Costa Vida KETO Friendly Options (Low-Carb Tex-Mex!)

written by

Husein Gradasevic

research-based

Who doesn’t love Mexican food? Thankfully, Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill, with its whole array of ingredients and vibrant flavors, makes Mexican food even more alluring. Costa Vida serves a diverse menu of freshly cooked Mexican dishes ranging from burritos and nachos to salad, dressing, quesadillas, and enchiladas.

The menu consists of freshly made salads, tacos, burritos, and grilled meats. Several keto-friendly options are available if you are trying to take fewer carbs or are deliberate about your keto diet.

So what’s keto-friendly at Costa Vida restaurant?

Costa Vida’s salads and dressings are excellent choices for a Keto-friendly meal. These include the Tomatillo Ranch Dressing, the Salsa Fresca Dressing, Grilled Chicken Salad, and the Lettuce Salad. You can also go for meat and seafood items like the Mahi Mahi. However, stay clear of the sweet-tasting items like Tomatillo Cilantro Sauce or the Sweet Pork.

If you choose to dine on Keto-friendly meals, you may likely find it a little challenging. So, in this article, I will provide you with tips to keep you on the right track. So read on!

Recommended: Dining Low-Carb at Bonefish Grill

Table of Contents

How To Survive Keto At Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill

At Costa Vida, the cuisine is rich and the flavors vibrant. With the wide range of spices and choices, there is always something for everyone on the menu. The choices range from burritos, salads, and dressing to tacos, nachos, enchiladas, and Baja bowls. There are also kids’ meals, desserts, and a wide array of Sides and drinks.

Although the menu looks loaded with richly prepared meals that have all the makings of a carb disaster waiting to happen, you are sure to find several options to regulate your carb intake. Some of the salads and even the nachos and cheese have meager carbohydrate contents, and they should be your go-to choice.

So you can go for the shredded beef salad, cotija cheese, Salsa Fresca salad, and Tomatillo Ranch dressing. The Raspberry Chipotle Sauce is also surprisingly low in carbs!

I like to pair the Raspberry Chicken Salad with Tomatillos Ranch Dressing or Mahi-mahi Tacos with the Raspberry Chipotle Sauce.

You can also try the Cilantro Lime Rice with Shredded Beef Salad and a Side Salsa Fresca Dressing. Or maybe go with the Shredded Chicken Salad with lettuce and dressing, which has a low carb content and enough calories for you to go through your day.

All these dishes contain less than 15 grams of net carbs. And for some of the meals, such as the Cilantro Lime Rice, the carb content is as low as 13.4 grams. It’s a perfect Keto-friendly option, and you should try it along with the guacamole.

On the other hand, you should avoid meals such as Pinto Beans, Sweet Pork, and Roasted Green Salad which has too many carbs.

On the whole, the salads are better options for a Keto-friendly meal than the burritos and nachos, so do more salads.

However, the desserts are also loaded with carbs, so you may have to find alternative dessert options to tickle your sweet tooth or just cut down on desserts altogether. Also, the drinks on the menu are not the best thing for a Keto diet, so you can choose to have some water or any sugar-free drink available.

Costa Vida Keto-friendly Options

#1. Cilantro Lime Rice

Carbs: 13.97g
Fiber: 0. 50g
Net Carbs: 13.47g
Total fats: 0.75g
Protein: 1.55g
Calorie: 71.05Kcal

This Costa Rica staple is a simple dish of white rice seasoned with lime juice, cilantro, garlic cloves, chilies, salt, onion, and butter. It has a refreshing yet not-too-overpowering aroma and a mild delicious taste; it’s also Keto-friendly. Trust me; you’ll love it.

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#2. Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

Carbs: 2.48g
Fiber: 0. 20g
Net Carbs: 2.28g
Total fats: 26.65g
Protein: 14.62g
Calories: 314.32Kcal

The tomatillo ranch dressing, with its mix of blended tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and seasoning, makes it the perfect dressing. Taking the salad from good to absolutely fantastic, what’s more? It’s Keto friendly.

#3. Guacamole

Carbs: 2.77g
Fiber: 1.67g
Net Carbs: 1.7g
Total fats: 12.82g
Protein: 14.07g
Calories: 182.03Kcal

Costa Vida prides itself in using fresh and whole ingredients to prepare their world-famous guacamole. Their guacamole is healthy and delicious with diced jalapenos, seeded and minced cilantro, tomatoes, and whole avocados.

