Description
A quick and easy taco vegetarian salad recipe, topped with a spicy cashew dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
For the spicy cashew dressing:
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in boiling/hot water for ~1 hour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/4 tp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cayenne
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp salt (fine/table)
For the taco salad:
- 1 head (~4 cups) romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2–3 cups tortilla chips, crunched
- 1 can (~2 cups) black beans, drained & rinsed
- 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups corn
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- flesh of 1 avocado (~1 cup), cubed
- 1–2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
- sour cream (optional – for topping)
Instructions
For the spicy cashew dressing:
- Soak the cashews as directed: In a small bowl, soak the cashews in boiling/hot water (enough to cover the cashews, ~1 cup) for ~1 hour, until soft. You can also do this the morning of or the night before, or make the entire dressing beforehand!
- In a small food processor or blender, blend the soaked cashews, water, and lemon juice until smooth (if it looks chunky, keep going!). Add the paprika, chilli powder, garlic powder, cayenne, cumin, and salt and blend or mix until well combined and smooth.
For the taco salad:
- Chop and prepare ingredients as directed.
- Add all ingredients to one large serving bowl OR serve it buffet style where people can add what they want to individual bowls. Top with sour cream (optional) and the spicy cashew dressing and enjoy!
Notes
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten free tortilla chips, crackers, or make your own by cutting up some gluten free tortillas/wraps, baking for 10 mins at 350F, and crumbling.
Make it Vegan: Omit the cheese, or use a dairy free cheese alternative.
Make it Nut Free: Omit the spicy cashew dressing, and replace it with guacamole or salsa to add some extra flavour. You could also make a nut free dressing by replacing the cashews with mayonnaise or sour cream.
Keywords: vegetarian taco salad, black bean taco salad, spicy cashew dressing
