Looking for something healthy to prepare for Cinco de Mayo? We’ve got some delicious keto Cinco de Mayo recipes to help spice up your fiesta.

Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of the Mexican victory in the Battle of Puebla  – which happened on May 5, 1862. And, contrary to popular belief, it is not the celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day, which happened 50 years earlier and is celebrated on September 16th. So if Cinco de Mayo is celebrated but isn’t a big day or federal holiday in Mexico, why has it become such a big deal in the U.S.?

For the most part, this day has been used as a means to celebrate the culture and heritage of Mexico – with fiestas anywhere from El Paso, TX to Chicago, IL, and Charleston, SC to Los Angeles, CA. 

Now that you know why you will be pouring those margaritas and indulging in delicious eats from Mexico’s culture let’s talk about how to do it in a keto-friendly way. 

Keto Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Keto is a well-known diet that has made its way around the globe. People from all walks of life are taking control of their life again with this high-fat, low-carb way of eating. Does that mean you should miss out on all sorts of fun – like Cinco de Mayo? Not at all. 

When it comes to eating keto-friendly foods, you will want to look for recipes that: 

• ● Don’t have any sugar – including artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols 
• ● Avoid trans fat and highly-processed vegetable oils
• ● Let go of starchy foods, such as potatoes, squash, corn, peas, pumpkin, etc.

Can we pull this off for Cinco de Mayo? We sure can.

Here are 6 keto Cinco de Mayo recipes you can have at your fiesta. 

1. Spicy Avocado Dip

This dip is great to scoop up with chips – or to serve on top of your tacos. It is simple to throw together and always very fresh. Think guacamole – with a little more chunk and a bigger kick. It is a combination of cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, fresh cilantro, garlic powder, lime juice, cumin, vinegar, olive oil, and your choice of hot sauce. 

You can serve it up with some keto tortilla chips with a salty crunch you can’t live without. 

2. Low Carb Nachos

We all need nachos in our lives – on Cinco de Mayo and every other day of the year. These are cheesy delicious nachos packed with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, guacamole (or you can use the spicy avocado dip above), onions, and more. Lots of layers of flavor. 

What makes them even better is that they are made with cheddar cheese tortilla chips. Oh yeah. Of course, you can make your own using low-carb tortillas or buying a bag of keto-friendly chips. Though the cheddar cheese chips are hard to beat. 

3. Keto Tacos

Another Mexican fan favorite is tacos. You can serve this up on Cinco de Mayo in batches –  and it is what makes this a perfect party food. It’s so easy, too. To make your shells, you will again use cheddar cheese (or any cheese of your choosing). Use about ¼ of shredded cheese for each shell, place it on a pan and bake it in the oven until it melts. As you pull it out of the oven, you have to form your taco shell. Do this by draping it over a  wooden-handled spoon held up on each side by two glasses. 

After about 5 minutes, you’ve got yourself a taco shell. Fill it up with all the fixin’s. 

4. Chicken Fajita Casserole

Stepping it up a notch, we’ve got a tasty chicken fajita bake. It takes the classic fajita flavors and mixes them together in one dish – without the tortillas. It is so cheesy and creamy, with juicy chicken, bell peppers, onions, and taco seasoning. 

Cook it up in a cast-iron skillet and it can go from the range to the oven with ease. The best part is that it is such a quick meal to make, you can add it alongside all your other Mexican eats for the night – or make it as a weeknight family meal any time of the year. 

Don’t forget to serve it alongside some salsa or guacamole. 

5. Salsa Verde Chicken

Imagine it – baked chicken, with cheese just melting over the sides. Oh, and did we mention it is covered in salsa verde? This green salsa is made with chiles that are less ripe. And while the taste is somewhat similar, many will tell you that green salsa is a bit more lively and zesty. 

Either way, this is a delicious, well-seasoned, juicy chicken dinner. And perfect for Cinco de Mayo. 

6. Chipotle Salmon with Mango Salsa

Talk about flavors bursting in your mouth – this dish of flaky fish is tangy, flavorful, and sweet. Depending on how hardcore you are with your keto diet, the recipe does call for a little bit of honey (2 tbsp per 3lbs of fish), but you can leave it out if you’d prefer. 

You can wrap it in foil to marinate the salmon just before baking using a combination of butter, honey, and lime, as well as these spices: 

• ● Chili powder
• ● Ground cumin
• ● Garlic powder
• ● Onion power
• ● Smoked paprika
• ● Dried origins
• ● Salt and pepper

Of course, you can always wrap it up and grill it, too. Top it off with a few squeezes of fresh lime juice and some unforgettable mango salsa. 

It will taste like you spent hours prepping all the brightly colored ingredients, but really it can all come together in a few minutes. 

Let’s get real for a moment, shall we? Whatever your reason for celebrating Cinco de Mayo and however you are celebrating it, we must take a moment to show gratitude for all the good Mexican eats that make their way into our kitchen – and not just on May 5th, but any day of the year.

Tacos, enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, sopas, flautas, guacamole, salsa, tostadas, elote, mole, pozole, nachos, horchata… should we keep going? Life just wouldn’t taste as good without them, would it? 

We hope you enjoy these keto Cinco de Mayo recipes and give one a try today!

Cheers and Happy Cinco de Mayo!