Get ready for a fiesta in your mouth with this delicious vegan taco salad recipe! Packed with colorful and nutritious veggies, flavorful spices, and black beans as your plant-based protein, this salad is a satisfying and healthy option for any meal.
About this salad
This vegan-friendly option is a great way to indulge in classic Mexican flavors without compromising taste, texture, or nutrition. This vegan Mexican taco salad recipe will soon become your favorite with a spicy dressing and many textures.
And the best part? You can enjoy this hearty salad as a one-off meal or as part of an overall meal plan – it’s fully adaptable to your lifestyle. So why not give it a go and find out why Mexican taco salad packs such a punch?
Is this salad healthy?
Yes, yes, it is, and it is also a statement that you can eat healthy and delicious every single time. The key is always to eat fresh, seasonal, and natural food. And if you eat 80% of your day like this, you’ll even have a chance to eat potato chips or finish this salad with Doritos occasionally. This vegan taco salad is proof.
INGREDIENTS for the vegan TACO SALAD recipe
- Dressing. Olive oil and lime juice (use lemon juice if need to substitute).
- Pico de gallo: Red onion, use the onion you have at home; green onions, chives, white onion, or shallots. Cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes or any tomato that you have at home. Serrano pepper or jalapeño pepper if you want it to be less spicy. Chopped cilantro, and if you feel fancy, you can also add peppermint and mint.
- Lettuce, romaine lettuce, little gem lettuce or any other greens you have at home
- Roasted corn kernels, you can use frozen, roast them yourself, or use raw corn.
- Black beans, canned or cooked at home
- Avocado, sliced or diced avocado
- Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds
- Tortilla chips, homemade or store bought.
HOW TO MAKE the vegan TACO SALAD
It all starts with the dressing, which is like a pico de gallo. I like to let the onion rest in lemon juice for a few minutes and then add the olive oil. Then I add tomato, cilantro, and serrano pepper with a pinch of salt, and you set aside.
To assemble the salad, in a large salad bowl, first layer lettuce, then the roasted corn, black beans, avocado slices, and sunflower seeds. Add the dressing and finish with the tortilla chips. I add the tortilla chips at the end so they do not become soggy. Toss gently until well combined and top with pumpkin seeds.
Enjoy with a good and cold Hibiscus agua fresca, agua de jamaica.
best time to eat the salad
This mexican taco salad is best eaten immediately. If you eat it later, prepare the dressing, store it in a tightly closed jar, and save it in the fridge. Dress the salad just before eating.
Tips for Making the Best Vegan Mexican Taco Salad
If using canned beans, remember to rinse and drain them. Same with lentils or any other legume.
Add the tortilla chips until the end, just before you eat. They become soggy pretty fast.
Variations
- For a special crunch. If you are looking for a vegan taco salad with crunch, tortilla chips are a great addition. Use homemade tortilla chips, or storebought seasoned doritos would work great here.
- For a creamier salad. Add a dollop of sour cream, creamy jalapeño salsa, or guacamole to boost the flavor of your salad for an extra dose of creamy goodness.
- For a more protein content. If you want to bump the protein in your vegan taco salad, opt for lentils, faux ground beef mixed with taco seasoning, or chipotle roasted chickpeas. These ingredients pair well with the other flavors in the salad and will make it more filling.
- Add more veggies. You can also add some diced red onion for a bit of a bite or choose roasted red peppers for added texture.
- Other toppings. You can add grated cheese to this salad (I use vegan cheese), zucchini noodles and/or mushrooms. This salad is also super delicious if you add the magical cilantro dressing.
Other vegan recipes that you may like:
Vegan Mexican taco salad
Equipment
- 1 Large salad bowl
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes or another type of tomato chopped
- 1 chile serrano sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 4 handfuls mixed greens
- 1 cup roasted corn kernels
- 1½ cups black bean or one can drained
- 1 sliced avocado
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a bowl add the onion and lemon juice. Wait two to three minutes and add oil and salt. Mix well and add the tomato, serrano, and chopped cilantro. Mix and set aside.
- In a large serving dish, preferably not a bowl put the lettuce, add the black beans, roasted corn, sliced avocado, pumpkin seeds, dressing, and chips.
Notes
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This post is a partnership with FloraHealth in 2017, all opinions, photos, and recipe are mine.
What you need
Tengo una Certificación Profesional en la cocina vegana; en el mundo de la cocina basada en vegetales, frutas, granos, leguminosas… en comida limpia, orgánica y vegana.
My cookbook is called Yo Cocino Latino..
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