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!
Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas and then put them on a dish towel to dry thoroughly. Arrange the dry chickpeas on a parchment-lined tray. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp avocado oil and ¼ tsp salt over the chickpeas. Stir to coat each chickpea.
Roast the chickpeas for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy.
While the chickpeas are roasting, prep the vegetables and beans for the salad and make the vegan chipotle dressing.
Remove the tray from the oven. While the chickpeas are still warm, sprinkle ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp onion powder over the chickpeas. Toss to coat the chickpeas with the seasonings.
In a large mixing bowl, add the romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, cabbage, red onion, and cilantro. Drizzle the chipotle dressing (start with ½ cup and add more dressing to taste) over the salad and toss to combine. Top the salad with avocado chunks, roasted chickpeas, and a lime wedge right before serving.
Notes
When you dress the salad, start with ½ 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.