This Loaded Taco Salad Bowl with is jam-packed with delicious flavours! It’s super filling, and the lime crema adds so much extra flavour!
Hi there ? gorgeous, loaded salad! ? Over the years, I haven’t shared many salads , but when I do, it’s a rock-your-world kind of dish . Salads should be filling. Salads deserve all the toppings, all the textures and all the flavours. THIS Loaded Taco Salad Bowl satisfies all of that. Yes friends, that’s quick roasted tomatoes and oven baked tortilla chips. HELLO weeknight dinner!
This Loaded Taco Salad Bowl immediately satisfied for my need for amazing salads,plus my need to have tacos in every way imaginable. Let’s get into the lovely flavours here. It’s packed with your favourite usual toppings – black beans, corn and cheese. Great for protein, flavour and variety. Then, add in the creamy avocado (yesss), roasted tomatoes (YES) and baked tortilla/taco chips (YES!!). Yes, you’re still awake friends this isn’t a dream. The tomatoes are quickly roasted in oven, just enough to get it bursting flavour, and turning this dish into an actual meal, not just a cold salad. This is along side three cloves of garlic (which you’ll need for the lime crema anyway, now with extra garlic flavour) and the soft taco shell. It’s as easy as cutting it into strips, baking it, and adding it into the salad.
Oh my gosh, this takes it over the top.
These extra steps really amp up the flavours here in loaded taco salad bowl. Can you get more taco-esque than that in a salad?? Don’t think so. Oh wait, the lime crema, that’s right!
Creamy, tangy, but perfectly balanced lime crema sauce on top. Add some spice or heat to it if you want, or have it plain, it MAKES this salad.
I hope you try this and love it! It’s takes just a few steps, and the results are so worth it. Also, can we get a clap for that gorgeous avocado?
Ingredients
Taco Bowl
Baked Shells and Quick Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes
- 1 or 2 small 6 inch taco shell , sliced into 3/4
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic , skins still on
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch sea salt
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/4 cup corn
- 3 tablespoons diced jalapeños , de-seeded
Lime Crema
- 3 roasted garlic cloves , from the first step
- 1/4 cup Greek vegan yogurt , or regular vegan yogurt
- sea salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon water
- Juice of half a lime
Instructions
Loaded Taco Salad Bowl with Lime Crema
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Rub the taco shells and tomatoes with the olive oil and garlic powder (I split it ¼ teaspoon for the strips, ¾ for the tomatoes). Sprinkle the salt over everything.
- Bake for 13 minutes (check to ensure they don’t burn). If you’d like, you can leave the tomatoes and garlic in for an extra 10 to 15 minutes (totally optional, adds even more flavour). Remove from oven and remove skins from garlic (you’ll need the garlic for the sauce)
- Assemble the rest of the salad as you desire, also topping with the tortilla/taco chips and the roasted tomatoes. For the lime crema, add the garlic to a small bowl and mash with the back of a spoon until essentially pureed. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mixed together throughly until blended. Taste test before pouring it on the salad for your own adjustments of salt and pepper. Pour over salad, mix in and enjoy!
Notes
Loaded Taco Salad Bowl with Lime Crema
Ingredients
Taco Bowl
Baked Shells and Quick Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes
- 1 or 2 small 6 inch taco shell sliced into 3/4
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic skins still on
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch sea salt
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/4 cup corn
- 3 tablespoons diced jalapeños de-seeded
Lime Crema
- 3 roasted garlic cloves from the first step
- 1/4 cup Greek vegan yogurt or regular vegan yogurt
- sea salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon water
- Juice of half a lime
Instructions
Loaded Taco Salad Bowl with Lime Crema
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Rub the taco shells and tomatoes with the olive oil and garlic powder (I split it ¼ teaspoon for the strips, ¾ for the tomatoes). Sprinkle the salt over everything.
- Bake for 13 minutes (check to ensure they don’t burn). If you’d like, you can leave the tomatoes and garlic in for an extra 10 to 15 minutes (totally optional, adds even more flavour). Remove from oven and remove skins from garlic (you’ll need the garlic for the sauce)
- Assemble the rest of the salad as you desire, also topping with the tortilla/taco chips and the roasted tomatoes. For the lime crema, add the garlic to a small bowl and mash with the back of a spoon until essentially pureed. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mixed together throughly until blended. Taste test before pouring it on the salad for your own adjustments of salt and pepper. Pour over salad, mix in and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Loaded Taco Salad Bowl with Lime Crema https://jessicainthekitchen.com/loaded-taco-salad-bowl-with-lime-crema/ June 5, 2017
This Creamy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese is undeniably divine! Made with an amazing, cashew based ‘cheese’ sauce, it’s the perfect addition to any meal!
Hey friends! In my kitchen, aka Jessica’s kitchen, I’ve made many dishes. Everything from tacos to no bake chocolate pudding to ice cream to even cauliflower buffalo wings . I’ve even made vegan mac and cheese before, but it was very seasonal using squash and pumpkin . After ENDLESS requests, finally, I have an everyday, weeknight vegan mac and cheese that will satisfy your cheese cravings (truly).
Oh my, friends – you will LOVE this. It’s the closest you’ll get to the real thing, and the cheese sauce is OUT of this world. Friends, this Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese is on POINT.
First of all, how am I just making this?! You may be asking. I’ve stayed away from vegan mac and cheese for a long while, because I knew that I would want to ABSOLUTELY perfect it. I wanted to make a vegan mac and cheese that had an explosive cheese taste that would make you want to share it with everyone.
I’m teaming back up with GreenLife Cookware , a healthy ceramic non-stick coating cookware company for this post and I couldn’t be more excited. If you saw my Thai Green Curry Recipe post, you know I fell in love immediately with this GreenLife Cookware because of these gorgeous turquoise pans, and also because its lead and cadmium free, and manufactured without PFAS and PFOA.
Making this vegan mac and cheese in the skillet also means you can just use the same skillet you cook in to bake it in = less dishes too friends! It also means cleanup is a complete breeze because the GreenLife Cookware pots and pan are really non-stick. If you’ve made mac and cheese before, it usually STICKS like crazy for cleanup – not here though. I am not exaggerating when I say that one quick swipe cleaned these right up.
Ingredients
Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese
- 3 cups elbow macaroni , gluten free if needed, 12 oz/340g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , or coconut oil, 12.5g
- 1 large carrot , chopped, 112g
- 1 small yellow onion , halved and chopped, 72g,
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 cup raw cashews , soaked in water overnight, rinsed and drained OR just easily boiled for 5 minutes*
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
- Juice of one lime , 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 tablespoon tamari sauce , or liquid aminos
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- salt & pepper to taste , for breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter , or coconut oil
Instructions
Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese (Gluten Free)
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Prepare elbow pasta according to package directions. You can do this while the carrots are being cooked. Drain and pour into a pan (You can use the same pan as below - just leave the pasta in a colander, then after carrot mixture has been made, add to pan).
- In a pan over medium heat heat the oil add in the carrots, onions and the garlic, stirring to combine. Cover with lid and allow to steam/roast until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a large high speed blender add the carrot mixture, cashews, salt and pepper, ground mustard, lime juice, tamari, nutritional yeast , paprika, ground nutmeg, and almond milk.
- Blend together for about 1 minute on a strong speed, until sauce is completely smooth and incorporate. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Pour the sauce over the Mac and cheese in a skillet. Stir to combine.
- Mix breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste and vegan butter in a small dish with a small whisk or fork until combined. Sprinkle over the top of the Mac and cheese, covering completely.
- Bake for 15 minutes until Mac and cheese is set, then broil for a few minutes until top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly then serve and enjoy!
