Beef Taco Bowls are a quick and healthy, low carb, gluten free dinner recipe. Just 20 minutes from fridge to table!
My husband and I have been looking for ways to healthify our daily lives and one of the easiest ways to do that is to sneak more vegetables into our meals (shocker!)
We’re not talking about serving dinner with a sidecar of steamed broccoli or plain mashed potatoes through — BORING!
There are definitely more exciting ways to go about it, like low carb Beef Taco Bowls which are crushing it in the healthy AND delicious department!
Low Carb Beef Taco Bowls
Beef Taco Bowls are lean ground beef sauted with bagged coleslaw mix (hello vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants!) and my easy homemade taco seasoning, plus a splash of stock or water. Pile into bowls then top with a mountain of guacamole, a few tortilla chips for scooping if you’re not watching carbs too closely, plus a spoonful of salsa.
Healthy, easy, fast, flavorful – what more could you ask for?
Since it’s just lightly sauted, the coleslaw keeps a nice deep crunch which mimics a taco shell — though you’ll never miss it. The flavor is also very mild so the savory taco seasoning blend is what really shines.
Ready to eat?!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by browning lean ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat with chopped shallot or onion, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper.
Drain the beef if there’s a ton of extra fat (a little left is good) then add bagged coleslaw mix.
Again, this is such an easy and inexpensive way to add LOADS of health benefits to your meal!
Season again with a little salt, which will help the coleslaw soften, then saute until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes.
Last step is to add homemade taco seasoning plus a splash of chicken stock or water then stir to combine. If you’ve got my Large Batch Homemade Taco Seasoning on hand, use 2-3 Tablespoons plus a splash of stock or water.
Scoop the mixture into bowls, top with your favorites, then dig in!
Tweak your traditional taco night and serve these healthy, tasty, low carb bowls instead. And if you’ve jut got to have a shell or tortilla, no problem. Use the veggie-packed mixture as upgraded taco meat instead.
However you serve it – enjoy!
More Easy Tex-Mex Recipes
- Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce
- Mini Taco Meatloaf
- Spicy Shrimp Soup
- Homemade Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
- Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
- Large Batch Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Homemade Burrito Bowls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 12 oz coleslaw mix
- 1 recipe homemade taco seasoning, see notes
- 1/4 cup chicken broth, or beef broth, or water
- Toppings: guacamole, salsa, green onions, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream
Directions
- Brown ground beef with shallot or onion plus salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain extra fat if necessary then return to the skillet.
- Add coleslaw mix, season lightly with salt and pepper, then saute until cabbage is tender, 3-4 minutes. Add taco seasoning and broth or water then mix to combine. Serve with toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Thanks for this. We just picked up our yearly 1/4 of a cow from the locker. I think my house full of boys will approve of this! Plus I get to sneak in some different veggies they might wrinkle their nose at.
This recipe is the exact reason why I love you like I do. Perfection!
Ahh, right back at you, Ginny!
I absolutely love coconut aminos! They’ll never replace that deep umami flavor you get with soy sauce, but they are so helpful if you can’t have soy (me + soy = mood swings!). In fact, I mainly use them in your own teriyaki sauce recipe :) It allows me to go to one of the only safe restaurants in town and order chicken fried rice sans soy sauce. Instead of eating a sad bowl of plain rice and veggies, I get to feel normal. I’ll also take the same sauce and add it to pulled pork, pineapple, and red peppers for a Hawaiian flare. What have you been trying them in?
I love that it lends a sweetness that’s perfect for Asian dishes, like you described – PERFECT for Teriyaki – I just miss the SALT! I’m such a salty foods kind of gal! The flavor also reminds me of a vegan restaurant Ben and I went to last year. The food was really good but there was a certain “funk” about it that we also got from the coconut aminos. Not bad, just…different! I think it might be a flavor that just takes some getting used to. I’m glad it helps you feel “normal” – I 100% know what you mean!! :)
Holy cow, your photos are incredible! Well done. This recipe is right up my alley. Nom nom.
You seriously crack me up! Did you season the meat?!! AAAARGH!!!! Funny story, must share. Years ago I was at my parents’ house and my mom had made spaghetti for dinner. We all sat down and my dad said, “Karen, did you rinse the noodles?” She replied with this question, “Did you want them rinsed?” He said, “Yes.” And she replied, “Yes, I rinsed them.” I found this to be such a useful marriage tool! They made it almost 54 years together, she passed this May. Those moments are priceless! Great recipe, AS USUAL! :)
I am laaaaaaaughing, laughing, laughing away at this story!! I can totally see this playing out between my parents – my Dad likes his noodles rinsed too. ;) So, so funny. I’m sorry to hear about your Mom, it’s great to be able to look back on the good times though!
This recipe is right up my alley! I just had a question about leftovers, how does the slaw mix reheat?
Perfectly! This is a great recipe to reheat.
I love using broccoli slow to sneak in more veggies so this recipe is one I’ll be trying. With broccoli slaw, I like to saute it until it’s slightly wilted and then add homemade spaghetti sauce on top … all the taste without the pasta.
PS – Glad that my husband isn’t the only one that asks “did you season this?” every time I cook ground beef!!
YUM!! I’m so making these this weekend!!
Now this is a meal that everyone loves.
Whenever I make your Thai Peanut Quinoa Bowls, I buy a bag of coleslaw mix, use half, and the rest ends up going to waste. Now I know what to do with the rest of it!
You could try my Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls too – they use about 1/2 bag! https://iowagirleats.com/2015/09/23/mongolian-beef-noodle-bowls/#recipe-card
Looks yummy and I can’t wait to see the egg roll in a bowl recipe!
Keep the eat-more-veggies inspiration coming! In fact I’m looking through your salad recipes for combinations and dressings. I always add a bag of frozen corn and a can of black beans to my taco meat, sometimes lentils too, and I don’t think my kids even realize they are getting extra veggies. The other great thing about this meal is that everyone can eat it how they prefer – some as nachos, some in a soft shell, some as a bowl, and customize the toppings.
I also make an eggroll in a bowl recipe that we like – but I use ls soy sauce, as we have no need to be gluten free or soy free. I’m curious, are there other reasons I should be avoiding soy sauce?
Nope! I just can’t use soy sauce because it’s made with wheat is all! :)
i have used the coconut aminos in several recipes, they work pretty well, I think the main thing I’ve had to adjust for is they are significantly less salty than regular soy sauce or even the low sodium soy sauce. I end up using a “saltier” version of something else in the recipe to balance things out. Love getting your recipes!