Name: Easy Vegan Taco Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Tex Mex
Ingredients: 1 recipe Vegan Walnut Taco Meat; 3 romaine lettuce hearts (enough for 8 cups chopped); 1 cup canned corn, drained; 1 handful ripe cherry tomatoes or pico de gallo (purchased or homemade); 1 ripe avocado or 1 cup guacamole; 2 handfuls finely chopped red onion or thinly sliced green onion, or both; Crushed tortilla chips (about 1 handful per serving); For the dressing: Salsa, Chipotle Sauce, Taco Sauce, or Cilantro Sauce; Optional toppings: easy black beans or refried beans, black bean and corn salad, pickled jalapenos or pickled onions

Need plant based dinner ideas? Try this Vegan Taco Salad recipe! It stars walnut taco meat and a zingy chipotle dressing.

On the lookout for plant-based dinner ideas? Vegan Taco Salad to the rescue! This genius recipe comes to you by the magic of Walnut Taco Meat: a tasty way to make a plant-based version of ground beef. Turns out, walnuts, mushrooms and spices do a spot on job of simulating the savory goodness of meat crumbles. Add to that fresh veggies and a zingy sauce, and you’ve got a hearty meal that everyone will enjoy: including meat lovers!

Walnut taco meat actually tastes like…meat!

The key to a vegan taco salad is the taco meat. It’s just not a taco salad without it, right? Using black beans makes it more like a burrito bowl. This vegan taco salad shines because of the genius that is Walnut Taco Meat. When we created this recipe, we were blown away by the way the spices simulated the real thing. Here’s the basic idea of how it works:

Chop walnuts and mushrooms very finely to the texture resembling ground beef.
Add savory seasonings to amp the “umami” flavor of these ingredients.
Saute the mixture until it is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in a little olive oil to approximate the richness of ground beef.

You can make up a skillet in just 15 minutes! It’s fast and easy, making this recipe a great easy vegan dinner idea.

Components in this vegan taco salad

What else fills out this vegan taco salad recipe? Here’s what you’ll need to make it into a meal:

Taco meat: Make the vegan walnut taco meat and prepare to be amazed.
Dressing or sauce: If you’re lazy, simply top wtih salsa. Or mix up our Chipotle Sauce or Taco Sauce (see below).
Veggies: You’ve got to have romaine lettuce, canned corn, and either tomatoes or pico de gallo.
Optional toppers: Beans, cheese, avocado, etc are all optional! Add Easy Black Beans or Vegan Refried Beans for an extra filling salad. You could so try our quick Black Bean and Corn Salad.
Tortilla chips: Chips are absolutely required for a taco salad recipe: both for the crunch and the corn flavor. Do not omit!

Top it with a vegan sauce or dressing!

Our Classic Taco Salad recipe features our Taco Salad Dressing, a genius mix of salsa and sour cream that forms a super fast dressing. You could always make this with vegan sour cream or cashew cream, but here are a few other options we prefer!

Chipotle sauce: This fast and easy Chipotle Sauce is quick to whip up and vegan by way of tahini.
Salsa: If you’re in a rush, simply top the salad with salsa. It actually does the job and tastes great!
Taco sauce: You can also use purchased or homemade taco sauce.
Cilantro sauce: A favorite sauce of ours is this Cilantro Sauce! It requires soaking cashews so is easiest to make in advance: but it’s absolutely worth it for the creamy, tangy flavor.

What to serve with vegan taco salad

Making a filling vegan meal can be difficult. This vegan taco salad is pretty filling on its own, but even more so with a side dish! Here are some ideas:

Cornbread: This Easy Vegan Cornbread is easy to make a beautifully fluffy and delicious. It’s a fan favorite!
Chips & salsa or guacamole: Put less chips in your salad so you can enjoy them with salsa or homemade guacamole on the side.
Margaritas: All of these Best Margarita Recipes are vegan! Try everything from a Classic, Creamy Coconut, or Prickly Pear and more.

More go-to vegan dinner recipes

It can be hard to find vegan dinner recipes that are filling and satisfying. (We know from experience!) This vegan taco salad is one of our all time favorites! Here are a few more favorite recipes you might enjoy:

Try our fan favorite Quick Vegan Curry or Thai-style Coconut Tofu Curry
Whip up a Black Bean Vegan Burrito
Try these tasty Sheet Pan Vegan Fajitas
Go for pasta with Vegan Pasta Primavera or Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
Grab Easy Tofu Tacos
Try a stir fry like Cauliflower Stir Fry or Go-To Tofu Stir Fry
Pick from one of these 8 Great Vegan Sandwiches

This vegan taco salad recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.