#4. Mahi Mahi Taco

Carbs: 0.72g
Fiber: 0.5g
Net Carbs: 0.67g
Total fats: 1.41g
Protein: 23.79g
Calories: 181.68Kcal

The Mahi-mahi taco is an excellent meal, with its Baja-inspired recipe primarily consisting of fish and has a shallow carb content. As a result, Mahi-mahi taco is a go-to Keto-friendly meal, and you absolutely should try it. It is prepared with onion powder, kosher salt, and lime juice high in Vitamin C and antioxidants.

#6. Chile Verde

Carbs: 4g
Fiber: 0g
Net Carbs: 4g
Total fats: 2g
Protein: 6g
Calories: 60Kcal

Costa Vida’s excellent chile Verde is prepared using pork, tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno garlic, and peppers. This spicy and flavorful dish can be served alone, or you could get some extra toppings on it. It’s delicious either way, and what’s more? It’s Keto-friendly. How awesome is that?

#7. Lettuce Salad

Carbs: 4.02g
Fiber: 1.32g
Net Carbs: 3g
Total fats: 15.46g
Protein: 35.14g
Calories: 301.14Kcal

With its assortment of vegetables like lettuce, carrots, avocado, cucumber, and some hard-boiled eggs for a little extra protein, the lettuce salad is a must-have if you’re looking for a healthy and Keto-free yet delicious meal. Just get your lemon juice and olive oil dressing, and you’ll be good to go.

#8. Mango Dressing

Carbs: 11: 95g
Fiber: 0.13g
Net Carbs: 11.82g
Total fats: 12.21g
Protein: 11.37g
Calories: 156.79Kcal

This sweet mango dressing is the perfect antidote for a boring salad, prepared with mangos, honey, cumin, chili peppers, and a splash of lime juice. It is both sweet and spicy, also it is healthy and Keto-friendly.

#9. Queso

Carbs: 3.16g
Fiber: 0.30g
Net Carbs: 2.16g
Total fats: 8.05
Protein: 3.09g
Calories: 110.4Kcal

Queso is a simple dish made with Velveeta, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, fresh salsa, garlic sauce, and cayenne pepper. This assortment of ingredients makes the meal flavorful and with a touch of spicy.

#10. Pico De Gallo

Carbs: 1.29g
Fiber: 0.35g
Net Carbs: 0.94g
Total fats: 0.55g
Protein: 0.26g
Calories: 10:13Kcal

With its perfect blend of tomatoes, yellow onions, garlic, cilantro, lime, jalapenos, and seeded cloves. Pico De Gallo is a tasty garnish and can be served with tortilla chips.

#11. Sour Cream

Carbs: 7.29g
Fiber: 0.50g
Net Carbs: 6.31g
Total fats: 34.55g
Protein: 37.95g
Calories: 504.22Kcal

Full-fat sour cream is regularly made from cream and contains far more fat than carbs. Therefore, it’s considered keto-friendly. It’s an amazing meal to go for at any time of the day. Its ingredients offer enough nourishments and to keep you happy for long.

#12. Grilled Chicken

Carbs: 1.20g
Fiber: 0.00g
Net Carbs: 1.20g
Total fats: 7.02g
Protein: 28.67g
Calories: 189. 45

This Amazing meal is made with lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. And it slaps in the flavor department, what’s more, it’s Keto-friendly and pairs well with lettuce salad. Yum!

#13. Sweet Pork

Carbs: 10.50g
Fiber: 0.49g
Net Carbs: 9.01g
Total fats: 8.50g
Protein: 6.50g
Calories: 145.00Kcal

This meal is cooked with pork, Dr. Pepper, Cilantro, garlic salt, and some salt. With the awesome taste and low carbs, it is something you can eat. You can have this meal with some lime rice and lettuce salad.

#14. Shrimp

Carbs: 7.66
Fiber: 0.00
Net Carbs: 7.66
Total fats: 7.30g
Protein: 8.94g
Calories: 132.92Kcal

The shrimp at Costa Vida is soft and tasty, caramelized in honey and butter then balanced with a helping of mango and lime. This meal strikes an amazing balance between tasty and healthy. While you’re there, you could order the mango Shrimp Salad as well.

Conclusion

Eating out while you’re trying to keep your carb intake low can be a little challenging, but if you’re cautious, you’ll find it a lot easier. Costa Vida is at par with new fitness and diet requirements. So you can consider any of these options, and while you’re there, avoid sugary drinks and remember – salads are always the best.

Also Read: On The Border Low-Carb Options