Name: Vegan Chipotle Chickpea Taco Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 14 oz can chickpeas (rinsed and drained); 1-2 tbsp avocado oil; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1/4 tsp cumin; 1/4 tsp smoked paprika; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp onion powder; 1 large head romaine lettuce (chopped); 14 oz can black beans (rinsed and drained); 1 cup corn; 2 large vine-ripened tomatoes (diced); 2 cups red cabbage (thinly sliced); 1 small red onion (diced); 1 cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped); 1 large avocado (chopped); 1 medium lime (sliced into wedges)

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Vegan chickpea taco salad is easy to make and ready in 45 minutes! This gluten-free salad is loaded with crisp romaine lettuce, lots of vegetables, plant-based protein, fresh herbs, and it’s tossed in a spicy, creamy avocado chipotle sauce!

I’m always looking for new ways to jazz up my daily salad. This vegan chickpea salad is one of my favorite ways to do so because it’s loaded with crisp romaine lettuce, lots of vegetables, black beans, seasoned roasted chickpeas, and a spicy avocado chipotle dressing!

This meal is super flavorful, it’s very filling, and it’s easy to make in 45 minutes. The roasted chickpeas add plant-based protein and the perfect amount of crunch, they almost taste like crispy croutons!

Step by Step Instructions

First, arrange the chickpeas on a parchment-lined tray and lightly drizzle avocado oil and salt over the chickpeas. Toss to coat and then bake until crispy. While the chickpeas are still warm, add the dried seasonings, and then toss again to season each chickpea.

While, the chickpeas are roasting, prep the rest of the ingredients to make the vegan taco salad. Chop the romaine lettuce, dice the tomatoes and red onions, drain the black beans and corn, chop the cilantro, and make the chipotle dressing.

To make the chipotle dressing, combine chipotle peppers, avocado, vegenaise, cilantro, lime juice, and water in a blender cup and blend until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Add all the lettuce, tomatoes, corn, cabbage, onions, cilantro, and black beans to a large mixing bowl and then drizzle the taco salad dressing over the top and toss to combine. Top with avocado chunks and the roasted chickpeas before serving.

More Salad Ingredient Options

If you want to add more ingredients to this zesty vegan salad, any of the following would be delicious!

Pickled Jalapenos
Dairy-Free Sour Cream (I like to use Kite Hill unsweetened plain greek yogurt)
Shredded Vegan Cheese (I like Violife cheddar cheese)
Kidney Beans
Guacamole
Cilantro Lime Salsa

Serving Suggestions

This chickpea salad can be enjoyed as a light main course or you can serve it as a tasty side dish to any of the following recipes:

Can I Make it Ahead of Time?

This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can assemble it the day before if you need to. If you dress the salad any sooner than that, the lettuce may start to wilt a little bit. Wait until right before you serve to add the avocado and roasted chickpeas so they stay crispy.

How to Store It

Store the leftover vegan taco salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Put the roasted chickpeas in a separate container and keep it on the counter at room temperature so they stay crispy. Don’t freeze the salad, the fresh ingredients won’t defrost well.

Recipe Variations

This vegan chickpea taco salad is delicious just like this, but you can switch it up with any of the following variations:

Make it a Bowl: You can assemble the salad like a burrito bowl and add cilantro lime quinoa to make this dish a more substantial meal.
Sub Tofu: Swap the roasted chickpeas for cubes of crispy baked tofu that are coated in a zesty combination of taco seasonings and nutritional yeast!
Add Walnut Meat: Instead of using the chickpeas, you could substitute vegan walnut meat for a delicious twist on this taco salad recipe!

Substitutions & FAQ

Lettuce Options: I used romaine because the leaves are crisp and hold up well to the dressing, but you could also use butter lettuce, spinach, or massaged kale.
Chickpea Substitutions: Cooked fava beans, green lentils, or brown lentils are also great roasted.
Chickpea Seasonings: If you don’t have the spices listed to season the chickpeas, you could use 1 tsp of premade taco seasoning mix or chili powder instead.
Do I have to roast the chickpeas? No, you can just add cooked chickpeas to the salad if you don’t want to roast them. You could also use store-bought roasted chickpeas if you don’t want to make them from scratch.
Is the dressing spicy? The chipotle peppers definitely add heat to the sauce. If you don’t like spicy food, you can substitute 1-2 tbsp adobo sauce (the sauce that the peppers are packed in in the can) to get the flavor of the peppers minus the heat, instead of using the actual peppers.

Success Tips

When you dress the salad, start with 1/2 cup of the dressing and add more to taste.
If you want the chickpeas to stay super crispy, sprinkle them on top of the salad so they don’t get coated in the dressing.
Sprinkle the diced avocado on top of the salad right before serving so the chunks don’t turn brown.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge, but don’t freeze it. Keep the roasted chickpeas in a separate container on the counter so they stay crisp for a few days.