This low FODMAP taco salad with homemade, low FODMAP ranch dressing is one that I make almost weekly. It's refreshing and healthy while bringing an explosion of Mexican flavors and spices to your palate. Depending on your personal preferences or what you have in your fridge or freezer, this low FODMAP taco salad can be made with ground beef, chicken, or turkey (which is our favorite) and is perfect for a quick, healthy lunch (which you could make in advance!) or an easy weeknight dinner. In addition to being low FODMAP, this taco salad recipe is also Paleo and Whole30 compliant, dairy-free and gluten-free, as is the low FODMAP ranch dressing to slather on top.
Please note: although low in FODMAPs, this recipe contains spicy ingredients, which can be an additional symptom trigger for some people with IBS.
Jump to:
- Low FODMAP Taco Salad: Easy Weeknight Dinner, Tortillas Not Invited
- Low FODMAP Beef, Chicken, or Turkey Taco Salad
- Low FODMAP Taco Salad Dressing
- Low FODMAP Taco Seasoning
- Necessary Equipment
- Low FODMAP Taco Salad: Ingredients & Success Tips
- More Clean Eating, Low FODMAP Salad Recipes
- Low FODMAP Taco Salad (Paleo, Whole30)
- Related Recipes
Low FODMAP Taco Salad: Easy Weeknight Dinner, Tortillas Not Invited
Sorry to post two salad recipes in a row (technically four if you count each Low FODMAP Chicken Salad variation individually), but with Cinco de Mayo coming up, I thought it would be an ideal time to post this low FODMAP taco salad recipe. Plus, I wrote this recipe long ago, and every time I make it, I think: I gotta get this on the blog! While not a dump-and-go recipe by any means, it's easy to put together for a quick low FODMAP lunch or dinner, and is so freaking delicious. We rarely have many leftovers of this low FODMAP taco salad as it's just so hard to stop eating.
Tortillas can be complicated when eating low FODMAP. Corn tortillas are okay, and per Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App, are low FODMAP up to 2 tortillas, but are not my favorite. Gluten-free tortillas, at least the ones I've tried, are awful. Coming from a Paleo/Whole30 perspective, my way of thinking is typically to skip the tortilla all-together and make things a salad or bowl. Low FODMAP taco? Put it in a salad or bowl. Low FODMAP burger? Put it in a bowl (still working on that recipe). Low FODMAP Fajita? Put it in a salad. Low FODMAP carnitas? Put them in a bowl. It's simple, easier on the tummy for low FODMAP, and you get more veggies that way.
Low FODMAP Beef, Chicken, or Turkey Taco Salad
I've tested this low FODMAP taco salad recipe using ground beef, chicken, and turkey and am happy to report that it can be deliciously-made with all three. Ground beef is pictured here, but I'd have to say our family's favorite is turkey. The flavor of ground turkey just works so well with all of the other elements, and it's great if you don't eat red meat or want to go with something leaner than beef.
Low FODMAP Taco Salad Dressing
I actually wrote a brand new ranch dressing recipe to go with this taco salad, but I ripped it up as it was nowhere near as yummy as my tried-and-true low FODMAP ranch dressing, which is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. I could eat this stuff with a spoon, it's so delicious (I don't...but I won't judge you if you do). Other low FODMAP salad dressings could potentially work, so if you have one you like or have found at the store, by all means - use it!
Low FODMAP Taco Seasoning
This recipe calls for 2.5 tablespoons of pre-made low FODMAP taco seasoning. This could be my homemade low FODMAP taco seasoning recipe or one you buy from the store (I list some low FODMAP store-bought options in that post in case you're interested). The contents of the store-bought versions will vary, so be sure to taste the meat and adjust the seasoning levels as needed before serving.
Necessary Equipment
The equipment I use to make this low FODMAP taco salad recipe includes:
- Stove top
- Chopping board and knife
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Large bowl
- Salad tongs
- Large skillet, preferably with a lid for draining grease
- Spatula
- Small bowl
Low FODMAP Taco Salad: Ingredients & Success Tips
To start this recipe, I first prepare the homemade low FODMAP taco seasoning and low FODMAP ranch dressing, whose ingredients and success tips I've discussed in their respective posts. As mentioned above, feel free to use a store-bought low fodmap taco seasoning or another dressing if you prefer to speed things up.
Salad
After preparing the taco seasoning and dressing, I chop all of the salad ingredients (the produce) and place them in a large bowl. These ingredients include:
- Green leaf or romaine lettuce, or your greens of choice (just make sure they're low FODMAP)
- Red bell pepper - previously listed by Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App as FODMAP-free, red bell pepper is now listed as containing fructose and are low FODMAP in quantities of up to ⅓ cup or 43 grams per serving. If red bell pepper doesn't bother your tummy, this information may not matter to you.
