The black bean and quinoa taco filling is back for the ultimate taco salad. It is all naturally vegan (meaning there are no “fake” ingredients or meat and cheese substitutes) and naturally gluten free. It misses absolutely no marks on flavor and creaminess with the amazing avocado and jalapeño salad dressing. Plus, taco salads are just best when you add some crunched up chips. It’s a fact. Lots of crunch, lots of color, lots of creaminess, lots of yum! Enjoy!
Yield: 4-6 servings of entrée sized salad
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 Tbsp neutral cooking oil
1 cup yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced + 1 garlic clove left whole
1 Tbsp cumin, divided
2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp chili powder
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup quinoa, uncooked
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup frozen corn
3 cups mixed greens, green leaf or romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 cup red bell pepper, stems and seeds removed and diced
2 avocados, divided
1 cup tortilla chips, broken into small pieces
½ cup cilantro, stems removed
1 Tbsp jalapeño, seeds removed
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp olive oil
Preparation
Heat a large saucepan that you have a lid for over medium heat and, once heated, add oil to the pan. Once the oil is heated, add the finely diced onion. The finer I dice the onion in this recipe, the more that I like the outcome. Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes. Add the 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, pepper and chili powder. Stir to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the uncooked quinoa to the pan and stir all together, letting the quinoa toast in the dry pan while you stir a few times. Add the black beans and the vegetable broth and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, turn down the heat to simmer and cover. Let the taco mixture cook for ~15 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated.
While the quinoa cooks, cook the frozen corn per the package instructions. Rinse and set aside.
Add the lettuce, tomatoes and bell pepper to a large salad bowl.
Peel and remove the pit from one avocado and cut into small cubes. Add the cubed avocado to the salad bowl.
Prepare the salad dressing by adding the other peeled and pitted avocado, along with the cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, whole garlic clove and olive oil to a food processor or blender. Add the remaining cumin and salt. Blend on high to achieve a creamy consistency. Add more lime juice and/or water 1 tsp at a time to achieve the desired consistency.
Once cooked, add the black bean and quinoa mixture and the corn to the salad bowl along with the broken up tortilla chips. Pour the salad dressing on top and toss to combine. Serve, with any of your favorite taco salad garnishes, in individual bowls.
I think the salad is best served warm right away; however, leftovers hold up fairly well in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. The quinoa and black bean filling is great served in tacos and quesadillas, as well.
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