Vegan Taco Salad with Baked Tortilla Strips
A colorful,veggie-packed, and filling main, this Vegan Taco Salad is the perfect main when topped with baked tortilla strips and a creamy chipotle dressing.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
For the Baked Tortilla Strips:
- 2 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
- Spray oil (or 1-2 tsp cooking oil)
- Salt, to taste
For the Seared Corn:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 1/2 cup (200 g) frozen sweet corn
- 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
For the Salad:
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, finely chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced (or use ~1 cup sliced grape or cherry tomatoes)
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 cups Chipotle Black Beans (or 2 cups plain beans)
- 1 avocado, diced (optional)
- ¼ cup salsa*
- Vegan Chipotle Mayo, for dressing
- Optional: lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Tortilla Strips: Preheat the over to 350F and set a baking sheet aside. Thinly slice the tortillas into even strips, then place them on the baking tray. Spritz the strips generously with spray oil (or drizzle oil on top), then gently toss until they are evenly coated. Space them out on the baking sheet so none are touching. Sprinkle generously with salt, then bake on the top rack for 12-15 minutes, watching carefully so they do not burn. Remove from the oven, let cool on the tray (they will harden a little more), and set aside.
- Seared Corn: In the meantime, heat the avocado oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once warm, add the corn, jalapeño, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring only every minute or so — this allows the corn to sit on the bottom of the pan and get browned. Once the corn has darkened to your liking, remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
- Assemble: in two large serving bowls, divide the romaine, beans, tomatoes, onion, seared corn, cilantro, and avocado. Place ¼ cup of salsa over each salad, then drizzle with Chipotle Mayo to complete the dressing. Top with the baked tortilla strips and serve cold; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Salsa: I used a store-bought chipotle salsa, but a regular one will work as well! You can use mild, medium, or hot based on your preference – I recommend looking for a more finely blended (vs. chunky) variety as it works better as a dressing.
- Substitutions: feel free to customize your salad based on whatever you have on hand or love! Cooked vegan “beef”, bell peppers, pickled jalapeños, olives, shredded cabbage, etc would all be great here.
Keywords: vegan taco salad, vegetarian taco salad, baked tortilla strips, healthy taco salad
Find it online: https://frommybowl.com/vegan-taco-salad/
