Sixty Healthy Taco Recipes

Healthy taco recipes for the win! Everyone loves a good taco and luckily with these tasty recipes there is a healthy taco for everyone!

As a kid in New England, our idea of tacos was ground beef, taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and dill pickles. Usually stuffed into a crispy, store-bought taco shell. And while they are delicious and something I still crave sometimes, my definition of what makes a delicious taco has evolved quite a bit.

Initially when I moved to Los Angeles, the land of amazing tacos, my first experiences with street tacos were far from healthy. However, over the years I have learned to take all my favorite street tacos and turn them into homemade healthy tacos filled with a huge variety of toppings.

Before we did into the list, let's talk about some general strategies for making healthy taco recipes at home.

• Tortillas: To keep things light, your best bet is to stay away from any type of fried or store-bought taco shell. Look for minimally processed corn or flour tortillas. Enjoy them soft or toss them in a 400 degree oven to make your own baked crispy taco shells. For a lower carb option, you can look for store-bought low carb tortillas or opt for lettuce wraps, thinly sliced jicama, or cauliflower tortillas. There are also some good Paleo tortillas out there that can normally be found in specialty markets or online.
• Protein: Traditionally many tacos are made with fattier cuts of meat that tend to be high in calories. Instead of reaching for those proteins, replace them with lower calorie options like lean ground beef, boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, lean sirloin beef, ground turkey, pork tenderloin, or fish. Beans also make a great healthy taco filling that is low in calories and high in fiber.
• Toppings: It's easy to get carried away with the taco toppings and we are all guilty of piling on an absurd amount of sour cream or cheese from time to time. However, there are so many healthy taco toppings out there, that it's relatively easy to make healthy choices. Start with veggies. You can use lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, onions, cabbage, or sauteed vegetables like peppers and onions. Then move to the salsa. Salsa is packed with flavor and most salsas are really low calorie and good for you. Finish things off with avocado or guacamole (in moderation) and a small helping of cheese. And if you need sour cream on your tacos, try using Greek yogurt instead.

Healthy Chicken Taco Recipes

Chicken is one of the easiest proteins to use for healthy tacos. You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs to keep things light. If you use bone-in chicken, remove the skin before using it in the tacos to lower the calories and fat. In terms of cooking chicken for tacos, there are so many options. You can grill it, use your slow cooker, or quickly cook it on the stove top. And if you are pressed for time, you can always use a store bought rotisserie chicken for a quick and easy healthy taco filling.

• Stovetop Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Slow Cooker Jalapeno Chicken Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Sauce
• Slow Cooker Korean Beef Tacos
• Chicken Cheese Steak Tacos
• Spicy Chicken and Corn Tacos
• Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga
• Slow Cooker Chicken Barbacoa
• Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken
• Chipotle Chicken Meatball Tacos
• Baked Chicken Fajitas (makes an awesome taco filling)
• Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Filling with Black Beans and Corn
• Slow Cooker Pollo Pibil

Healthy Beef Taco Recipes

I am always shocked when someone tells me they shy away from red meat completely when they are trying to eat healthier. Although some red meat is really high in calories and fat, there are also tons of lean options that make for excellent tacos. Classic tacos with lean ground beef are always an option but there are so many more incredible options. Try making carne asada at home on the grill, slow cooker beef for amazing shredded beef tacos, and use lean sirloin steak to make quick stovetop beef tacos.

• Slow Cooker Beef Adobado
• Citrus Marinated Steak and Pepper Tacos
• Slow Cooker Beef Machaca
• Slow Cooker Spicy Braised Beef
• Ancho Chili Ground Beef Tacos
• Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
• Grilled Flank Steak with Balsamic Marinade
• Steak Tacos
• Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja
• Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
• Citrus Marinated Carne Asada
• Slow Cooker Tri Tip Tacos

Healthy Pork Taco Recipes

The most popular of all pork tacos are probably carnitas but since the traditional version is pork shoulder cooked in its own fat, it's definitely not the healthiest option around. And most of the other popular pork options are equally high calorie since they use fattier cuts of pork. Luckily by making a few easy swaps, you can make some seriously good and healthy pork tacos at home. Most use either pork tenderloin or lean boneless pork chops. And you can even use a pork shoulder if you make sure to trip off most of the fat.

• Slow Cooker Chorizo Spiced Pulled Pork
• Slow Cooker Cochinita Pibil
• Slow Cooker Carnitas
• Slow Cooker Chicken in Chile Verde
• Pulled Pork Tacos
• Skinny Pork Tenderloin Tacos
• Crockpot Hawaiian Pork Tacos
• Pineapple and Pork Tacos
• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Pork Tacos
• Grilled Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
• Crockpot Pork Verde Tacos with Jalapeno Sauce
• Chipotle BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

Healthy Seafood Taco Recipes

When it comes to making healthy tacos, seafood is one of my all-time favorite options. Throwing grilled fish into a warm corn tortilla and loading it up with cabbage, guacamole, and salsa is one of the best things around. Plus since most seafood is naturally low in calories, it's always a smart option for a healthy taco. Make sure to think about variety when it comes to seafood tacos. Shrimp, scallops, squid, crab, and almost any type of fish are all fair game and delicious.

• Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Avocado Slaw
• One Pan Shrimp Fajitas
• Ancho Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw
• Fish Tacos with Creamy Avocado Sauce
• Blackened Tilapia
• Easy Chili Lime Fish Tacos
• Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
• Grilled Salmon Tacos with Avocado Salsa
• Cumin Seared Scallop Tacos
• Cajun Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa
• Spicy Sriracha Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
• Crunchy Baked Fish Tacos

Healthy Vegetarian Taco Recipes

Before we finish sharing our favorite healthy taco recipes, we have to share some amazing vegetarian tacos. These tacos are naturally healthy featuring loads of fresh veggies and beans. Many can be made in under 15 minutes on the stove and there are also some delicious grilled and slow cooker options. Plus many of these are really versatile - change out the veggies, add your favorite beans, and as always - go crazy with all your favorite healthy taco toppings.

• Portobello and Poblano Tacos with Avocado Herb Salsa
• Sweet Potato Spinach Tacos
• Poblano, Mushroom, and Black Bean Tacos
• Braised Spinach and Mushroom Tacos
• Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos
• Grilled Portabella, Zucchini, and Corn Tacos
• Spicy Two Bean and Corn Tacos
• Black Bean and Zucchini Tacos with Cilantro Avocado Slaw
• Salsa Verde Pinto Bean Tacos
• Quick and Easy Black Bean Tacos
• Slow Cooker Barley, Black Bean, and Corn Taco Filling
• Slow Cooker Tomato Chipotle Chickpeas

What are your favorite healthy taco recipes?