This quinoa taco salad recipe is a unique vegan taco salad recipe with quinoa as the taco meat! You will love this delicious taco salad with beans and veggies and dressed in a vegan southwest dressing.
This quinoa taco salad recipe is one of my favorite lunches or quick weeknight dinners. This vegan salad is so easy to make; the flavors are incredible! And the vegan southwest dressing is to die for! So, dig into this mega superfood salad.
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I love quinoa in various recipes, but it is transformed into taco meat by cooking it with a few simple ingredients, then cooling it before adding it to the other ingredients in the vegan taco salad. The texture is fabulous and mimics a savory, meaty consistency.
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa is a seed classified as a pseudo-grain. Nutritionally, it is considered a whole grain and is also gluten-free.
There are many types of quinoa, but red, black, and white are the most popular. They vary in both color and nutrient composition.
Quinoa is packed with vitamins and minerals and contains more protein, fiber, and healthy fats than other grains.Just one cup (185 grams) of cooked quinoa is an excellent source of the following nutrients:
- Manganese: 58% of the RDI.
- Magnesium: 30% of the RDI.
- Phosphorous: 28% of the RDI.
- Folate: 19% of the RDI.
- Copper: 18% of the RDI.
- Iron: 15% of the RDI.
- Zinc: 13% of the RDI.
- Thiamin: 13% of the RDI.
- Riboflavin: 12% of the RDI.
- Vitamin B6: 11% of the RDI
And quinoa cooks so quickly and effortlessly that it’s one of my favorite ingredients to include in recipes.
Quinoa Taco Meat Ingredients
- Tri-Color Quinoa: This mixture of white, brown, and black quinoa.
- Red Onion: Red onions are sweet and sharp, and when they are sauteed into the quinoa, they caramelize and get even sweeter.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce comes in a can and can be found in the Mexican section of the grocery store. A small amount goes a LONG way. They are very spicy, so use sparingly. Use less than the recipe indicates, then add more to meet your preference.
- Tomato Paste: The tomato paste, though minimal, adds a lot of flavor to the quinoa taco meat.
- Vegetable Broth: I chose vegetable broth instead of water to flavor the quinoa and give it a deeper taste.
- Cumin: A small amount gives the taco meat a warm and earthy flavor.
Quinoa Taco Meat Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose any color of quinoa.
- White or yellow onions substitute red onions in the recipe.
- Tabasco Chipotle hot sauce, ranchero sauce, chili garlic sauce, or ancho chile paste substitutes chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce.
- Tomato sauce can replace tomato paste.
- Yondu mixed with water is similar to vegetable broth.
- Ground coriander is similar to cumin.
Quinoa Taco Salad Ingredients
- Escarole: Also known as broad-leaved endive, Bavarian endive, Batavian endive, and escarole has broad, curly green leaves and a slightly bitter flavor.
- Black Beans: Black beans are sturdy and a traditional addition to any type of taco salad
- Corn: I grilled the corn and cut it from the sobs, but you can also use canned or frozen cooked corn.
- Grape Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes contain fewer seeds than other tomatoes, helping to avoid sogginess in the salad.
- Avocado: Avocado adds a creaminess to the salad.
- CIlantro: Cilantro adds an earthy flavor as a garnish.
- Jalapenos: Jalapenos add a little spiciness to the salad ingredients.
Quinoa Taco Salad Ingredient Substitutions
- Use Romaine or chopped kale as an alternative green selection.
- Pinto beans are also very commonly used in Mexican cuisine.
- Canned or frozen cooked corn works well as a substitute for grilled corn.
- Cherry tomatoes are similar to grape tomatoes.
- Prepared guacamole is an excellent choice instead of fresh avocados.
- If you taste soap when you eat cilantro (this is common, believe it or not), use parsley or skip this ingredient.
- Serrano peppers are an alternative to jalapenos and are often less spicy. Or skip the jalapenos altogether.
Other Suggested Ingredients
How to Make Quinoa Taco Salad
Quinoa Taco Meat
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the quinoa to a dry pan to toast it.
- Stir the quinoa with a wooden spoon frequently for 5-7 minutes.
- The toasted quinoa will start popping, and it smells fabulous!
- Transfer the toasted quinoa to a bowl.
- Return the same pan to the stove top, and saute the red onion until translucent.
- If the onion sticks, add a small amount of water or vegetable broth to replace the onions.
- Add the chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce, cumin, lime juice and tomato paste.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the vegetable broth, stir, and let the tomato paste and peppers melt into the broth mixture.
- Now, add the toasted quinoa. Stir.
- Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
- The quinoa meat needs to cool completely before adding to the salad.
- For a quick and easy way to cool the quinoa, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Spread the quinoa in a thin layer on the baking sheet and allow to cool while preparing the salad ingredients.
Taco Salad
- Chop the Escarole or chosen greens and place them on the base of a large platter or in individual bowls.
- Prepare the other vegetables, rinse, and drain the black beans.
