Keto Taco Salad Casserole Recipe
Turn your love for tacos into a wholesome meal with our flavorful Keto Taco Salad Casserole. Low-carb, high on taste! This unique taco salad recipe is a wonderful make-ahead-of-time recipe for a crowd. It doesn’t get easier than this. Just a few simple steps and dinner is served.
One of our favorite traditions is Taco Tuesday, where the whole family gathers together to enjoy delicious tacos or other Mexican food.
Everyone has their favorite taco toppings, from fresh salsa to creamy guacamole and crispy lettuce.
However, with our busy weeknights, it can be challenging to prepare individual tacos for everyone at dinner time. That’s why we love making a low carb taco casserole recipe that satisfies the entire family.
This keto taco bake is not only easy to make but also packed with Mexican flavors and all the classic taco ingredients. It is one of our favorite casserole recipes.
This keto taco salad casserole recipe is the perfect meal for our busy schedule while still enjoying a fun and tasty taco night together.
For another easy keto taco casserole recipe, try my baked Keto Taco Casserole and this Keto Taco Pie next!
Ingredients
Ground Beef – You can also substitute in ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or even ground venison. Any ground meat your family enjoys can work with this recipe.
Green Pepper – We like to use green bell peppers because they are lower in net carbs than red bell peppers, orange bell peppers, or yellow peppers but any mild flavored pepper will work for this.
Jalapeno Pepper – Make sure to remove the seeds to cut down on the heat. Most of the heat from jalapenos is in the seeds.
Coconut Oil – Any mild flavored oil will work such as extra virgin olive oil, light olive oil, or avocado oil.
Fresh Garlic – I love using chopped garlic cloves to maximize the garlic flavor but garlic powder can work in a pinch.
Onion Powder – Onion powder gives a subtle onion flavor. Sub in fresh chopped yellow onion if you prefer and saute it along with the peppers.
Ground Cumin – Cumin is a must in any homemade taco seasoning recipe because it has such great Mexican flavor.
Salsa – Once the meat mixture is cooked you mix in the salsa to help it stay moist and add extra flavor.
Toppings – You can use anything you like. We like to add cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack and then some crushed keto tortilla chips. I love adding some diced red peppers, yellow bell pepper, and green onions for a burst of fresh flavor. More favorite toppings in my house include black olives, canned green chiles, and a dash of red pepper flakes for some heat. And instead of regular rice, I opt for cooked cauliflower rice as a side to keep it keto-friendly.
How to Make this Keto Taco Salad Casserole Recipe
Step One: Cook the taco meat in a large skillet along with the peppers and seasonings.
Step Two: Mix the salsa into the ground beef mixture.
Step Three: Transfer to a large casserole dish. Add the cheese immediately so it melts.
Expert Tip: Pop under the broil for a couple of minutes at this point to toast the cheese.
Step Four: Add all of your favorite keto diet toppings and serve.
Variations
Taco Salad Dressing – If you feel like it needs additional dressing a low carb ranch dressing, keto avocado lime dressing, or low carb taco sauce is another great option.
Toppings – Guacamole and Low Carb Salsa are always our top choices. I love some extra salsa on top with extra guac (try my 4 Ingredient Guacamole Recipe) and sour cream. That is my personal favorite.
Creamy – Mix in cream cheese to the meat mixture before adding it to the casserole dish.
Common Questions
Can I make substitutions or adjustments to the ingredients?
Absolutely! Feel free to customize the recipe based on your preferences and dietary restrictions. However, keep in mind that certain ingredient swaps might affect the overall taste and texture of the dish.
What can I serve as side dishes with this taco salad casserole?
Some popular options include cauliflower rice, guacamole, sour cream, or a side salad. These additions complement the flavors of the casserole nicely.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
Yes, you can easily make this recipe dairy-free by or omitting the cheese.
Is this taco salad casserole gluten-free?
Yes, it is gluten-free as listed.
Why make taco salad in a casserole dish?
It is quick and easy. Perfect to take to events and potlucks or a simple way to feed a family.
Can I eat this cold?
My husband eats this cold all the time, but I personally just can’t stand cold taco salad.
One thing is for sure, however, you decide to build it or eat it hot or cold, the flavors are there and they are delicious!
Can I meal prep taco salad?
Absolutely. It is absolutely perfect for meal-prep weeks or when entertaining a crowd and for serving. It allows you to quickly reheat in the oven again to get that cheese gooey again.
This meal prep taco salad casserole is so easy to make and it has not failed me yet. I’ve been making it for a long time with different topping combinations. It will become one of your new favorite meal prep recipes.
How do I serve leftovers?
Just reheat individual servings in the microwave or reheat the whole thing in the oven.
We ended up making a batch of our favorite low-carb cheese chips and pilled our taco salad casserole onto that to make nachos!
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Keto Taco Salad Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeded, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 cup low carb salsa
- 1 cup cheddar shredded
- 1 large avocado chopped, optional
- 1 large tomato chopped, optional
- 1/2 cup sour cream optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat add coconut oil, ground beef, green pepper, jalapeno, garlic, onion powder, ground cumin. Stir frequently until cooked.
- Stir in salsa and pour meat into a casserole dish. Top with cheese while it’s still hot.
- Top with your favorite low carb toppings such as the optional ingredients above. Serve by itself or over chopped lettuce.
Notes
Nutrition
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Originally Published August 6, 2018, as a guest post from Lindsay at That’s Low Carb. Revised and Republished August 28, 2023.
I love this recipe! Being non-meat eating, we get great ground meat substitutes and they work super!
Thanks again!
Love all your taco recipes! I actually added 4 oz of cream cheese to the meat because I love how it holds it together plus adding a little creaminess to it! Delicious!
Trying this recipe tomorrow.
Nice recipe! Very filling and good. As a note, I find no issues with your fonts.
Love everything you post, but the font is very difficult to read. Sorry, but I would enjoy something less decorative.
Thanks for that constructive criticism, Linda. Do you mean the basic font within my posts or when it is bold or italicized?