Like many recipes, this one may remind you of your childhood. Taco salad was something many vegetarian cooking mothers would make for everyone and be sure there would be no leftovers. Although, the leftovers are really good, even cold.
This is a very flexible recipe. It is hard to go wrong with this if you just follow your taste preferences and add more or less of what you like! After doing this once or twice, you won’t need the recipe anymore, you will just throw it together in a pinch.
Really minimal measuring is required and it is very flexible and customizable. Add more or less of what you like/don’t like.
Enjoy!
Easy Vegetarian Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips (you will need about 1/3 to 1/2 of a big bag)
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce
- 2 tomatoes, diced, sliced or wedged– your choice
- 1 onion- red or white, or a combination- chopped. Add more onion if you like onion.
- 1 small can of sliced olives, drained
- 1 bottle of Thousand Island dressing
- 1 bag of Morningstar Farms meal starters veggie crumbles (or your favorite one-pound-of-ground-beef substitute)
- 3 tablespoons of Taco Seasoning Mix
- 1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed well
- 2 cups (or more) of shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional, avocado slices
Instructions
Throw the onion into a frying pan on medium heat with a little oil and cook until the onions are a little translucent. Use your judgment on this one, if you like really tender onions, cook them longer. If you like them raw, just give it a couple of minutes. Add the veggie crumbles, and stir it all up until is nice and hot.
Sprinkle the taco seasoning mix evenly into the pan, add enough water to moisten and integrate the seasoning into the mixture, and stir really well. I use about 1/2 cup of water but will add more if needed. It should be enough to thoroughly wet the mixture, but not to drench it in a puddle. Once the mix is well incorporated, stir in the can of kidney beans, and turn the heat down to simmer off the extra water. Your house smells nice.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, grab a big handful of tortilla chips and break them all up into pieces. I would say, postage stamp size and larger pieces, but no whole chips. I do this with my hands. Its not science, just throw them in there. Chop up your head of lettuce and add to the bowl. Dump in the olives, tomatoes, and cheese. Honestly, I don’t even measure the cheese, I just grab two big handfuls and throw it in there. Yes, I did wash my hands, thank you.
Drizzle about a half-bottle of Thousand Island dressing over the top of your salad and toss it well. It will look quite wet and that is okay.
By now, your crumbles are probably done simmering, and the kidney beans are hot and tender, remove from the heat and dump everything right into your bowl and mix it up really well. Then, I like to top the whole thing with a layer of cheese.
To serve, use wide bowls if you have them, or plates are fine too. Put a few whole chips on the plate and then scoop some taco salad right on top of it. People in my family like to break up more chips and stir them into the salad. Some add more cheese or dressing.
If you are adding avocado, don’t add them to the bowl; instead, put the slices on top of each serving; do this at the last minute so it doesn’t get too mushy.
Notes:
This takes about 30 minutes to pull together if you don’t waste time searching for a lost can of kidney beans.
This recipe serves about 6 people, including several second helpings.
The longer the salad sits the soggier the chips get, but they actually are really good in this context, and that is why this makes a pretty great leftover because you can eat it right out of the fridge. Add some fresh chips and its even better. A good combo of flavor and textures.