This Quinoa Taco Salad has everything you love about taco salad without all the meat and calories!
I’m not exactly an over-grammar when it comes to Instagram.
Truth be told I tend to eat the same things most of the time, and that just gets boring visually. One of the things I just can’t stop eating is this Quinoa Taco Salad. This is maybe the only thing that I over-gram (mostly in my stories), because 1. I eat it all the time, and 2. It’s the most beautiful thing on earth (aside from maybe my little squish).
If you’re actually into over-gramming, you can head over to my personal Instagram where I’m currently having a love affair with trees. For real. My interests are many and varied.
Quinoa Taco Salad is everything you love about that meaty restaurant classic in the crunchy tortilla bowl, but lightened up and veggie-fied. Instead of frying a whole bowl we’re baking corn tortilla strips (gluten-free, hey-o!) and we’re swapping the creepy crumbled ground beef with Dana’s unbelievable Quinoa Taco Meat. I’m just sending you straight over there for the recipe because it can’t be improved upon, but can be put in my favorite salad.
Please don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients here. You’re basically just grabbing all the fresh ingredients you can find and throwing them in a bowl. A bowl of delicious, creamy, crunchy, healthy, vegetarian goodness.
There are so many ways to customize this! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Leave off the sour cream and cheese to make it vegan
- Skip the tortilla strips and wrap it all in a burrito, with or without the lettuce
- Stuff everything into soft or hard taco shells
- Use whatever fresh veggies you have on hand such as zucchini, onions, or bell peppers
- If you don’t feel like making quinoa taco meat, substitute crumbled black bean patties or store bought veggie crumbles
- Replace the lettuce with any sturdy leafy green such as kale or spinach
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Quinoa Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 6 corn tortillas
- Cooking Spray
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Quinoa Taco Meat
- 1 head romaine Lettuce,, chopped
- 4 radishes,, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes,, halved
- 1 jalapeno,, minced
- 1 cup frozen corn,, thawed
- 1 cup monterey jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese
- 1 avocado,, sliced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup cilantro,, roughly chopped
- 2 limes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Cut corn tortillas in half, then turn 90 degrees and cut six even strips, making 12 strips total for each tortilla. Spread evenly onto a large rimmed baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking oil. Sprinkle evenly with chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake 12-15 minutes or until crisp and just beginning to turn golden brown.
- While the tortilla strips are baking, prepare the quinoa.
- After taking the tortilla strips out, turn the oven down to 375ºF and bake the quinoa according to the recipe instructions.
- To assemble the salads, layer quinoa, lettuce, radish, tomatoes, jalapeño, corn, cilantro, cheese, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and tortilla strips, tossing it all together if desired. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Claire says
Yummy!
Jamie Bevia @ Lettuce Eat Veggies says
Beautiful, and so much cleaner than actual tacos! =)
Lindsay Moe says
Thank you Jamie!
Bethany @ athletic avocado says
I can totally understand why you have this meal on repeat, you can NEVER go wrong with a good ole taco salad! I love that you improvised with the quinoa meat, making it even more unique and nutrient dense 🙂
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks Bethany!