- I do not recommend adding the avocado to the salad until right before serving to prevent it from turning brown.
- I grilled the corn and cut it from the cobs, but canned or frozen cooked corn. can be used instead.
- Begin by layering the ingredients over the greens, starting with a generous amount of quinoa taco meat, followed by half of the other ingredients, and spreading the ingredients evenly over the greens.
- Repeat the process with the remaining half of the ingredients.
Vegan Southwest Dressing Ingredients
I used my quick and easy vegan southwest dressing for this quinoa taco salad recipe.
- Raw Cashews: Soak the raw cashews overnight, or for a quick and easy way to soften the cashews, boil them for 10 minutes. However, you can skip soaking and boiling with a high-quality blender.
- Fresh Salsa: I buy fresh salsa in the produce section or homemade salsa.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: The apple cider vinegar gives the dressing tanginess.
- Lime Juice: I prefer fresh lime juice. For extra lime flavor, add the lime zest as well. The lime juice cuts the acid in the vinegar and adds an extra citrus flavor.
- Water: The water is used to thin the dressing recipe if necessary (depending on the chunkiness of the salsa).
Vegan Southwest Dressing Substitutions
- ry silken tofu, white beans, or sunflower seeds for a nut-free option.
- Raw almonds also work as a substitute for raw cashews.
- Substitute jarred salsa for fresh salsa.
- Try pico de gallo instead of salsa.
- White vinegar is an excellent alternative to apple cider vinegar.
- Use bottled lime juice instead of fresh lime juice.
Recipe FAQs
Quinoa taco salad checks all the nutritional boxes; it is full of vegetables, fiber, healthy grains, and fats and dressed in a simple whole-foods dressing.
Mexican rice, vegan tortilla soup, refried beans, chips, and salsa.
Quinoa is a gluten-free whole-grain carbohydrate and a whole protein containing 9 essential amino acids.
Tips
- Toasting the quinoa removes the bitter taste and gives it a rich, nutty flavor and texture.
- Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce are VERY spicy, so start with a small amount and add more as desired. You can always add more spice, but remove it once it’s added. We like spicy, but not everyone shares the same taste.
- Do not add the avocado until right before serving to prevent the avocado from turning brown.
- Make the quinoa taco meat in advance to prevent having to wait for the quinoa to cool, or use the quick and easy method by spreading it on a baking sheet to cool quickly.
- If you don’t want the vegan southwest dressing, try Avocado Ranch Dressing, Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing, or Lemon Basil Dressing.
For a quick and easy weeknight meal or lunch for the week, try this quinoa taco salad recipe!
Quick Weeknight Vegan Meals
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📖 Recipe
Quinoa Taco Salad
This quinoa taco salad recipe is a unique vegan taco salad recipe with quinoa as the taco meat! You will love this delicious taco salad with beans and veggies and dressed in a vegan southwest dressing.
Ingredients
Vegan Southwest Salad Dressing
Instructions
Quinoa Taco Meat
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the quinoa to a dry pan to toast it.
Stir the quinoa with a wooden spoon frequently for 5-7 minutes.
The toasted quinoa will start popping, and it smells fabulous!
Transfer the toasted quinoa to a bowl.
Return the same pan to the stove top, and saute the red onion until translucent.
If the onion sticks, add a small amount of water or vegetable broth to replace the onions.
Add the chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce, cumin, lime juice and tomato paste.
Stir to combine.
Add the vegetable broth, stir, and let the tomato paste and peppers melt into the broth mixture.
Now, add the toasted quinoa. Stir.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
The quinoa meat needs to cool completely before adding to the salad.
For a quick and easy way to cool the quinoa, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Spread the quinoa in a thin layer on the baking sheet and allow to cool while preparing the salad ingredients.
Salad Ingredients
Chop the Escarole or chosen greens and place them on the base of a large platter or in individual bowls.
Prepare the other vegetables, rinse, and drain the black beans.
I do not recommend adding the avocado to the salad until right before serving to prevent it from turning brown.
I grilled the corn and cut it from the cobs, but canned or frozen cooked corn. can be used instead.
Begin by layering the ingredients over the greens, starting with a generous amount of quinoa taco meat, followed by half of the other ingredients, and spreading the ingredients evenly over the greens.
Repeat the process with the remaining half of the ingredients.
Notes
- Toasting the quinoa removes the bitter taste and gives it a rich, nutty flavor and texture.
- Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce are VERY spicy, so start with a small amount and add more as desired. You can always add more spice, but remove it once it’s added. We like spicy, but not everyone shares the same taste.
- Do not add the avocado until right before serving to prevent the avocado from turning brown.
- Make the quinoa taco meat in advance to prevent having to wait for the quinoa to cool, or use the quick and easy method by spreading it on a baking sheet to cool quickly.
- If you don’t want the vegan southwest dressing, try Avocado Ranch Dressing, Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing, or Lemon Basil Dressing.
Nutrition
Calories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 3gFat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 196mgPotassium: 594mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2260IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 1mg
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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