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Vegan Taco Salad

A restaurant-style vegan taco salad inspired by the Houston favorite, with kale and romaine, savory tempeh taco crumbles, kidney beans, avocado, cilantro corn, tomato, pickled red onion, marinated jicama, seasoned pumpkin seeds, crispy tortilla strips, and bright lemon vinaigrette.
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Course: Main Dish, Salad
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Keyword: gluten free, Houston, Local Foods inspired, meal prep, taco salad, tempeh, vegan
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 main-dish servings

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Jar with lid or whisk

Ingredients

Quick Pickled Red Onion

  • 1/2 medium red onion very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt

Marinated Jicama

  • 1 cup peeled jicama cut into thin matchsticks
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Tempeh Taco Crumbles

  • 8 ounces plain tempeh crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons water

Cilantro Corn

  • 1 1/2 cups corn kernels fresh or thawed frozen
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Seasoned Pumpkin Seeds

  • 1/3 cup pepitas
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Lemon Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 small garlic clove finely grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salad

  • 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups finely chopped kale tough stems removed
  • 1 15- ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup chopped ripe tomato or halved grape tomatoes
  • 1 large avocado diced
  • 2 cups crispy corn tortilla strips or 4 baked tortilla shells

Instructions

  • Make the pickled onions first. Put the sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl or jar. Stir the vinegar, hot water, sugar, and salt together until dissolved, pour over the onion, and let stand for at least 20 minutes.
  • Toss the jicama with the lemon juice, lime juice, and salt. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  • For the tempeh taco crumbles, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the crumbled tempeh and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the tamari, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, maple syrup, and water. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the tempeh is deeply seasoned and slightly crisp at the edges. Set aside.
  • For the cilantro corn, heat the olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until hot and lightly browned in spots. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
  • Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Toss with the olive oil and Cajun seasoning.
  • Make the lemon vinaigrette by shaking the lemon juice, oil, maple syrup, Dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper in a tightly sealed jar until emulsified, or whisk everything together in a small bowl.
  • Combine the romaine and kale in a large bowl with enough lemon vinaigrette to lightly coat. Divide among four bowls.
  • Top each salad with warm tempeh crumbles, kidney beans, cilantro corn, tomato, avocado, drained pickled onion, marinated jicama, seasoned pumpkin seeds, and crispy tortilla strips. Drizzle with additional vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Notes

Inspired by the Vegan Taco Salad served at Local Foods in Houston, Texas. Local Foods currently lists kale, romaine, tempeh, kidney beans, avocado, cilantro corn, tomato, pickled onions, pumpkin seeds, tortilla shell or strips, lemon vinaigrette, and at some locations marinated jicama. This is an independently developed home copycat, not the restaurant's proprietary recipe. For the closest Houston connection, use Wiwas Tempeh if available; Wiwas identifies Local Foods as one of its restaurant partners. Plain tempeh works well when Wiwas is not available. To keep the recipe gluten-free, use certified gluten-free tempeh/tamari and corn tortilla strips.