My love for Chipotle is grand. I wrote about my obsession with their cilantro lime rice on my raw vegan cilantro lime rice post. The raw vegan cilantro lime rice and raw vegan lettuce leaf tacos posts were all leading up to this, raw vegan Chipotle inspired taco salad. This is basically the raw version of the vegetarian salad I get at Chipotle. I adore it so much, I had to make a raw vegan version. It’s super filling and very satisfying. Just look at how much stuff is on this giant salad. It is surely a meal on its own, and a great one too.
Since this has lots of toppings, it’s a good idea to have the raw vegan cilantro lime rice pre-made or have left overs. If you already have the walnut taco meat from the raw vegan lettuce leaf taco post already made or have left overs, then you’ll have this salad ready in no time. Both cilantro lime rice and walnut taco meat are great “make ahead” staples to have on hand, since they last for 5 days. You can make them into various Mexican dishes throughout the week, and cut down on the meal prep time. We use them for taco salads, lettuce leaf tacos, burrito bowls, burritos, you name it. It makes for a great raw Mexican week.
To make this salad, we start by preparing all the toppings. Start with the raw vegan cilantro lime rice if you don’t have it pre-made, click here for the recipe.
Next, prepare the raw vegan walnut taco meat. Once again, if you don’t have it pre-made, click here for the recipe.
Then the 2 salsas, pico de gallo and the corn salsa. You just have to chop up the the veggies, and mix it up with lime juice and salt. Super easy!
Lastly, the guacamole. I like to make a simple one without chopped tomatoes or onions in them, just like Chipotle’s guacamole. Simply mash the avocado with a fork or with a mortar and pestle, and mix in finely mined garlic, lime juice and salt. If you are using a mortar and pestle, you can crush the garlic first, before you mash up the avocado to release the flavor and aroma.
Now that all the toppings are ready, wash and dry the romaine lettuce, chop it up and put it in a salad bowl. Top the lettuce with, starting from the bottom, cilantro lime rice, walnut taco meat, pico de gallo, corn salsa, and guacamole. Garnish with some cilantro leaves, and drizzle some raw vegan nacho cheese sauce to finish.
You can even make this into a jar salad and take it with you for lunch. Fill the mason jar starting with nacho cheese sauce, cilantro lime rice, corn salsa, pico de gallo, walnut taco meat, and romaine lettuce leaves. I omitted the guacamole so it doesn’t turn color from oxidization. It makes such a beautiful jar salad with all the festive colors. I’d be a happy camper if this was waiting for me at lunch time.
I mean, look at this beauty! So much color, so much volume, so much flavor, so much of everything! It will surely become one of your favorites.
- 2 heads of romaine lettuce
- About 1.5 - 2 cups (or as much as you like) raw vegan cilantro lime rice
- About 1 - 1.5 cups (or as much as you like) raw vegan walnut taco meat
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ red or white onion
- ½ jalapeno (optional)
- ¼ cup loosely packed cilantro
- 1 small garlic clove
- Juice of 1 lime or lemon
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- ¼ red onion
- ½ jalapeno
- 1 small clove of garlic
- Juice of half a lime or lemon
- ⅛ cup (loosely packed) cilantro
- Salt to taste
- 1 ripe avocado
- Juice of half a lime or lemon
- 1 small clove of garlic
- Salt to taste
- Some cilantro leaves for garnish
- Drizzle of raw vegan nacho cheese sauce
- Make the raw vegan cilantro lime rice if you don't have it pre-made, click here for the recipe.
- Make the raw vegan walnut taco meat. If you don't have it pre-made, click here for the recipe.
- Dice the tomatoes and onion. Mince the garlic and jalapeno. Roughly chop the cilantro.
- Add salt and lime juice and toss together.
- Dice the onion. Mince the garlic and jalapeno. Roughly chop the cilantro. Mix it all together with corn.
- Add salt and lime juice and toss together.
- Mash the avocado with a fork or with a mortar and pestle, and mix in finely mined garlic, lime juice and salt. If you are using a mortar and pestle, you can crush the garlic first, before you mash up the avocado to release the flavor and aroma.
- Wash and dry the romaine lettuce, chop it up and put it in a salad bowl.
- Top the lettuce with, starting from the bottom, cilantro lime rice, walnut taco meat, pico de gallo, corn salsa, and guacamole.
- Garnish with some cilantro leaves, and drizzle some raw vegan nacho cheese sauce to finish.
[…] pico de gallo is a great, fast, and easy staple salsa. I use it in raw vegan lettuce leaf tacos, raw vegan taco salads, raw vegan burrito bowls, raw vegan taco cucumber boats, you name it. This recipe was originally […]