Keto Taco Bowl

Taco Bowl Ingredients

These ingredients make one nicely-sized taco bowl. If you’d like to make more, just double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients. It’s very flexible! This is just a brief overview – you’ll find the full quantities in the recipe card further down in the post.

• Lettuce: I like to use Romaine lettuce; it’s got a lovely color and robust texture. But you can use any greens you like! 
• Taco Meat: I use my cooked Instant Pot Ground Beef Taco Meat which so easy to make and store. But you can use your favorite recipe or seasoning packet (just be sure it’s gluten free if needed).
• Cherry Tomatoes: You can substitute grape, Roma, plum, or even chopped beefsteak tomatoes.
• Red Onion: Finely minced. You can omit this if raw onion isn’t your thing!
• Avocado: Half an avocado adds a creamy contrast and lots of healthy fat to this hearty bowl.
• Cheese: I like to use shredded cheddar, but pepper jack adds a spicy kick. And vegan cheese can be used.
• Sour Cream: Or go more authentic with Mexican crema. You can also skip it to make it dairy-free.
• Salsa: I’m always on the lookout for added sugar, and salsa is definitely a place where it crops up. For this recipe, you’ll need a tablespoon of no-sugar-added salsa if you want to keep it truly keto-friendly.
• Jalapeño: Feel free to omit this if it’s to much spice.
• Cilantro: This is optional, but it adds a fresh flavor that really wakes up the dish.
• Lime Wedges: To squeeze over the top of the salad. Yum!

How to Assemble Your Taco Salad

Assembling your taco bowl is as easy as falling off a log. You can basically do it any way you’d like! I generally line my bowl with lettuce so the toppings sit on top instead of getting lost underneath. Here’s a quick rundown, but you can find the full instructions in the recipe card.

• Start with Lettuce: Add the two cups of lettuce to the bottom of a shallow, generously-sized bowl.
• Add Meat, Veggies & Cheese: Arrange the taco meat, tomato, red onion, avocado and cheddar on top of the lettuce.

• Add Remaining Toppings: Dollop the sour cream and salsa on top. Garnish with the jalapeño slices and fresh cilantro. Give it a drizzle of salad dressing, if you like. I gave some suggestions above.
• Enjoy! Serve with the lime wedges, to squeeze on top.

More Taco Salad Topping Ideas and Variations

What else could you add to these delicious taco bowls? Tons of things! There are so many ways to customize this meal. Here are a few favorites to get you started!

• Add more veggies. Try black or green olives, sauteed peppers and onions, or diced cucumber.
• Swap the protein. You can use leftover grilled cilantro lime chicken or shredded Mexican chicken, some spicy steak strips or steak bites, some extra shrimp – whatever you have on hand or prefer!
• Make it vegetarian. Instead of meat, try spiced-up black beans, plant-based crumbles, or instant pot pinto beans.
• Use extra taco toppings. A drizzle of queso, a spoonful of pico de gallo, or a scoop of guacamole would be great. You can even add crumbled tortilla chips if you aren’t making it keto.

Storing and Reheating

Taco salads are great for meal prep! Here’s how you can enjoy your taco bowls all week long.

Refrigerate. Store each taco salad item separately, for the best results. Otherwise, the ingredients can affect each other and the lettuce will wilt. Try storing the lettuce in a large airtight container, with the other ingredients nestled alongside in smaller containers or zip-top bags! Everything will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Reheat. When it comes to heating up the taco meat, I do know some people who like to eat theirs cold. But I think it tastes better heated up, and it’s so easy to do in the microwave! Just heat for about 15 seconds at a time, and give it a little stir now and then, until hot all the way through. Another option is heating it on the stove. If you do, try adding just a teaspoon of water or so to help it heat up more evenly without scorching.