Winner, winner, taco salad! Good taste and light enough for a supper low in carbohydrates. Yet the true beauty? Good for preparing supper as well!
Out of my tried-and-true turkey taco recipe evolved this easy salad. Make it in about thirty minutes using ground turkey, chicken or lean beef.
Arguments for the greatness of this taco salad:
- Meal Prep Champ: Quickly grabbed and eaten for lunch any day of the week.
- Powerhouse of Protein: This salad fills you up after a big dinner.
- Very good fresh off the griddle or cold for a meal.
- Gluten-free, low carb, keto-approved. You intend to follow the Whole30, then? Give up the cheese and use some creamy avocado in its place.
Interesting Variations
- Black or pinto beans will increase the protein.
- Cover with some broken tortilla chips for an amazing tactile contrast.
- Great dairy-free cheese alternative is avocado.
- Choose the protein that most appeals to you—ground chicken, lean ground beef, or ground turkey.
Meal Planning Help
Lunchtime packing of this salad calls for special attention to separating the greens from the other components. Turkey reheated this way won’t wilt the lettuce. For a week’s worth of grab-and-go lunches, just chill everything in various containers!
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Taco Salad Recipe
This taco salad is a winner! It’s light and flavorful, making it perfect for a low-carb dinner. But the real beauty? It’s fantastic for meal prep too!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meat:
- 1 lb ground turkey (or lean ground beef/chicken)
- 1 tsp each: garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, chili powder, paprika, oregano
- ½ small onion, minced
- 2 tbsp bell pepper, minced
- ½ cup water
- ½ can (4 oz) tomato sauce
For the Salad:
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Optional toppings: Greek yogurt/sour cream, guacamole
Dressing:
- ½ cup jarred mild salsa
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ lime
Instructions
- Cook the Meat: Brown the turkey in a large skillet, breaking it up. Add seasonings (garlic powder, cumin, salt, chili powder, paprika, oregano), onion, pepper, water, and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Divide meat into 4 meal prep containers.
- Make the Dressing: While the meat simmers, combine salsa, olive oil, and lime juice in a separate bowl. Divide dressing into 4 small containers. For Immediate Serving:
- Divide lettuce into 4 bowls. Top with meat, pico de gallo, cheese, and dressing. Enjoy! For Meal Prep:
- Divide lettuce into 4 ziplock bags. Store pico de gallo, cheese, and optional yogurt/sour cream in separate containers. Refrigerate. To Serve Later:
- Take out lettuce, meat (heat in a pan), pico de gallo, cheese, and dressing. Assemble salad with lettuce, meat, toppings, and dressing.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 313 kcal
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 917.5 mg
- Fat: 17.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28.5 g
- Cholesterol: 92.5 mg
