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    Home » Vegetarian Mexican Recipes

    Quinoa Taco Salad

    Lindsay Moe

    583 shares
    Quinoa Taco Salad - This is the tastiest way to eat all the veggies! This vegetarian bowl is given a spicy kick with the addition of quinoa taco meat! Recipe at theliveinkitchen.com

    This Quinoa Taco Salad has everything you love about taco salad without all the meat and calories! It uses a tasty quinoa taco meat, veggies, and homemade tortilla strips.

    a fork grabbing some quinoa taco salad out of a bowl
    Jump to Recipe

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to make quinoa taco salad
    • Top tips
    • Tips for customizing quinoa taco salad
    • FAQ
    • More quinoa recipes
    • Recipe

    One thing most people don’t realize is that even though I run a food blog, I’m kind of a picky eater.

    Truth be told I tend to eat the same things most of the time, and that can be a little boring. One of the things I just can’t stop eating is this quinoa taco salad.

    This quinoa taco bowl 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 it 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.

    two bowls of quinoa taco salad.

    Ingredients

    • Corn tortillas
    • Chili powder
    • Salt
    • Quinoa taco meat
    • Lettuce
    • Radishes
    • Tomatoes
    • Jalapeno
    • Corn
    • Cheese
    • Avocado
    • Sour cream
    • Cilantro
    • Lime juice

    How to make quinoa taco salad

    1. Prepare the quinoa taco meat.
    2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
    3. Cut corn tortillas in half, then turn 90 degrees and cut six even strips, making 12 strips total for each tortilla.
    4. Spread evenly onto a large rimmed baking sheet and spray lightly with cooking oil. Sprinkle evenly with chili powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bake 12-15 minutes or until crisp and just beginning to turn golden brown.
    5. 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.
    a bowl of vegetarian quinoa taco salad

    Top tips

    Prep the vegetarian taco meat ahead

    The quinoa taco meat is what takes the most time to cook here. You need to cook quinoa, then mix it with the seasonings and bake it in the oven.

    Keep this in mind as you’re planning ahead. You could cook the quinoa in the morning and finish turning it into taco meat at dinner time, or prep the taco meat entirely on the weekend and have dinner ready in 15-20 minutes with the leftovers.

    two bowls of vegetarian quinoa taco salad on a white table.

    Don’t burn the tortilla strips

    Tortilla strips cook quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Of course you could deep fry tortilla strips if you prefer, or buy packaged tortilla strips.

    close up photo of vegetables, quinoa taco meat, sour cream, cheese, and tortilla strips in a white bowl

    Tips for customizing quinoa taco salad

    • 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

    FAQ

    Does quinoa taco meat contain meat?

    No, quinoa taco meat is vegetarian and vegan. It is used in a way similar to ground beef taco meat, which is where it gets its name.

    Does quinoa taco meat taste and feel like meat?

    No, it definitely has the texture of quinoa, not meat. I love the flavor and think it is very satisfying and “taco” tasting, but does not have a meaty flavor.

    How many calories are in quinoa taco salad?

    Each serving of this recipe is roughly 500 calories. For comparison, a taco salad at a restaurant with a deep fried tortilla bowl can clock in at 1000 calories or higher!

    More quinoa recipes

    • Crispy Quinoa Bake
    • Italian Quinoa Casserole
    • Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
    • Instant Pot Quinoa
    • Rainbow Quinoa Salad
    • Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
    • Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad
    • Vegan Quinoa Salad with Balsamic Tofu
    • How to Cook Quinoa
    • Vegan Tofu Bowl
    • Hummus Bowls

    If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

    a small white bowl of quinoa taco meat

    If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

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    Recipe

    Quinoa Taco Salad - This is the tastiest way to eat all the veggies! This vegetarian bowl is given a spicy kick with the addition of quinoa taco meat! Recipe at theliveinkitchen.com

    Quinoa Taco Salad

    A fresh and flavorful Mexican spiced quinoa salad.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 409kcal
    Author: Lindsay Moe

    Ingredients

    • 6 corn tortillas
    • Cooking Spray
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • ¼ 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
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • ¼ 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 ¼ 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.

    Notes

    Nutritional information does not include quinoa taco meat. Please refer to the linked recipe to add that nutritional information.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 991mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 14785IU | Vitamin C: 33.5mg | Calcium: 346mg | Iron: 3.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

    More Vegetarian Mexican Recipes

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      Healthy Baked Nachos
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      Vegetarian Burrito Bowl
    • jackfruit tortilla soup in a bowl topped with sour cream, cheese, jalapeno, and tortilla strips.
      Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
    • close up image of a bowl with vegetarian chorizo nachos with lime crema.
      Vegetarian Chorizo Nachos with Lime Crema

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Claire says

      July 16, 2017 at 8:37 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy!

      Reply
    2. Jamie Bevia @ Lettuce Eat Veggies says

      July 20, 2017 at 3:15 am

      Beautiful, and so much cleaner than actual tacos! =)

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        July 26, 2017 at 12:22 pm

        Thank you Jamie!

        Reply
    3. Bethany @ athletic avocado says

      July 20, 2017 at 8:53 am

      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 🙂

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        July 26, 2017 at 12:23 pm

        Thanks Bethany!

        Reply

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    lindsay moe in a kitchen with glasses on shelves behind her

    Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

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    583 shares