Healthy Taco Salad

This vegetarian Taco Salad recipe is so tasty! It’s easy and flavorful, made with black beans, tomatoes, avocado, and crisp romaine with a zesty, creamy cilantro lime dressing. Gluten-free and vegan-adaptable.

Do the earth a favor, don’t hide your magic.

Yung Pueblo

Taco salad night is always popular; crisp and crunchy textures pair with tangy, zesty flavor! This quick, easy vegetarian meal is made with crisp romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, avocado, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, cotija cheese, and crunchy tortilla chips. A creamy cilantro lime dressing ties all the flavors together. (For a vegan option, use Creamy Avocado Dressing.)

Feel free to mix it up; use any type of beans you like, throw in more vegetables such as bell peppers and black olives, replace cotija cheese with cheddar cheese, and add salsa and sour cream if you prefer! You can also add more protein like Tofu Sofritas or Grilled Chipotle Chicken if you like.

Why You’ll Love This

1. Quick & easy! Only 20 minutes to prep ingredients, toss in a bowl, and mix!
2. Satisfyingly creamy dressing. The perfect texture for a salad with so much crunch!
3. Gluten-free & vegan-adaptable. Made with nutritious, whole foods.
4. So versatile! Get creative with your veggies and add meat if you wish! Perfect for mixed households with both plant-based and meat-eaters.

Taco Salad Ingredients

• Romaine lettuce: Simply tear for easy prepping (and it keeps it from turning brown so fast if making ahead), or chop depending on the size and texture you prefer. Romaine is ideal for Taco Salad, but other crunchy lettuce varieties like little gems, bibb lettuce, butter lettuce, Boston lettuce, or Iceberg lettuce also work.
• Beans: We use canned black beans to save time. Feel free to sub with any type of beans! Pinto beans are another great option.
• Vegetables: Corn(fresh or frozen), avocado, cherry or grape tomatoes, bell pepper, radishes, and pickled onions (or thinly sliced red onion or green onions).
• Cotija cheese: Or use any cheese you prefer, such as feta, grated cheddar, Mexican cheese blend, or vegan cheese.
• Creamy cilantro lime dressing: For a vegan alternative, use Creamy Avocado Dressing.
• Corn tortilla chips: Use store-bought or make your own. See notes.
• Optional toppings: Olives, fresh bell pepper or roasted poblanos, hot sauce, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, pico de gallo, or pineapple salsa.
• Optional protein: For additional protein, add shredded chicken, tofu sofritas, Turkey Chorizo or browned ground beef.

How to Make Taco Salad

Step 1: Prepare the dressing. Follow the recipe for Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing. If you prefer to make a vegan dressing, make the Creamy Avocado Dressing.

Step 2: Make the tortilla strips. Preheat oven to 300F. Cut corn tortillas into strips and lay them out on a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake until crisp, about 15 mins. *Alternatively, you can simply use store-bought tortilla chips!

Tip: To give your tortilla strips more flavor, seasoning them with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, and Mexican oregano if desired!

Step 3: Assemble salad. Toss lettuce into a large bowl or divide among salad bowls. Add beans, corn, tomatoes, radishes, pickled onions, and cheese. Drizzle with dressing. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon.

Tip: Create a Taco Bar for Taco Night and let your family or guests build their own salads!

Step 4: Garnish. Serve Taco Salad with fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, extra dressing on the side, and tortilla strips or chips. Crush the chips over top, or let people crush their own! Serve with hot sauce for anyone who needs a bit of kick!

Protein Additions

Give this colorful, wholesome, and nutritious Taco Salad a protein boost with any of these options! These “taco meat” variations make this salad heartier, perfect for easy weeknight dinners.

• Vegan Chorizo
• Easy Tofu Sofritas
• Turkey Chorizo
• Simple Shredded Chicken
• Grilled Chipotle Chicken
• Baked Tofu with spicy Mexican marinade
• Homemade Taco Seasoning (so much better than a packet!) sautéed in a skillet with lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken

Meal Prep

You can prepare a taco salad one day in advance. Just place all the toppings in a container with torn romaine lettuce on top. Keep it sealed in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, mix everything in a bowl, add the taco salad dressing, and serve with tortilla strips.

For meal prep, distribute the salad into individual containers, with toppings at the bottom and lettuce on top. Keep the chips in a separate package.

Storage

If planning to store leftovers, keep the dressing on the side and store separately. The salad can be assembled and saved without the dressing for 3-4 days in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Enjoy this easy recipe and let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

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