Healthy Taco Salad

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Unlike other salads that will leave you feeling hungry hours later, this Low Calorie Taco Salad will have you feeling full and satisfied. It’s packed with 39 grams of protein, 15 grams of fiber, and less than 400 calories per serving, which is great for a meal!

This high-protein taco salad gets its protein from ground turkey and black beans. In addition, the beans and veggies are also great sources of fiber. Both protein and fiber are important for weight loss because they help regulate your hunger and digestion.

This healthy taco salad is a great weeknight dinner, or as a meal prep lunch, you can enjoy all week. It’s full of flavor and is anything but boring. If you like healthy taco-inspired recipes, you will love my healthy chicken taco bowls and zucchini taco boats!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Filling, Unlike Other Salads: If you’re tired of eating salads and feeling hungry again shortly after, then give this protein taco salad a try. It will fill you up and keep you feeling full!
Packed with Protein and Fiber: This salad is so filling because it’s packed with 39 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber. Protein takes longer to digest than carbs and fat, which is why it leaves you feeling satisfied for so long. Fiber slows your digestion, which also aids in feeling full. Both of these macronutrients are important for weight loss!
Perfect for Meal Prep: A big batch of this taco salad will provide you with meals for the whole week. It’s the perfect meal-prepped lunch for busy weekdays or dinners after work.

Ingredients

Ground Turkey: This ground meat is lean, meaning it has a low fat content, but it’s still packed with protein. You could also use ground chicken, lean ground beef or tofu instead.
Black Beans: Not only are beans a great source of plant-based protein, but they are also full of fiber. You can use canned black beans or cook dry beans in advance for the salad.
Taco Seasoning: Use a low-sodium taco seasoning without a lot of added ingredients, or make your own seasoning by combining onion powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, and chili powder.
Salsa Yogurt Dressing: This dressing also makes for a great salsa dip. It’s low-calorie, you can use your favorite jarred salsa, and it has 11 grams of protein from the Greek yogurt.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations & Dietary Modifications

Make It Vegetarian: Use lentils, tofu, or plant-based meat substitutes as the protein source for your salad if you want the recipe to be vegetarian. You can also make it vegan by using a dairy-free Greek yogurt for the dressing.
Use a Different Dressing: Try swapping out the dressing for another low-calorie option. You can make a vinaigrette by combining lime juice, olive oil, and taco seasonings, or blend Greek yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro for a creamy alternative.
Add More Veggies: While this salad is full of bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, you can also add other veggies to pack more in! Try adding corn, zucchini, carrots, or mushrooms to your meat mixture.

How to Make Low-Calorie Taco Salad

This healthy taco salad recipe is the perfect low-effort meal that tastes delicious and leaves you feeling full and nourished. It’s great for meal prepping lunches for the week or an easy weeknight dinner. The only prep work involved is chopping bell peppers and onions!

Bell peppers, red onion, and jalapeno in a skillet.

Step 1: Sauté the Veggies. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Add the diced bell peppers, red onion, and jalapeno to the heated pan. Sauté them for 4 minutes, stirring frequently until the veggies are almost tender.

Ground turkey and seasonings added to the skillet.

Step 2: Brown the Ground Turkey. Add the ground turkey and seasonings to the skillet. Use a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks and mix it with the veggies. Cook until the meat is browned.

Step 3: Add the Beans. Drain and rinse the black beans and add them to the skillet. Lower the heat too low and let it continue to cook while you prepare the dressing.

Step 4: Make the Dressing. In a separate bowl, stir the Greek yogurt and salsa together until well combined. Set it aside for later.

The low calorie taco salad assembled with the dressing on top.

Step 5: Assemble the Salad. Add lettuce to the bottom of a bowl, then top it with the meat mixture and sliced grape tomatoes. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad right before eating.

Expert Tips

Rinse the Beans: It’s important to drain and rinse canned beans to remove any excess sodium from the outside of the beans. It also reduces the “canned” flavor.
Let the Meat Rest: After you finish cooking the meat mixture, remove it from the heat and let it rest for 3-5 minutes. This gives it a chance to reabsorb moisture and cool, so it doesn’t wilt the lettuce.
Storing: Store your meat mixture, dressing, and lettuce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Storing them together will result in a wilted and watery salad.

Taco salad topped with jalapeno, beans, and tomatoes.

Serving Suggestions

This healthy taco salad bowl is the perfect low-calorie, high-protein meal for dinner or lunch. It will help you feel full for longer than a regular salad, but it is still great for weight loss. You can meal prep several salads to pack for lunch all week, or just make a few big salads for dinner. This is going to be one of your new favorite meal preps!

You can add extra toppings, like sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, or Mexican street corn salad, over the top of your salad.
While this salad is a full meal on its own, you can cut the servings down to have it as a side dish with high-protein chicken enchiladas or a bowl of chicken tortilla soup.
Try wrapping your salad in low-carb cauliflower tortillas to make taco salad tacos.

Low-Calorie Taco Salad Recipe FAQs

Why is my taco meat for a low-calorie taco salad dry?

Your taco meat mixture is probably dry because you overcooked the meat which is easy to do with leaner ground meats. To avoid, be sure to cook it just until the meat is browned and cooked through. If it seems a bit dry, you can add a splash of broth to it to add a little more moisture.

Why is my low-calorie taco salad watery?

There are several reasons why your low-fat taco salad is watery. One reason is that the beans were too wet when you added them to the meat mixture. Try patting them dry after rinsing them to help dry them off a bit. Tomatoes also release a lot of water, so you can remove the seeds when you slice your tomatoes, so they don’t add extra water to the salad. Finally, wait to add the dressing until just before serving so it doesn’t turn watery as it sits in the fridge.

Why did my lettuce for my healthy taco salad wilt and turn soggy?

The most common reason for wilted, soggy lettuce is adding the meat mixture to it hot from the skillet. Let the meat cool slightly so it doesn’t cook the lettuce when you combine them.