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Overhead view of a round white high walled plate filled with vegan taco salad with walnut taco meat, half an avocado, cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of tortilla chips, and a drizzle of cheesy taco salad dressing

Meatless Taco Salad

Brittany Roche
You’ve never had a vegan taco salad like this before! Our version skips the stove and still brings bold, meaty flavor, creamy queso vibes, and a crunch party in every bite. No sad desk salads here! This one’s got all the fixings, no cooking required.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine No-Cook, Salads
Servings 4 servings
Calories 311 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the dressing:

  • 1 (10.9-oz) container Mori-Nu silken tofu extra firm
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/3 cup salsa
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1 chipotle pepper from a can*
  • 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

For the walnut meat:

  • 1 cup raw walnuts soaked in cool water 20 minutes
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp minced red onion
  • 2 Tbsp salsa
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tbsp Gravy Master

For the salad base:

  • 2 heads romaine chopped
  • 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1/2 large jalapeño minced (optional)
  • 1/2 medium red onion minced

For the toppings (mix and match based on your preferences):

  • Vegan shredded cheese
  • Cherry tomatoes halved
  • Avocado diced
  • Crushed tortilla chips

Instructions
 

Step 1: Make the queso.

  • Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Make the walnut “beef”.

  • After soaking the walnuts, drain them and add them to your food processor along with the rest of the walnut meat ingredients.
  • Pulse the ingredients in the food processor 8-12 times until they are combined and a ground meat texture.

Step 3: Make the salad base.

  • To a large salad bowl, add the chopped romaine, shredded lettuce, minced jalapeno, and minced red onion. Toss to combine.
  • Then, add about 1/3 of the dressing. Toss again to combine.

Step 4: Assemble each salad.

  • Split the salad base into either 2 huge salads or 4 medium salads.
  • Top each salad with your desired amount of the walnut beef, vegan cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and tortilla chips.
  • Drizzle each salad with your desired amount of dressing and enjoy!

Notes

  • Use cool water to soak walnuts. Warm or hot water makes them too soft!
  • Can’t do onions? Skip them or soak red onions in cold water for 10–15 minutes to mellow the bite.
  • Customize toppings based on what’s in your fridge. This is a great clean-out-the-veggie-drawer salad!
  • Want to serve a crowd? Set up an assembly line taco salad bar so everyone can build their own bowl!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 the salad with walnut meat and dressing before extra toppingsCalories: 311kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 12gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 849mgPotassium: 1192mgFiber: 12gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 27862IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 5mg
Keyword taco salad, vegan salad, vegetarian taco salad, walnut taco meat
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