Taco Bowl Salad with Whipped Tahini (Vegan Gluten-Free)
This Taco Bowl Salad with Whipped Tahini is fresh, vibrant and packed with protein and texture. Fill a homemade taco bowl with zingy bean salsa and top with a creamy whipped tahini dressing for a vegan and gluten-free meal.
I am back with another 30-minute winner and these high-protein, super satisfying and colourful bowls are so easy to make. They are great for making the most of summer produce and minimising the time spent in the kitchen and they are great for meal prep for when you are short on time and went to get ahead. As always, you can find the recipe video for these bowls on my Instagram along with some top tips on how to shape the taco bowls.
Why will I love these?
These easy-peasy taco bowls are so good:
- Fresh, vibrant, zingy and refreshing
- Cool, creamy, crispy and crunchy
- Filled with a high-protein bean and corn salsa
- Packed with vegetables, fruits and nutrients
- Naturally vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and nut-free
- High fibre and healthy
- Made with 100% wholesome ingredients
- Great to meal prep ahead of time
- Delicious for all the family
- Summery and perfect for a quick meal
If you already love the sound of this recipe then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
The ingredient list may seem long but they are all simple ingredients. You can shop my favourites in the “shop the recipe” section below.
For the salsa salad:
- Tortillas: use your favourite tortillas to shape into taco bowls.
- Kale: great for the base of salads as it’s study and won’t wilt quickly. Make sure to de-stem the kale first.
- Corn: use fresh ears or corn and remove the kernels for the best flavour and texture, or you can use tinned corn, just drain and pat dry before pan-frying till crispy and popping.
- Black beans: these add a punch of protein and are great with corn and avocado for Mexican-inspired dishes. I love the Bold Bean Co black beans, just drain them and pat fry before adding into the salsa.
- Avocado: for adding some healthy fats and creamy goodness.
- Pepper: any colour of bell pepper will be great here like orange, red or yellow.
- Tomatoes: I use baby cherry or plum tomatoes for the best texture and flavour as the large beef tomatoes will be too juicy and wet.
- Cucumber: for adding crunch, I love cucumber. You could swap this for celery, if you prefer.
- Spring onions and herbs: for adding some freshness. My go-to herbs here are coriander, mint, chive or parsley. You can also swap the spring onion for raw red onion, if you prefer.
For the dressing:
- Olive oil: use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavour.
- Lime: for adding zing, I love using lime although lemon will also be great.
- Maple syrup: this balances out the acidity and zing in the dressing. You can also use agave syrup or vegan honey.
- Apple cider vinegar: for adding acidity and more zing.
- Ground cumin, salt and pepper: for flavour.
And for the whipped tahini:
- Runny smooth tahini: make sure the tahini tastes great for the best overall dressing.
- Thick coconut yoghurt: for making this whipped tahini really creamy. I use the natural Cocos Organic yoghurt which is so thick and creamy, and resembles a dairy-free Greek-style yoghurt.
- Garlic and lime: for more flavour.
To serve, I also like to add some pink pickles, extra avocado slices, fresh herbs and some roasted beans snacks (or you can use nuts/seeds).
Are these taco bowls gluten-free and nut-free?
Yes these are gluten-free as long as your tortillas are free from gluten (I’ve linked my favourites here and below) and this is also nut-free.
How do I make this recipe?
These are impressive but easy to make:
- Shape and bake the taco bowls: brush your tortillas with olive oil and nestle into cake tins (or similar oven-proof dishes) then bake till golden and crisp.
- Pan fry the corn: till golden and charring.
- Chop up the other vegetables: and mix all together.
- Stir together the dressing ingredients: and toss with the filling.
- Make the whipped tahini: by stirring together all the ingredients.
- To plate up, fill the taco bowls with the salsa: and drizzle over the whipped tahini.
How long will this last?
These taco bowls are best eaten straight away once filled, but you can make the salsa filling up 2-3 days in advance and keep in the fridge. You can also keep the tortilla taco bowls, wrapped well, for 1-2 days and fill as needed.
What else can I make?
If you are looking for other fresh and fast recipes, how about my:
- Harissa Tofu and Courgette Pittas
- Orange Tofu Peanut Satay Superfood Salad
- 10-Minute Tahini Noodle Salad
- Salt and Pepper Tofu Summer Rolls
- Kale Orange and Feta Salad
Taco Bowl Salad with Whipped Tahini (Vegan High-Protein)
This Taco Bowl Salad with Whipped Tahini is fresh, vibrant and packed with protein and texture. Fill a homemade taco bowl with zingy bean salsa and top with a creamy whipped tahini dressing for a vegan and gluten-free meal.
Ingredients
For the Salsa Salad:
- Olive oil
- 2-3 large tortillas
- 60g kale, de-stemmed
- 1 ear of corn (or 160g corn, drained weight)
- 240g black beans, drained weight (from one 400g tin)
- 1 avocado, small cubes
- 1 bell pepper, small cubes
- 160g cherry or plum tomatoes, in ¼
- 100g cucumber, chopped small
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped herbs (e.g. coriander, mint, parsley, chive)
For the Dressing:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
For the Whipped Tahini:
- 100g coconut yoghurt
- 30g runny, smooth tahini
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 garlic, grated
To serve:
- Pink pickles, extra avocado, extra herbs, roasted beans/nuts/seeds
Instructions
- Make the tortilla taco bowls: preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and have 2 or 3 8-inch round cake tins (or similar) to hand. Lightly brush each with some olive oil on both sides and nestle into the cake tins to create a bowl shape. Bake for 10 minutes, until crispy and golden. Remove from the tins and allow to cool fully.
- Prepare the kale: massage with 1 tsp of olive and some salt till softened.
- For the corn: trim the corn from the cob and heat up 1 tsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add the corn and fry for 5-10 minutes, till golden and beginning to char. Allow to cool slightly.
- For the salsa: slice and chop all the ingredients and then a large bowl add the corn, black beans, avocado, pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions and herbs.
- For the dressing: whisk together the ingredients and then pour over the salsa. Toss well.
- For the whipped tahini: whisk together all the ingredients with 2-3 tbsp water till thick and creamy, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- To plate up: fill each tortilla taco bowl with some kale and then the salsa. Drizzle over some of the whipped tahini dressing and serve with some pink pickles and extra avocado, herbs and roasted beans/nuts/seeds, if you like.
- To store: keep the tortilla bowls separate from the kale and salsa as they will soften over time. The tacos are best enjoyed the same day but the salsa can be kept in sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days, as can the whipped tahini.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Taco Bowl Salad with Whipped Tahini so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With taco bowl salad love x
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