- Carrots
- Scallions (a.k.a. green onions), dark green parts only for low FODMAP
- Red radish (optional)
- Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
- Your other favorite salad ingredients (i.e. tomatoes)
Although tacos are often topped with raw tomatoes, I haven't included raw tomatoes in this recipe as I dislike them with a passion. If you like tomatoes, please feel free to add them and any other ingredients you might want in your salad. Also previously listed by Monash as FODMAP-free, common tomatoes are now listed as containing fructose (the same as red bell pepper, so if you're going to add both, be careful of FODMAP stacking) and low FODMAP in quantities of up to ½ of a tomato or 65 grams per serving. Again, if tomatoes don't bother your tummy, this information may not matter to you.
Ground Meat: Beef, Chicken, or Turkey
As mentioned above, you can use a pound of ground beef, chicken, or turkey in this low FODMAP taco salad. Once your seasoning, dressing, and salad ingredients are ready to go, place a large skillet on the stove top on medium heat. Once hot, add the ground meat, breaking it up with a spatula into small pieces, and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat on the stove to low, and drain grease from the skillet if needed. Return to heat; add the low FODMAP taco seasoning, garlic-infused olive oil, and water, and stir until the meat is thoroughly coated in spices, oil and water. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture in the skillet has been absorbed, about 5-10 minutes.
Pay careful attention to the moisture level as you don't want to overcook the meat. It will dry out and taste gritty. Remove skillet from heat and scrape meat into a small bowl to cool for a minute or two. Don't put meat directly from the skillet onto the produce as the salad will cook and lose its crispness.
Once it's cooled a bit, add the meat to the salad ingredients and toss if desired. Top with low FODMAP ranch dressing or your favorite dressing. I typically leave the salad, meat, and dressing in separate bowls and let everyone serve themselves.
More Clean Eating, Low FODMAP Salad Recipes
Here are some more great low FODMAP salad recipes you should try:
- Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad - if you've never made fajitas on the grill before, you are missing out!
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Salad - so good, you'll completely forget you're eating salad. Seriously!
- Air Fryer Shrimp Taco Bowl - like a taco salad, but in a bowl, with air fried shrimp!
- Summer Detox Salad - filled with delicious veggies and shrimp, perfect for a summer detox!
- Broccoli Salad with Bacon - a sinfully-tasty side salad perfect for potlucks or summer barbecues!
- Instant Pot Potato Salad - a classic summer side salad required for every 4th of July or Canada Day celebration!
- Chicken Salad, 3 Ways - three delicious variations of chicken salad!
Low FODMAP Taco Salad (Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
Low FODMAP Taco Meat:
- 1 pound ground beef, chicken, or turkey
- 2 ½ tablespoons low FODMAP taco seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- 2 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- ⅓ cup water
Salad:
- 6 cups green leaf or romaine lettuce, or your favorite greens, chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- ½ cup scallions, dark green parts only, chopped
- ¼ cup red radish, thinly sliced or shredded (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
- Your other favorite salad ingredients
Dressing:
- ½ batch of my Low FODMAP Ranch Dressing , or a full batch if you plan to use it for other things
Instructions
- If using, prepare the Low FODMAP taco seasoning and Low FODMAP ranch dressing. Cover and place the ranch dressing in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Prepare salad ingredients, place in a large bowl, and toss with salad tongs (if desired). Set aside.
- Set a large skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add ground beef, chicken, or turkey, breaking up with a spatula into smaller pieces. Sauté until meat is fully browned, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Drain grease from the skillet and return skillet to heat.
- Add taco seasoning, garlic-infused olive oil, and water to the skillet and stir until meat is thoroughly coated. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture in the pan has been absorbed, about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat. Taste the meat and adjust seasoning levels as desired (add salt to taste if your taco seasoning doesn’t contain it). Scrape meat from skillet to a small bowl to cool for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve meat on top of or tossed in salad ingredients, topped with low FODMAP ranch dressing. I typically keep the salad, meat, and dressing in separate bowls and allow everyone to serve themselves.
Notes
- Update 3/5/22: Red bell pepper quantity updated to reflect Monash University's new low FODMAP serving sizes.
- Prep time reflects the time it takes to prepare the salad only and does not include time to prepare the dressing or taco seasoning, both of which can be made in advance for faster prep the day-of cooking.
- Nutritional information includes that for the salad only, made with beef, and does not include nutritional information for the low FODMAP ranch dressing. View that post for ranch dressing nutritional details.
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