Taco Ground Beef Salad with Cilantro-Lime Cottage Cheese Dressing (Edit recipe)

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This taco ground beef salad is a high protein low carb dinner, and it works as lunch too. Keto-friendly at 10g net carbs a serving. No beans, no corn, no tortilla chips, no mayonnaise, no added sugar and no protein powder. It’s built on beef and it’s heavy on dairy, between the cottage cheese in the dressing and the cheddar on top, so it won’t suit you if you’re avoiding either. There’s no gluten in it and no nuts, though pepitas are a seed, which is worth knowing if seeds are a problem for you.

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Original Recipe

PREP TIME

10 minutes

COOK TIME

10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

21

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Salad Base

12 oz 85% Lean Ground Beef - US Wellness Meats
1 Tbsp Homemade Taco Seasoning for Ground Beef, Chicken and Seafood (click for recipe)
1.5 cups English Cucumber
1 cup Diced Tomatoes
0.333 cup Green Bell Pepper
0.25 cup Red Onion
1 Tbsp Cilantro
.25 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 Tbsp Pepitas, Raw

Cilantro-lime cottage cheese dressing

.25 tsp Organic Ground Cumin - The Spice Lab
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 Tbsp Cottage Cheese
2 Tbsp Cilantro
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 tsp Lime Zest
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
.5 tsp Garlic Powder - The Spice Lab
.25 tsp Black Pepper
0.125 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt - Primal Palate

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Process

Cook Mode

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Toast the pepitas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking often, until golden and fragrant. You will hear a few of them pop just before they are ready. Tip them onto a plate, because they turn bitter fast.
In the same skillet, add the ground beef and the keto taco seasoning together while the meat is still raw, so the fat renders around the spices instead of under them. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on a medium-high heat until browned, adding a splash of water if the pan looks dry. Take the skillet off the heat and leave the beef in it.
While the beef cools a little, chop the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion and cilantro into a large bowl. Scatter the cheddar cheese over the vegetables, then spoon the beef over the top while it is still warm, so the cheddar cheese softens between the two. Set the skillet aside without washing it.
Blend all the dressing ingredients except the olive oil and the cumin until smooth. If it is too thick to pour, add water a teaspoon at a time and blend again.
Return the skillet to medium heat, warm the olive oil, add the cumin and swirl for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir it into the dressing.
Pour the dressing over and toss until every piece is coated. Divide between 2 bowls and scatter the pepitas on last, never before the toss, or they go soft.

Notes

Store unassembled: beef in one container, dressing in a jar, chopped vegetables in a third.
The beef keeps 3 to 4 days airtight. Reheat 1 minute in a dry skillet.
The dressing thickens in the fridge. Loosen with a little water before serving. Go by the date on the cottage cheese tub.
Keep the pepitas out of the fridge so they stay crunchy.

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About This Recipe

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	767
Fat:	48 g
Carbohydrates:	21 g
Protein:	60 g
Cholesterol:	190 g
Sodium:	784 mg
Fiber:	6 g
Sugars:	6 g
Sugar Alcohol:	0 g
Calculated per serving.