A healthy, satisfying Vegan Taco Salad bowl made with black beans, fresh veggies, and taco-seasoned chickpea-walnut crumbles! Then it's tossed in an easy & flavorful southwestern style dressing. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This Vegan Taco Salad bowl is packed with protein (about 23 grams per serving)!
We combine black beans, fresh vegetables, and taco-seasoned chickpea-walnut crumbles. These are my favorite vegan "beef" crumbles and much healthier than store-bought alternatives.
Then we'll toss it with a simple but flavorful creamy southwestern-style dressing.
Ingredients for Taco Salad
For the salad portion you will toss together in a large bowl:
- Romaine lettuce
- Chickpea-Walnut Taco Crumbles: These are so simple to make and add great texture. Plus protein and fiber!
- Black beans: Or use pinto beans if desired.
- Sweet corn: Either cooked fresh, canned, fire-roasted, etc.
- Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes: I use these because they are so sweet and flavorful. Substitute with roma tomato or plum tomato if desired.
- Red onion
- Desired toppings: Tortilla chips, guacamole or avocado, fresh cilantro, etc.
Tip: You can also add cooked brown rice, Spanish rice, or quinoa for extra heartiness!
Ingredients for Dressing
For the creamy southwestern-style dressing you will need:
- Vegan yogurt: Be sure it's plain and unsweetened. I use Forager cashew milk yogurt.
- Fresh lime juice: We will need two tablespoons for this recipe. (Which is about one lime.)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Chili powder: I use mild.
- Onion powder: Be sure your pantry spices are fresh (not expired) for best flavor.
- Garlic powder
- Pure maple syrup: Or substitute with another liquid sweetener.
- Salt: I use fine grain salt. Use as much or as little as you'd like.
Tip: You can also add fresh cilantro and/or chipotle for some smoky spiciness!
For more inspiration, also browse all easy vegan dinner recipes.
Vegan Taco Salad with Creamy Southwestern Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 large head romaine (4-5 cups finely chopped)
- 1 batch chickpea-walnut taco crumbles
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 cup sweet corn, cooked
- 5 oz. cherry/grape tomatoes (about 1 cup)
- 1/3 cup red onion (or 2-3 green onions)
- Optional for serving: tortilla strips, avocado/guacamole, cilantro
For the Creamy Southwestern Dressing:
- 1 cup vegan yogurt, plain & unsweetened* (about 10 oz.)
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp. salt (more/less to taste)
- Optional: fresh cilantro, chipotle
Instructions
- Make the chickpea-walnut taco crumbles.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk/stir to combine. Adjust flavors if desired. Set aside.
- Finely chop romaine. Halve/quarter grape tomatoes and finely dice red onion.
- Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl (including taco crumbles when finished baking). Toss to combine.
- Place portioned salad in serving bowls and top with desired amount of dressing. Add toppings if desired. (I enjoy crumbled tortilla chips for crunch.)
- If saving for later, store salad and dressing separately in sealed containers in the fridge to preserve freshness.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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Joan
This was incredibly good. I can’t stop eating it. Very filling and so flavourful and delicious. I found that I loved it best with a good squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro over the salad. I loved this salad. I omitted the tomatoes but made a fresh salsa to go with it. Thanks very much for sharing this healthy, salad recipe.
Kaitlin
Hello, Joan! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Great call adding lime juice, cilantro, and salsa. Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind and helpful feedback!
Jennifer
A delicious recipe of amazing flavours!! Easy to put together on a weeknight. We absolutely loved the chickpea-walnut taco crumbles! Delicious + filling = a keeper of a recipe!
Kaitlin
Happy you tried this one, Jennifer! I had so much fun developing it and putting all the components together. 🙂 Absolutely thrilled to hear it worked out for you all. So sweet of you to share your kind feedback as always - thank you!
Celeste
Dressing was so good. Mix of veggies was great. My guy and I both loved it.
Kaitlin
Hello Celeste! Wonderful to hear you both enjoyed the salad and dressing. I appreciate you sharing your very kind feedback - thank you!
imsen
This salad was delicious and filling. I especially loved the dressing and the spices. I have made those twice in one week because it was so good. I highly recommend it!
Kaitlin
Great to hear. Thanks for sharing!
J
So delicious!! Even left out the walnut crumbles because I was too hungry. Loved the dressing. Such wonderful flavors! Subbed avocado mayo for the yogurt. Topped with crumbled Tortilla chips. AMAZING. Thank you.
Kaitlin
Wonderful to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your kind and helpful feedback!
Karen Goolsbee
I love this recipe! It was absolutely delicious, and I'll be making this again soon. I'll have to find a way to layer this for a jar for school lunches. Thank you!!
Kaitlin
Wonderful to hear, Karen. (And great idea with turning it into a jar salad for packed lunches!)