Last updated on March 27th, 2020
This keto taco salad made with ground beef makes a perfect weeknight meal or lunch for on the go. You can omit the shredded cheese if you’d like to make it dairy free, and the dressing is a delicious mixture of yogurt and blender salsa. It is low carb, nut free, and keto!
Why is this taco salad awesome?
I’m going to go ahead and attest that the best part of this salad is the tangy and punch-packing dressing. It’s a blend of your favorite, creamy and thick yogurt with blender salsa.
The blender salsa is adapted from my friend Jeanette. She makes truly incredible authentic Mexican recipes all of the time, and she is the one who showed me I could make a show-stopping salsa without dicing and roasting my ingredients.
- The salad can fill you up no problem. If you’d like more sustenance, you can serve it with cauliflower rice as well.
- It’s highly customizable: if you aren’t into some of the main salad ingredients, swap them out!
- You’ll have a bit of leftover salsa which will make a perfect dip or a wonderful topping for your morning eggs.
- It is completely gluten free, low carb, and keto. It can also be made dairy free and paleo if you omit the cheese and use dairy free yogurt!
What ingredients do you need?
For the salad, you’ll need:
- Ground beef
- Romaine lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes
- Shredded cheese
- Cilantro
- Green onions
- Avocado
The dressing comes together by mixing either Greek yogurt or a creamy, dairy free yogurt with the blender salsa.
In order to make the blender salsa, you’ll need:
- Roma tomatoes
- White onion
- Cilantro
- Jalapeños
- Garlic
- Oregano
- Salt
- Pepper
- Avocado oil
How to make keto taco salad with ground beef
Prep salsa: In the pitcher of a high-speed blender pitcher, combine the blend tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, and jalapenos. Blend together on high speed until smooth throughout.
Cook salsa: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add warm the oil and turn the heat to medium. Carefully pour the blender contents into the saucepan, while stirring. Add the salt, oregano, and black pepper seasonings.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes. It will become darker as the vegetables cook.
Taste for additional salt or pepper. Transfer to an airtight container once it has cooled down and set aside. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
In a small bowl, combine all of the spices together and set aside. Heat up a large sauté pan over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add oil and let that heat for another minute.
Add ground beef to the pan along with the spices. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until cooked throughout and there is no longer any pink showing .
Make dressing: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together equal parts salsa and yogurt and set aside.
Toss salad: In a large bowl, toss together the romaine, tomatoes, and cheese; alternatively, assemble on a platter. Top with the cooked chicken and drizzle with the salsa sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the avocados, scallions, and cilantro before serving.
🙂
Seriously though, this blender salsa is going to quickly become your new go-to. I like to whip it up whenever we have guests and serve it with corn chips or grain free tortilla chips.
Everyone asks me where I bought it. That’s my favorite part!
More keto recipes you’ll love:
Keto Taco Salad with Ground Beef
Ingredients
Blender Salsa
- 6 Roma tomatoes quartered
- 1/2 medium white onion quartered
- large handful of cilantro
- 2 jalapeños cut in half, see notes
- 4-6 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Ground Beef
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or ghee
- 1 1/2 pounds grass-fed ground beef see notes
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
Salad
- 3 Romaine hearts chopped
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or dairy free yogurt see notes
- 1/2 cup blender salsa see notes
- 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 2 medium avocados sliced or cubed
- handful of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep salsa: In the pitcher of a high-speed blender pitcher, combine the blend tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeños. Blend together on high speed until smooth throughout.
- Cook salsa: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add warm the oil and turn the heat to medium. Carefully pour the blender contents into the saucepan, while stirring. Add the salt, oregano, and black pepper seasonings.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes. It will become darker as the vegetables cook.
- Taste for additional salt or pepper. Transfer to an airtight container once it has cooled down and set aside. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- In a small bowl, combine all of the spices together and set aside. Heat up a large sauté pan over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add oil and let that heat for another minute.
- Add ground beef to the pan along with the spices. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, adding lime juice halfway through, until it is cooked throughout and there is no longer any pink showing .
- Make dressing: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together equal parts salsa and yogurt and set aside.
- Toss salad: In a large bowl, toss together the romaine, tomatoes, and cheese; alternatively, assemble on a platter. Top with the cooked chicken and drizzle with the salsa sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the avocados, scallions, and cilantro before serving.
Notes
- If you are sensitive to spice, I'd recommend de-seeding 1 or both jalapeños!
- You can alternatively use ground chicken, pork or turkey.
- Depending on how dressed you like your salad, you may need more of the salsa/yogurt combination. Start with 1/2 cup of each mixed together and add more from there.
Nutrition
Hi! I’m Monica – recipe developer, matcha addict and lover of all things chocolate, kombucha and any & all puns. I am also the blogger, real food lover, & bonafide hustler behind the blog ‘The Movement Menu.’ I’m so excited to welcome you to my happy space, where my appreciation of creative recipes and healthy & mindful eats come together to inspire you to live a healthy, balanced life.
Really loved the blender salsa especially — highly recommend adding the seeds for a kick! It’s not overly spice and the yogurt cools anything TOO spicy down.
DELISH – a must in our meal prep routine!
Wahoo!! this makes me so happy… and yes, that salsa is FIRE.