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This Healthy Taco Salad is quick and easy, loaded with plant based protein, and full of flavor and texture! The perfect summer weeknight meal. Drizzle it with my creamy southwest-flavored vegan ranch dressing for an extra flavor boost.
Summer evenings call for quick dinners that can be on the table with minimal effort. I think we all crave lighter fare and fresh ingredients when the temperatures rise, but that doesn’t mean we want the flavor to be lacking.
This Healthy Taco Salad is fast and easy, light and fresh, and bold and flavorful. It has lots of great texture to make your mouth happy.
Oh, and did I mention it’s also oil free, gluten free and, of course, vegan?!
Ingredients
I love crisp romaine or green leaf lettuce as a base for this dish.
Red bell pepper, corn, and avocado bring a plentitude of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants.
Black beans provide protein, fiber, and satiety.
I topped this healthy vegan taco salad recipe with crunchy roasted chickpeas instead of the usual tortilla strips. I loaded them up with flavor and crunch, but you won’t need any oil, making this taco salad a healthy and plant protein packed option.
Substitutions and adaptations
Extra veggies ~ Add in some onions, if you like, or diced jicama. Raw chopped zucchini is always great in Mexican-inspired dishes. An extra squeeze of lime over the whole thing would be delicious, too! And feel free to leave out any ingredient you don’t love.
Protein ~ You could substitute pinto beans or vegan refried beans for the black beans, if you prefer. Or try crumbled tempeh or store-bought vegan ground “beef” instead.
Add some heat ~ The spice mixture isn’t spicy hot, so it’s perfect for kids, too. If you’d like to add more heat, try adding ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder to the black beans, add a chopped jalapeño, or simply drizzle your salad with a little hot salsa.
Dressing ~ The vegan ranch dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge so it’s ready when you are. Feel free to use your favorite store-bought dressing in a pinch.
Toppings ~ Crushed tortilla chips, green onions, guacamole, salsa, shredded dairy-free cheese, or quick pickled red onions would all be great additional toppings.
Feeding a crowd? This recipe could easily be doubled or tripled.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
This vegetarian dinner salad couldn’t be easier to make.
- Roast chickpeas
- Sauté black beans w/ spices
- Layer lettuce and veggies on a plate
- Top with the black beans, dressing, and roasted chickpeas
- Devour!
How to serve
My Southwest Vegan Ranch is the perfect taco salad dressing. It’s cashew based and made with whole food ingredients.
The southwest flavors are subtle, making it the perfect sauce for just about anything. Try it with these reader favorite Buffalo Chickpea Taquitos or this hearty Meatless Taco Chili.
More easy vegan summer recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Healthy Taco Salad
Ingredients
Black Beans
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans rinsed and drained (or 1.5 cups cooked black beans)]
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne optional
- ¼ cup water
Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas rinsed, drained and dried really well (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas)]
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Salad
- 1 head green leaf or romaine lettuce chopped
- 1-2 chopped tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
Dressing
- 1 batch Southwest Vegan Ranch Dressing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss chickpeas with the chili powder, cumin, salt and cinnamon.
- Place chickpeas on a baking sheet in one even layer and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking them around ½ way through. Chickpeas should be slightly crunchy…they will continue to crisp up as they cool. Set aside.
- Toss the black beans with all the spices and warm in a pan over medium heat with ¼ cup water. Stir occasionally until warmed through, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- To assemble the salad, toss the lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, avocado and corn in a large bowl. Plate the lettuce mixture on each individual plate or bowl. Add the black beans to the individual servings and top with the crunchy roasted chickpeas. Drizzle with the Southwest Vegan Ranch Dressing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Sarah says
I’ve made this salad several times and am never disappointed. I had to add my review because I finally made the southwest ranch and I am happily surprised! It made the dish. Thanks for sharing!
Jenn Sebestyen says
That’s wonderful, Sarah! Thank you so much for your feedback!
Emma says
Can you recommend another dressing for this salad? Unfortunately cashews hurt my stomach, and I can’t seem to find a conversion table for products you can substitute like tofu. Thanks!
Jenn Sebestyen says
Hi, Emma! I’m thinking you could use vegan mayo in place of the cashews and reduce the water…you may only need a few tablespoons of water, if any at all. I’m going to try it in the morning and see if it works and I’ll report back. Or any store-bought ranch that you like would work.
Jenn Sebestyen says
Ok, so here is what I did: 1 cup vegan mayo instead of cashews, only 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder instead of a garlic clove (because I just whisked it all together instead of blending), no water. All other ingredients were the same. You can add a touch more lemon juice if you want for a little more tang, but add only 1/4 teaspoon at a time because it can overwhelm quickly. You can add a tablespoon or two of water if needed to thin. It was delicious! I’m thinking I might have to write up a new post for regular ranch done this way…it’s so easy! Enjoy!
Kristen says
Yummy! Great salad. Will make again. I added red onion for a little bite and cilantro for freshness. As a heads up, a little dressing goes a long way!
Jenn Sebestyen says
So glad you love it, Kristen! Thank you!
Lisa says
Amazing salad. Love It! The dressing is awesome.
Jenn S. says
Thank you!
Lisa says
Oh my goodness, this is probably the best salad I’ve ever had. The dressing is awesome! Thank you for this wonderful salad recipe. Love it.
Jenn S. says
Thank you so much, Lisa! I love hearing that – so happy you love it!
Olayinka says
hi Jenn! I was wondering how much is the serving size according to the nutritional facts?
Thanks!!
Jenn S. says
Hi! The nutrition facts were calculated based on 1/4 of the recipe. Enjoy!
Sara says
This salad was amaaaaazing! Even my husband loved it and he is one of those guys that usually just doesn’t feel quite satiated with no meat.
I didn’t use any dressing and I don’t think I will. I topped with salsa, a squeezed lime and a touch of cilantro instead. So good! Oh and I ate it with Tortilla chips as well.
This will definitely be on the regular rotation now 🙂
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Sara! So happy you both loved it! Love the idea of topping it with salsa, lime and cilantro – sounds perfect!! Although, I highly recommend you try the Cumin Ranch Dressing at some point – it’s so good!! 🙂 Have a great week!
Visiedieni says
So yummy. Loved the flavor and the texture of it. Very nice taco salad. Will definitely make it again.
Jenn S. says
Hi, Visiedieni. Thank you so much! Happy to hear you liked it.
Sara says
My husband and I both really liked this – especially the chickpeas since they provided a different texture. We used frozen corn from the garden and stirred it in with the black beans. We’ll probably double the black bean mixture the next time, because we ran out of it. This is the first time that I’ve made the dressing; I’ll be making again for other purposes. Thanks for the YUM!
Jenn S. says
Yes, I love those crunchy chickpeas! Thanks, Sara! I’m so happy you both loved it. That dressing is a weekly staple around here. 🙂
Becky Striepe says
This looks so good. I love taco salads!
Jenn S. says
Me too! So much flavor! Thanks, Becky!
Kelly says
What a great salad, and those crispy chickpeas on top are the piece de resistance. Love your crisping method. Will have to give it a try!
Jenn S. says
Salads always need a crunchy topping! Thanks, Kelly! Enjoy!