This Keto Catalina Taco Salad is sweet and tangy with a crunch that is exploding with flavor for a summertime favorite!
My mom can make a great Catalina taco salad and it is often requested at most family gatherings. I wanted to try a keto version of it and asked her for the recipe. I can’t believe I nailed the keto version the first time. My family loved it and said it was one of the best recipes I have made so far and they don’t even eat keto. I knew that it was going to be a hit when they told me that so I had to share with all of you.
For this recipe, I made my own taco seasoning and Catalina dressing to make it more keto friendly. Store bought dressing and taco seasoning has so many added sugars and hidden ingredients that are not good for you so it’s best to make your own. To add the crunch to the taco salad is used Quest nacho cheese chips which are similar to Doritos but keto friendly. I think you are going to love this summer salad just as much as my family did. Enjoy!
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Keto Catalina Taco Salad Ingredients
Serves 8
1 lb ground beef
Taco seasoning (see recipe here)
6 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 cup mexican shredded cheese
3 bags Quest nacho cheese chips
Keto Catalina dressing (see recipe below)
1/2 cup onion, diced (optional)
Sour cream for topping (optional)
Keto Catalina Dressing Recipe
1/4 cup no sugar ketchup (Heinz makes a good one)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup swerve or 1/8 tsp stevia
Salt and pepper to taste
Put all of the ingredients in a jar or bowl and blend well with an immersion hand blender. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container. Stir well before using.
How to Make Keto Catalina Taco Salad
In a non-stick skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain fat, add taco seasoning with a little bit of water and mix together. Set aside to cool.
Chop lettuce and tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add shredded cheese to the bowl. If you want onions add them in also.
Add the Catalina dressing but start with 1/4 of the dressing first and add more if necessary to your liking and combine together. Crush bags of Quest nacho cheese chips and add to bowl and toss together.
Serve immediately. Use leftovers for tacos or eat.
Note: Don’t add the dressing and chips until ready to eat as it will get soggy.
Recipe
Keto Catalina Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- Taco seasoning see recipe here
- 6 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes diced
- 1 cup mexican shredded cheese
- 3 bags Quest nacho cheese chips
- Keto Catalina dressing see recipe below
- 1/2 cup onion diced (optional)
- Sour cream for topping optional
Keto Catalina Salad Dressing
- 1/4 cup no sugar ketchup Heinz makes a good one
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 cup swerve or 1/8 tsp stevia
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a non-stick skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain fat, add taco seasoning with a little bit of water and mix together. Set aside to cool.
- Chop lettuce and tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add shredded cheese to the bowl plus taco meat. If you want onions add them in also.
- Add the Catalina dressing but start with 1/4 of the dressing first and add more if necessary to your liking and combine together. Crush bags of Quest nacho cheese chips and add to bowl and toss together.
- Serve immediately. Use leftovers for tacos or eat.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Ashley
My goodness, the Apple Cider Vinegar is STRONG. I would gradually add to-taste next time! I also had to add quite a bit more stevia than just 1/8 tsp. Maybe that’s because my stevia is the 1:1 replacement type? Add to taste.
Ivy
Thank you for the tip.
Alison
You’re welcome.
Jill
I completely agree! I ended up, throwing out my first batch of the dressing because it was just too vinegary. I remade it with only a teaspoon of vinegar in it, and that was plenty to give it a tangy taste. Other than that, I love this recipe!
Beth
What do we do with the meat mixture? To be fair, obviously we add it to the salad, but the last instruction for the meat is to set it aside. 🤔
Alison
Oops! I got a little ahead of myself and forgot to add that in the directions. Yes, add it to the salad. I’ll be sure to fix it. Thanks for letting me know.