER PACK JUMP TO RECIPE
    A variety of picture of low-carb taco salad that show the completed salad, cooking the taco meat, and completed keto tortilla strips.

    Enjoy a zesty, flavourful salad for lunch with this keto taco salad. Customize your taco salad to your taste or eat it fully loaded while still enjoying a filling low-carb option.

    Keep reading to learn how to quickly toss together an amazing taco salad. Plus, you definitely do not want to miss the recipe for the yummy keto tortilla strips. They add the perfect touch of crunch!

    keto taco salad collage and method

    This is another easy salad recipe following on from my keto Caesar salad (high-protein salad), cheeseburger salad, keto chicken salads (served 3 ways) and is the perfect side dish for chicken.

    Jump to:
    • Are Keto Taco Salads Healthy?
    • How To Make "Tortilla Strips"
    • How To Prepare Taco Salad Meat
    • Taco Salad Toppings
    • Taco Salad Dressing
    • More Keto Mexican recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Are Keto Taco Salads Healthy?

    Salads are not always the healthy option you may think it is. By the time you've added toppings and dressing to many salads they are full of sugars and carbohydrates.

    This is especially true with taco salads that are typically topped with beans, corn, and tortilla strips. However, switching out certain high-carb toppings and dressings with a healthier low-carb option is a great way to still enjoy a tasty taco salad.

    White bowl filled with Low-carb taco salad with lots of veggies on wooden table

    How To Make "Tortilla Strips"

    One of the best things about taco salad is the crunch tortilla strips. Instead of completely leaving out the tortilla strips we are replacing them with a low-carb option.

    Making the "tortilla strips" is the first step in making the taco salad to ensure that your "tortilla strips" are ready to use when the salad is done.

    mockups of devices showing low-carb lunches cookbook and a buy now button

    To make your tortilla strips sprinkle a glass baking pan with shredded cheese and bake the cheese in the oven for 10-12 minutes. The cheese will melt and crisp while it bakes making the cheese crispy.

    When the cheese is done baking remove it from the oven and when it is cool enough to touch cut the cheese into strips with a pair of scissors.

    When you are baking the cheese do not line or grease the bottom of the pan. The cheese will produce oil naturally as it bakes, but it will also stick to any lining you add to the pan.

    However, it will pop right out of a glass baking pan with no problem.

    Shredded cheese spread out in a glass baking pan getting ready to bake for low-carb taco salad.
    Cutting baked cheese with scissors into keto tortilla strips for low-carb taco salad.
    Finished keto tortilla strips in a pile in a glass baking pan ready to add to low-carb taco salad.

    How To Prepare Taco Salad Meat

    Earlier in the week, I browned ground beef in bulk to use throughout the week. If you are not sure how to brown ground beef or store it for use later on you can find directions in my ground beef meal prep.

    To make your taco meat combine the cooked ground beef, sugar-free tomato sauce, and spices in a skillet on the stove. Alternatively, use your own homemade keto taco seasoning mix.

    If you are browning the ground beef right before making the taco meat be sure the drain the grease from the ground before adding the seasoning.

    The taco meat will need to simmer on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes until the tomato sauce thickens.

    If you cannot find sugar-free tomato sauce you can substitute the tomato sauce with 2 tbsp. tomato paste mixed with ⅓ cup of water.

    Adding seasoning to cooked ground beef in a skillet.
    Pour tomato sauce over cooked and seasoned ground beef in a skillet.
    Taco meat for low-carb taco salad being cooked in a skillet. A spoon is scooping some of the cooked taco meat.

    Taco Salad Toppings

    Use the time it takes for your meat and tortilla strips to cool to chop your lettuce and toppings.

    I usually keep it simple and use chopped romaine lettuce for my salad. However, you can use any lettuce combination you want.

    The toppings listed in the recipe are low-carb toppings alternatives you can use to add lots of color to your salad.

    Feel free to leave out any toppings you do not like, or set the toppings up separately so that each person can add their own toppings.

    mockups of the low-carb starter pack cookbook

    How To Reduce Carbs Even Further?

    If you want to reduce the net carbs per for your salad even further you can leave out or reduce the number of bell peppers/capsicums and salsa.

    Setting the toppings up on the side makes it easy to portion control your toppings.

