VEGETARIAN TACO SALAD WITH CHIPOTLE RANCH DRESSING RECIPE

On a beautiful summer day, there’s nothing I crave more than a fresh salad with a yummy dressing. Not all salads are created equal though, and sometimes I need something a little heartier than my typical salad. On those days, I turn to my trusty vegetarian taco salad recipe. Crunchy butter lettuce is topped with juicy tomatoes, fresh corn, and creamy avocado, and the addition of flavorful meatless crumbles seasoned with taco seasoning makes it heartier than your average salad. A zesty chipotle ranch dressing comes together in minutes and pulls it all together!

There are some recipes that feel perfect after just one or two tries, and some that take what feels like a million tries to get perfect. This recipe falls into the second camp – I’ve made at least a dozen iterations of it, but I finally feel like I’ve found the perfect one that balances fresh veggies with a creamy and flavorful dressing. This salad is perfect for a summer day when you’re craving Mexican flavors but it’s way too humid out to even think about steaming hot tacos. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Vegetarian Taco Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

25

minutes

This vegetarian taco salad is full of flavor and comes together in less than 30 minutes! I prefer it with meatless crumbles, but if you aren’t into meat substitutes it’s also great with black beans. See the notes at the end of the recipe if you decide to use black beans instead! This is a great salad for the hot days of summer when you just want something that’s filling but refreshing.

Ingredients

• For the Salad:

• 1 head butter lettuce, washed and chopped (should be about 8 cups)

• 2 ears corn, cut off the cob

• 2 avocados, diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 4 corn tortillas

• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

• 1 12 oz bag meatless crumbles (optional, I like Morningstar Farms brand)

• 1 TBSP taco seasoning

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• For the Chipotle Ranch Dressing:

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 tsp dried dill

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 TBSP lime juice

• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped

• 1 clove minced garlic

• 2-3 TBSP water

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut the tortillas into 1/2 inch strips and add to a small bowl. Mix in 1 TBSP olive oil and stir until evenly coated.
• Carefully lay tortilla strips out in an even layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Prepare the dressing by adding all dressing ingredients to a blender or Magic Bullet and blending until smooth.
• Now it’s time to prepare the meatless crumbles. Add 1 TBSP olive oil to a medium pan and heat over medium-high heat for about a minute. Stir in the crumbles and cook, covered, for about 2 minutes until completely thawed and cooked through. Remove the lid and add in the taco seasoning, stirring until fully incorporated.
• Finally, assemble the salads. Separate the lettuce among four bowls and top with corn, tomatoes, avocado, meatless crumbles, tortilla strips, and shredded cheese. Finish with a drizzle of dressing and enjoy!

Notes

• If you aren’t a fan of meat replacement products, black beans are a great alternative for this recipe. Just drain and rinse a 15 oz can of black beans and heat for a few minutes over low heat. Mix in 1 TBSP taco seasoning and add to the salad!