I love a good salad, and it is nice to have different salad options. We have been making this taco salad for as long as I can remember, and it is such an easy recipe. Plus, it is versatile, and you can make different variations. It is also easy to make for a family because you can set it up like a salad bar, and each person picks what they want as things to mix in. For example, my daughter loves black olives, so she adds quite a few to her taco salad.
This is our vegetarian version, but you could of course, make a version with real meat, or even sub out any ingredients with dairy for a vegan version.
Ingredients:
Vegetarian crumbles (we like Morningstar Farms)
Tortilla chips
Lettuce (I usually get organic romaine hears)
Tomatoes
Sour cream
Shredded cheese (taco / Mexican)
Black Olives
Taco seasoning
Optional: hot sauce, cilantro, guacamole, jalapeños, etc.
Directions
I start by cutting up the veggies – lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives (if not pre-sliced).
Crumble tortilla chips in the bottom of your bowl. I usually get organic Tostitos or other organic yellow corn chips. As a treat, sometimes the kids use Doritos!
Place lettuce and tomatoes on top of the chips in your bowl.
Add in other toppings, like olives, sour cream, and shredded taco cheese. The possibilities are endless!
Heat up some vegetarian crumbles. You can either saute in a pan or microwave, and mix in taco seasoning. Sprinkle on top of the salad. If I am preparing a salad for just myself, I prepare about 1/2-1 cup worth of crumbles.
Mix all your ingredients together, and enjoy! It looks messy, but it’s so delicious!
This is also a great recipe to have on hand for if you are serving guests. Everyone can assemble their own salad just like you would at a taco bar. And in our house, we usually keep canned black olives, chips, sour cream, and frozen meat crumbles on hand so that it is easy to make this salad even if we haven’t planned ahead (since we usually have lettuce and tomatoes on hand).
I’d like to try these crumbles by Morningstar Farms – this recipe sounds delish. We’ve been eating primarily vegetarian, and this would be a sure winner. I’d like to try it.
I love taco salads. This looks super yummy.
Love taco salad!! Now if I could get all 3 of my toddlers on board…😊
This looks so yum. Will try this weekend!!!
We have some vegetarians in the family and I always struggle with what to make for them. I’ll be saving this recipe!
Yum! Your recipe looks delicious! Taco salads are my favorite!
This looks really good. I like refried beans in mine also.
My son is a vegetarian so I’m always looking for new things he’d like to try. This would be one of them! I can’t wait to try it!
I do have to try these Vegetarian crumbles. I eat vegetarian and love trying new recipes like this!
I have tried these crumble and they are amazingly good. They are also one way I get hubby to cut down on red meat and he doesnt know it. Sneaky but true. I use mine in tacos spaghetti and chili.
This looks really good! I haven’t tried cooking it i the microwave, like you suggested. I may try that at work some day this week!
This looks amazing and I would love to make it for my family!
Oh, we will have to try this. I’ve used a similar recipe with both quinoa and also with tofu (for “meat”)
Nothing beats a cool and refreshing salad on a hot summer’s day! I love dressing up my salads and trying different things. This looks and sounds delish!
I absolutely cannot wait to try this! I love taco salad. I love the vegetarian crumbles to give that flavor without actually eating meat.
It looks so good! I can’t wait to try that recipe! Will surely do this on weekend.
I love salads but never tried a taco salad. It sounds tasty and perfect for a light lunch during the summer.
I am not a salad fan, but this sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing!