Vegan Fiesta Taco Bowl Recipe from Chloe Coscarelli

By Chloe Coscarelli, author of Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy Vegan

A vegan salad can’t just have leaves and veggies. It needs to be super hearty with interesting textures and flavors. This recipe is kind of like a hybrid between a bowl and a salad because it has just the right balance between fresh raw veggies and warm, spiced cooked components. The dressing isn’t your typical green goddess because it is lighter, tangier and more refreshing than the traditional dairy-based recipe. The dressing can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To make it gluten-free, replace the seitan with tempeh and make sure the tortilla chips are gluten-free.

RELATED: Inside Chloe Coscarelli’s New Vegan Cookbook (Plus 3 New Recipes)

Fiesta Taco Bowl Recipe

Serves 5

Ingredients

For the green goddess dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 jalapeño, seeded
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
2 heads (about 15 ounces) romaine lettuce, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup (6 ounces) frozen sweet yellow corn, thawed
1 cup (5 ounces) halved cherry tomatoes
1 avocado, mashed
Crispy Tortilla Strips
Lime wedges

For the smoky seitan:
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces ground seitan
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Sea salt

Fo the lime sour cream:
Makes 1 cup
1 cup silken tofu
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the seitan, chili powder, smoked paprika and cayenne and cook until heated through. Add water one tablespoon at a time if the pan seems dry. Season with salt.
3. To assemble, in a large bowl, toss together the romaine, quinoa, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, and enough dressing to coat. Portion into bowls and top each serving with mashed avocado, smoky seitan and crispy tortilla strips, if desired.
4. Using a blender or food processor, combine all the sour cream ingredients and blend until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
5. Dollop the bowl with lime sour cream and serve with a lime wedge.

The Skinny

Reprinted from Chloe Flavor. Copyright © 2018 by CKC Sales, LLC. Photographs copyright © 2018 by Christina Holmes. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.