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.
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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.
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
- Prepare the quinoa taco meat.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Quinoa Taco Salad
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.
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!