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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Salad Recipes

    Easy Vegan Taco Salad with Chimichurri Dressing

    Apr 3, 2023 by Becky Striepe
    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    vegan taco salad with veggies, beans, corn, tortilla chips, and chimichurri
    vegan taco salad with veggies, beans, corn, tortilla chips, and chimichurri, text overlay
    vegan taco bowl ingredients in the bowl, before adding dressing, so you can see how to prep them

    A fully-loaded vegan taco salad packed with veggies, black beans, and corn topped with flavorful chimichurri sauce is a total crowd-pleaser!

    vegan taco salad with veggies, beans, corn, tortilla chips, and chimichurri
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • How to make vegan taco salad
    • Storage directions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • More green salad recipes
    • Vegan Taco Salad Recipe

    I love the versatility of a vegan taco salad. You can really have fun with this recipe! Use the toppings exactly as written, or mix and match to use what you have on hand.

    This taco salad is very loosely based on the one that I get a restaurant here in Atlanta, where they offer chimichurri sauce as a salad dressing option. I have to tell you: bright, zesty chimichurri makes an amazing taco salad dressing!

    cilantro, parsley, and other chimichurri ingredients in bowls on a blue table

    Ingredients and substitutions

    I'm going to list the vegan taco salad ingredients by category, so you can get a feel for how to do substitutions and still end up with results you like.

    • chimichurri ingredients - I wouldn't do any substitutions here. If you don't want to make chimichuri, feel free to use other salad dressings that you like! Tahini ranch is a great option, as is citrus vinaigrette.
    • greens - Use whatever greens you like as the base for this vegan taco salad recipe! I like to use spring mix, but you can use baby spinach, chopped romaine lettuce, etc.
    • black beans - This is your protein. Feel free to use other plant-based proteins here. Pinto beans are a great substitute, as is vegan chorizo, if you want a taco meat-like experience.
    • corn, tomatoes, avocado, bell pepper - I just love a colorful salad! Feel free to use all of these or swap in similar amounts of your favorite raw or cooked veggies. You can also increase the amount of one veggie, if you want to use more of it in place of another.
    • onion - A little onion adds crunch and umami to this vegan taco salad. Sweet onion or green onion are great substitutes.
    • tortilla chips - Speaking of CRUNCH! Tortilla chips round out this salad and give it that hard shell taco vibe. You can omit them, if you want, but I love how they add texture to this recipe.
    vegan taco bowl ingredients in the bowl, before adding dressing, so you can see how to prep them

    How to make vegan taco salad

    Making this vegan taco bowl is so EASY!

    I like to start by making my chimichurri. Add all of the dressing ingredients to your blender or food processor, and run until you have a somewhat-smooth mixture.

    To make the salad, start by laying down a bed of greens. Then, arrange the black beans, corn, tomato, avocado, bell pepper, and onion on top.

    Next, drizzle on the chimichurri. You'll probably use around half the sauce to serve this salad. Serve the rest on the side, so people can add more dressing, if they want.

    Garnish each bowl with a small handful of tortilla chips, and dinner is served!

    There are truly 15 minutes standing between you and vegan taco bowl goodness.

    Storage directions

    Store leftover salad separate from the dressing. Keep the salad in a covered container and the dressing in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

    Leftover salad will keep for one to two days, depending on what greens and veggies you used. If you have dressing left over, it will keep for about a week.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I make this as a meal prep?

    Absolutely. If you are going to make this as a meal prep, pack the dressing in a separate container. I'd also recommend packing the avocado separately and adding a squeeze of lime juice, so they don't brown overnight.

    Is this recipe gluten-free?

    Yes! As long as you chose gluten-free tortilla chips, you're good to go.

    What is chimichurri?

    Chimichurri is a spicy Argentinian sauce with a rich history. It's traditionally served alongside meat dishes, but it brings a zesty, bright flavor to vegetable dishes, as well.

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      Crunchy Kale and Broccoli Salad
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    vegan taco salad with veggies, beans, corn, tortilla chips, and chimichurri

    Vegan Taco Salad Recipe

    A fully-loaded, 15-minute vegan taco salad packed with veggies, black beans, and corn topped with flavorful chimichurri sauce is a total crowd-pleaser!
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    Course: Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: taco salad, vegan taco salad
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 499kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    For the Chimichurri

    • ½ cup olive oil
    • ½ cup red wine vinegar
    • ½ cup fresh parsley leaves - Some stems are OK, but get rid of any large, woody stems.
    • ½ cup fresh cilantro - Some stems are OK, but get rid of any large, woody stems.
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano - or 2 tablespoons fresh
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 1 medium shallot - quartered
    • 1 Fresno, serrano, or jalapeno pepper - see note
    • salt and pepper - to taste

    For the Taco Salad

    • 8 cups spring mix - or baby spinach
    • 1 15-ounce can of black beans - drained and rinsed
    • 1 cup frozen corn - thawed
    • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes - or chopped tomato
    • 1 Haas avocado - chopped
    • 1 orange pepper - diced
    • ½ cup diced red onion
    • 4 ounces tortilla chips

    Instructions

    For the Chimichurri

    • Combine all of the sauce ingredients in your blender, except the salt and pepper, and puree until you have a somewhat-smooth mixture. A little bit of texture is totally ok! Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    For the Taco Salad

    • Divide the spring mix between 4 large salad bowls. Top with the beans, veggies, and tortilla chips and drizzle on the chimichurri. Serve with extra chimichurri on the side.

    Equipment

    • Blender

    Video

    Notes

    You will probably only need about ½ of the chimichurri to dress your salad. The nutritional information assumes that you use half of the sauce. The leftover sauce will keep for about a week in the fridge in an airtight container. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Taco Salad Recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    499
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    23
    g
    35
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    15
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    15
    g
    Sodium
     
    562
    mg
    23
    %
    Potassium
     
    1140
    mg
    33
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    63
    g
    21
    %
    Fiber
     
    15
    g
    60
    %
    Sugar
     
    4
    g
    4
    %
    Protein
     
    14
    g
    28
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    2662
    IU
    53
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    82
    mg
    99
    %
    Calcium
     
    122
    mg
    12
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

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    About Me

    photo of Becky Striepe
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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