Take everything you love about taco salad and transform it into a high-protein, low-carb chili salad. Made with ground beef, this easy recipe is ready in about 30 minutes and keeps well for meal prep.
Chili Salad
This southwest-style chili salad is made without beans, which makes it lighter on the stomach while still full of flavor. You can think of it as a healthy taco salad or a southwest ground beef salad.
If you prefer a more chili-forward flavor, swap taco seasoning for chili powder. In this version, taco seasoning was used, but tomato paste was added to thicken and deepen the flavor of the beef.
Ground Beef Salad
Ground meat is quick and reliable to cook—when it’s no longer pink, it’s done. This salad works well with ground beef, but you can substitute ground chicken, turkey, or pork. Keep in mind leaner meats tend to be milder, so you may want to boost spices, add cayenne, or toss in diced bell peppers or sliced jalapeños for extra flavor.
Keto Salad With Beef
Every ingredient in this salad is flexible—use what you have or customize it to your taste. Any lettuce works; the recipe uses green leaf, but romaine, iceberg, or mixed greens are excellent options.
For cheese, a fiesta blend was used, but pepper jack, sharp cheddar, or shredded American cheese work well. For crunch, crushed nacho-style chips were used; you can substitute crushed pork rinds or omit the crunchy topping to reduce carbs further. Tomatoes are optional—leaving them out lowers net carbs even more.
What To Serve With This Salad
Pair this keto chili salad with other low-carb dishes for a satisfying meal. A hot bowl of keto white chicken chili contrasts nicely, or serve Mexican-style cauliflower or cauliflower rice for a cohesive southwest spread. Add guacamole and you’ll have a hearty, flavorful meal.
Salad Meal Prep
To keep the salad fresh, store components separately: keep the chili in one container, toppings in another, and lettuce in a third. When you’re ready to eat, assemble the salad. If storing in a jar, place wet ingredients (the chili) on the bottom and crispy greens on top; consume within two days for best texture.
Low-Carb Ground Beef Chili Salad Recipe
Below is the recipe overview and ingredient list. Exact measurements and printable instructions are provided in the recipe card.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Net Carbs: 6 net carbs per serving
Ingredients
- 8 cups chopped green leaf lettuce
- 1 1/2 cups fiesta blend cheese
- 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped (optional)
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 bag nacho cheese-style chips, crushed (or crushed pork rinds)
- 1 lb ground beef (or ground chicken, turkey, or pork)
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 3 tsp taco seasoning (or chili powder to taste)
Directions
- In a pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with the chopped onion until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, and taco seasoning; sauté for about 1 minute to toast the spices.
- Add the diced tomatoes and beef broth, stir to combine, and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Arrange chopped lettuce in a large serving bowl and top with chopped tomatoes if using.
- Run a line of the chili down the center of the salad and sprinkle cheese over it.
- Layer diced avocado over the greens and dollop sour cream on top of the chili.
- Finish with crushed chips or pork rinds for crunch and serve.
Keto Salads
If you enjoyed this chili salad, try other low-carb salads for lunch. There are many creative keto-friendly options to explore.
- Copycat Keto Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad
- Keto Grinder Salad
- Keto Big Mac Salad
- Low-Carb Seven Layer Salad
- Low-Carb Pea Salad