    Low-Carb Taco Salad and toppings in glass bowls on top of blue and white towel on wooden table

    Taco Salad Dressing

    We aren't adding a special dressing to this salad because it doesn't need it. A delicious simple salad dressing will do nicely.

    Once you have mixed up your salad the seasoning from the meat blends with the sour cream or salsa that you added to make your own tasty no-fuss dressing.

    However, if the texture of the sour cream is too thick for your tastes I recommend mixing the sour cream with a few spoonfuls of water to thin the sour cream.

    You'll get the same delicious flavor but the "dressing" will be thinner and easier to drizzle or pour without the fuss of making and chilling a dressing. This is of course a matter of preference.

    More Low-Carb Lunch Recipes...

    White bowl filled with low-carb taco salad and toppings

    How To Meal Prep Low-Carb Taco Salad

    This taco salad is also a great option for a lunch meal prep.

    To meal prep this salad for lunch throughout the week you will want to place the lettuce in a storage container with a damp paper towel over the top.

    Add the toppings to the side to be mixed in when you are ready to eat your salad.

    This keto taco salad is an excellent filling meal that you can quickly throw together for your family. It is especially easy on a warm day when you don't want to stand over the stove for a long period of time. You are going to love how simple this salad is to make!

    Low-Carb Taco Salad on wooden table besides limes, kitchen towel and black fork

    More Keto Mexican recipes

    • 1-ingredient crispy cheese taco shells (keto tacos)
    • Instant Pot chicken taco soup
    • Copycat keto taco bell with "refried beans"
    • Libby's KETO tortillas
    • Crack slaw (10 minute recpe)
    • Keto chicken burrito bowls
    • Steak fajitas (sheet pan fajitas)
    Copycat Low-Carb Taco Bell burrito rolled and wrapped in foil.
    Copycat Taco Bell burritos
    Cooked keto tortillas in a tortilla warmer with one folded in half.
    Libby's keto tortillas
    Crack slaw
    Burrito bowls with colourful vegetables and salad
    Keto chicken burrito bowls

    📖 Recipe

    A bowl of healthy low-carb taco salads

    Please rate this recipe.

    5 from 5 votes

    Low-Carb Taco Salad (with keto cheese tortilla strips)

    Quick and tasty taco salad for lunch or dinner.
    Servings: 4 people
    NET carbs: 7g
    Author: Libby Jenkinson
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes
    Category: Dinner
    Diet: Diabetic. Gluten Free
    Gluten Free. Grain free. Keto. LCHF. Low Carb. No Sugars. Wheat Free
    Review Recipe Print Pin Email

    Recipe Video

    Calculate ingredients

    Adjust servings: 4 people
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Cheesy "Tortilla Strips"

    • 1 cup shredded/grated cheese any shredded/grated cheese will work

    Taco Meat

    • 2 cups cooked ground/minced beef
    • ⅓ cup tomato sauce reduced sugar or 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon chilli powder
    • ½ tsp onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

    Salad and Toppings (all optional)

    • 4 cups romaine lettuce chopped
    • 1 cup red and yellow bell peppers/capsicum diced
    • ⅓ cup black olives sliced
    • ¼ red onion diced
    • 2 jalepenos sliced
    • ½ avocado sliced
    • bunch fresh cilantro torn or chopped
    • ⅓ cup salsa reduced sugar
    • ⅓ cup sour cream

    Equipment

    • Frying pan

    Instructions

    "Tortilla Strips"

    • Preheat your oven to 220 C/425 F. Spread the shredded cheese over an unlined baking pan. Bake the cheese for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned crisp. Let the cheese cool then cut it into tortilla strips with a knife or scissors.

    Taco Meat Sauce And Salad Prep

    • While the "tortilla strips" are baking, prepare your meat on the stove. Mix all the taco meat ingredients together in a skillet and let it simmer a few minutes until it is warm and the sauce has thickened.
    • Chop your lettuce and desired vegetables for your salad. When the meat and tortilla strips are done assemble the salad in a large bowl topped with salsa and sour cream. You can also serve your salad buffet style and let everyone add their own toppings to their salad.
    © Copyright Ditch The Carbs

    Notes

    NOTE: To reduce the carb values, simply reduce how much bell peppers/capsicums, reduced sugar tomato sauce and salsa are used.

