This Vegan Taco Salad Bowl with Walnut Meat is the perfect alternative if you’re craving tacos but you don’t have taco shells at home! The leafy greens, purple cabbage, corn, and tomatoes are the color- and flavorful base, the Walnut Meat Crumble adds a lovely crunch, and everything is topped with vegan mayo and cilantro! It’s such a quick and easy lunch to throw together.
I’m not a salad person. I accept salad as a side dish, but as a main dish? Please… I’ve got better things to do (or eat) :D But for this Vegan Taco Salad Bowl with Walnut Meat, I’ll gladly make an exception at any time.
All the deliciousness you would find in a Taco, you can find in this Salad Bowl:
- Leafy greens
- Purple cabbage
- Corn
- Cherry tomatoes
- Walnut ‘Meat’
- Vegan mayo (you can even make your own vegan mayo!)
- Cilantro
And the best part is, that you can satisfy your taco cravings with this Salad Bowl even when you don’t have any tortillas or taco shells at home.
Walnut Meat
Have you ever made Walnut Meat? It’s really easy and oh so delicious. It adds the perfect crunch and it’s quick to make. Some people prefer to bake the Walnut Meat, but I prefer using the pan because it won’t take that long and I rather watch the pan than the oven to prevent them from burning.
For the Walnut Meat, you’ll only need walnuts (duh!) and spices. But to make it more flavorful, I’ve added softened red onion and garlic to the mix. It’s so good! I could toss this crunchy Walnut Meat on anything.
Basically, you just chop up the walnuts in a food processor, add all the spices and toast it in the pan until crunchy. It only takes 10 minutes or so to make it!
I’ve never had a salad that colorful and flavorful, that also tasted that good. If only every salad could taste like that…I would eat salads more often!
Vegan Taco Salad Bowl with Walnut Meat
Ingredients
Walnut Meat
- 1 red onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup walnuts (raw, no shell, unsalted)
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salad Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed salad (I used a mix of Lollo Bionda, Lollo Rosso, arugula and spinach)
- 1 cup purple cabbage (shredded)
- 1/4 cup canned corn (rinsed and drained)
- 4 cherry tomatoes (quartered)
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayo (I've mixed it with a splash of water to make it easier to drizzle)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
Walnut Meat
- In a food processor, chop the peeled red onion and garlic clove. In a pan, add the olive oil and bring to medium to high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and let it cook until softened and translucent.
- Now chop the walnuts in the food processor until coarsely ground. Add them to the onion and garlic in the pan. Mix in the soy sauce, paprika powder, salt, and thyme. Combine everything and let it cook for 5-7 minutes until nice and toasty. Stir it every now and then to prevent it from burning. Add more salt or soy sauce to taste.
Taco Salad Bowl
- For the salad bowl, start with the leafy greens at the bottom, then the purple cabbage, Walnut Meat, add the cherry tomatoes, and corn. Drizzle the vegan mayo on top and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Estimated Nutrition Info
Did you make this vegan Taco Salad Bowl with Walnut Meat? Leave a comment and please rate the recipe for other users! If you post a photo on instagram, use the hashtag #elephantasticvegan and tag me via @elephantasticvegan to make sure I’ll see it ^.^ I love to see all your lovely creations! Thanks! <3
Maria
I’ve never had wallnut meat before, but I think this recipe will be my first time giving it a go! Looks so vibrant and tasty :)
Maria
Bianca
Thank you, Maria! I hope you give it a try! It definitely changed my taco game :)
Brandy
Honestly that was fabulous!!! Could not believe the awesomeness of the flavor. I will eat this again and again!!! All vegan and non-vegan taco lovers need to try!! An absolutely must!! Super easy to make too!! Only thing I changed is that I sautéed the onions and garlic in water to keep it oil free. Worked like a charm!!!
Bianca
Wow, I’m so happy to hear this, Brandy! Thank you so much!! <3