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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.
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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 you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Leafy greens ~ I love crisp romaine or green leaf lettuce as a base for this dish. Red leaf lettuce or butter lettuce would both work well, too.
- Veggies ~ Red bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, and avocado bring a plentitude of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants.
Raw corn cut from the cob at its peak in the summer is so delicious, but canned corn (drained and rinsed) or thawed frozen corn will also work.
Feel free to chop large tomatoes, like beefsteak tomatoes or roma tomatoes, or use halved cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes.
- Protein ~ Black beans provide protein, fiber, and satiety. You could substitute pinto beans or vegan refried beans for the black beans, if you prefer, or try my similar Spicy Seasoned Black Beans. Or try crumbled tempeh or store-bought vegan ground “beef” instead.
- Toppings ~ 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 making this taco salad a healthy and plant protein packed option.
More topping options: Crushed tortilla chips, sliced green onions, guacamole, salsa, shredded dairy-free cheese, fresh cilantro, or quick pickled red onions.
- Dressing ~ My Southwest Vegan Ranch is the perfect taco salad dressing. It’s cashew based and made with whole food ingredients easily in a high-speed blender.
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.
It 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 or for a nut-free option, try my Hemp Seed Dressing.
- Extras ~ Add in some onions, if you like, or diced jicama. Raw chopped zucchini is always great in Mexican-inspired dishes, like in these Vegan Enchiladas. 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.
- Add some heat ~ The spice mixture has a bit of a kick, but it isn’t too spicy hot, especially once mixed with all of the salad ingredients. If you’d like to add more heat, try adding ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder to the chickpeas or extra cayenne to the black beans, add a chopped jalapeño, or simply drizzle your salad with a little hot salsa. On the other hand, if you’re opposed to spicy heat, leave out the cayenne altogether.
- 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.
- Step 1: Toss the chickpeas with spices until well coated.
- Step 2: Roast the seasoned chickpeas until crisp.
- Step 3: Sauté the black beans with spices in a skillet until warmed through.
- Step 4: Make the southwest ranch dressing.
- Step 7: Assemble the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Step 8: Drizzle the salad dressing over the black bean taco salad.
Serving Suggestions
This vegetarian dinner salad is hearty enough to be a meal all on its own. However, if you want to stretch it even further, try serving it with one of these tasty options.
- With other Mexican-inspired favorites: Vegan Fajitas, Mexican Burgers, or Crispy Cauliflower Tacos.
- With soup: Summer Corn Chowder, Cold Cucumber Soup, or Vegan White Bean Chili.
- With a sandwich: Pesto Tofu Sandwich, Veggie Hummus Sandwich, or Vegan BLT Sandwich.
Storage
Meal prep: The crispy roasted chickpeas, seasoned black beans, and vegan ranch dressing can all be made ahead of time. Store the roasted chickpeas in an airtight container on the counter. Make sure the chickpeas are completely cooled before transferring them to a container.
Fridge: If possible, store ingredients separately.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this salad.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Prep the black beans, roasted chickpeas, and salad dressing in advance so all you have to do is assemble when you’re ready to serve.
~ A bit of oil will make the chickpeas super crispy and help bring out the most flavor in the spiced black beans. However, if you need an oil-free option, leave it out.
~ Add any extra vegetables you like. Leave out the ones you don’t.
~ Any any toppings you like. Options may include: sliced green onions, shredded dairy-free cheese, fresh cilantro, or pickled red onions.
More easy vegan dinner salads
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Healthy Taco Salad
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas rinsed, drained and dried really well (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas)]
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Black Beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne optional
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans rinsed and drained (or 1.5 cups cooked black beans)]
- ¼ cup water
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
For the crunchy roasted chickpeas
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss chickpeas with the oil, chili powder, cumin, salt and cinnamon.
- Place chickpeas on a baking sheet in one even layer and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking them around ½ way through. Chickpeas should be slightly crunchy…they will continue to crisp up as they cool. Set aside.
For the black beans
- Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the spices and sauté, stirring constantly, for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Add the beans and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 5 to 6 minutes.
For the salad
- To assemble, toss the lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, avocado and corn in a large bowl. Plate the lettuce and veggies 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 facts calculated without Southwest Vegan Ranch Dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Sarah
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
That’s wonderful, Sarah! Thank you so much for your feedback!
Emma
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
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
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
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
So glad you love it, Kristen! Thank you!
Lisa
Amazing salad. Love It! The dressing is awesome.
Jenn S.
Thank you!
Lisa
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.
Thank you so much, Lisa! I love hearing that – so happy you love it!
Olayinka
hi Jenn! I was wondering how much is the serving size according to the nutritional facts?
Thanks!!
Jenn S.
Hi! The nutrition facts were calculated based on 1/4 of the recipe. Enjoy!
Sara
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.
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
So yummy. Loved the flavor and the texture of it. Very nice taco salad. Will definitely make it again.
Jenn S.
Hi, Visiedieni. Thank you so much! Happy to hear you liked it.
Sara
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.
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
This looks so good. I love taco salads!
Jenn S.
Me too! So much flavor! Thanks, Becky!
Kelly
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.
Salads always need a crunchy topping! Thanks, Kelly! Enjoy!