    5-INGREDIENTS COOKBOOK

    .

    mockups of 5 Ingredients (Or Less) Low-Carb Cookbook on devices and printed cookbooks
    Nutrition Facts
    Low-Carb Taco Salad (with keto cheese tortilla strips)
    Serving Size
     
    1 serve (serves 4)
    Amount per Serving
    NET carbs
     
    7
    g
    Total Carbohydrates
     
    11.6
    g
    4
    %
    Fiber
     
    4.6
    g
    19
    %
    Sugar
     
    3.8
    g
    4
    %
    Protein
     
    30.8
    g
    62
    %
    Fat
     
    35.9
    g
    55
    %
    Sodium
     
    1006.1
    mg
    44
    %
    Potassium
     
    870
    mg
    25
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    5067.7
    IU
    101
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    83.4
    mg
    101
    %
    Calcium
     
    279.3
    mg
    28
    %
    Iron
     
    3.9
    mg
    22
    %
    % Daily Value*
    -
    Calories
    486.6
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    YOUR HOLIDAY PANTRY & GIFT GUIDES

    .

    images and mockups for Amazon seasonal holiday shop

    Approximate nutrition information is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. For the most accurate nutritional data, use the actual ingredients and brands you used in your preferred nutrition calculator.

    mockups of devices showing low-carb lunches cookbook and a buy now button

    Looking for more amazing low-carb family-friendly recipes? Give these a try!

    • Low-Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
    • Low-Carb Ground Beef Meal Prep
    • Low-Carb Chicken Nuggets
    • Low-Carb Meatloaf Cupcakes
    low-carb ground beef recipes -Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
    featured image for low-carb ground beef meal prep collage
    GENIUS! Low-Carb Chicken Nuggets
    low-carb ground beef recipes - low-carb meatloaf cupcakes

    More ... The Best Low-Carb Keto Mexican recipes

    • 3-Ingredient Keto Tortilla Chips Recipe (Air Fryer or Baked)
    • The Best Cheesy Keto Taco Casserole (Without Taco Shells)
    • Easy Homemade Keto Taco Seasoning (Gluten-Free)
    • Easy Zucchini Taco Boats Recipe (Keto Friendly)
    354 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    mockups of low-carb meal plans and templates
    Libby Jenkinson in her garden

    I'm Libby Jenkinson MPS. A registered pharmacist, Health Coach, Cert.Adv Nutrition, mother of 3 and founder of Ditch The Carbs and Low-Carb Practitioners.

    Learn more about me →

    low-carb and keto cookbooks

    Recent Posts

    • 3-Ingredient Keto Tortilla Chips Recipe (Air Fryer or Baked)
    • The Best Keto Coffee Creamer Recipe (5 flavors)
    • Easy Low-Carb Keto Oatmeal Recipe (5-Ingredients)
    • Quick Cheesy Keto Chicken Casserole (Pork Rind Crust)
    • The Best Keto Cheesecake Recipe (4 Topping Flavors)

    Reader Interactions

    Please leave a COMMENT. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    mockup of low-carb keto cookbooks
    Libby Jenkinson in her garden

    I'm Libby Jenkinson, MPS. A registered pharmacist, Health Coach, Cert.Adv Nutrition, mother of 3 and founder of Ditch The Carbs and Low-Carb Practitioners. READ MORE→

    • Low-Carb And Keto For Beginners (Start Here)
    • The Best Low-Carb Keto Recipes
    • Low-Carb Keto Shop - Cookbooks, Sweeteners, Meal Plans, Coaching
    • Low-Carb Keto Cookbooks

    ☕️ BUY ME A COFFEE ☕️

    Footer

    ^ BACK TO TOP ^

    mockups of cookbooks
    mockups of featured websites

    Start Here

    • New Here
    • Sweetener Guide
    • Flours Guide
    • Recipe Index
    • Macro Calculator

    Connect

    • FREE Meal Plan
    • 50 Keto Snacks
    • Find a Dr
    • About
    • Affiliates

    ☕️ Buy me a coffee ☕️

    Services

    • 4-week QUICKSTART
    • Get Cookbooks
    • Get Meal Plans
    • Starter Pack

    I am a participant in Amazon Services, LLC. Associates Program. I earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.
    Privacy Policy - T&C
    Copyright © 2023 Ditch The Carbs

    keto diet app logo
    • 126