Vegan Taco Salad

5 from 2 votes

Lettuce, tomatoes, sweet corn, and black beans are tossed with tofu-based taco meat and a creamy spiced dressing–it’s taco night in a bowl!

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 215kcal

Author Ligia Lugo

Ingredients

For the dressing

1 cup vegan sour cream or yogurt
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup

For the salad

3 cups shredded lettuce such as iceberg
1 cup canned corn rinsed, drained
1 cup chopped tomatoes seeded
1 ½ cup canned black beans rinsed, drained
1 cup Taco tofu* or cooked vegan meat substitute
½ cup diced red onion
crushed tortilla chips for garnish, optional

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients–vegan sour cream, lime juice, vinegar, maple syrup, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, corn, tomatoes, black beans, and taco tofu. Lightly toss to combine.
Add the diced red onion and drizzle the dressing over the salad mixture, then toss again until well mixed.
Let the salad rest in refrigeration briefly, just enough to let the flavors combine and juices develop.
Crush some tortilla chips and shower them over the top of your taco salad if you like, and/or serve it with additional chips on the side for dipping.

Video

Notes

*Taco Tofu Recipe:

1 block of smoked tofu
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 ½ tbsp taco seasoning

Drain the tofu and chop it finely or crumble with your fingers to make the tofu. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the tofu and taco seasoning. Cook the tofu, stirring for 5-8 minutes.

Ingredients

Use regular chili powder to add a classic spicy flavor, chipotle chili powder for a smoky take, or omit this ingredient entirely if you don’t care for too much heat.
Iceberg lettuce is my favorite choice for this taco salad. It’s very crunchy and refreshing, plus it is easy to slice or shred. Romaine lettuce would work well too.
I think black beans complement this taco salad perfectly, but pinto beans or red kidney beans would fit the role as well.

Tips

Instead of making Taco Tofu, try out a store bought vegan ground meat alternative! Or, taco seasoned legumes like lentils make a surprisingly good stand-in for taco “meat”.
Make this salad ahead of time by whisking the dressing, and chopping and combining all of the ingredients, keeping the crushed tortilla chips and dressing to the side until you’re about ready to serve.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover taco salad in an airtight container for up to a day, keeping the dressing to the side. If the salad leftovers are already dressed, eat them ASAP as the ingredients will lose their texture and become mushy rather quickly.
Do not freeze this salad or its components, the textures will not be any good after defrosting. Best to eat this one as fresh as possible!

Nutrition