Roasted Black Bean Taco Salad

This blog post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Roasted black bean taco salad with avocado lime dressing – a healthy vegan Mexican inspired recipe. The spicy beans add a great crunch!

A vegan taco salad topped with roasted black beans and avocado.
sponsoredpost

You may know by now how obsessed I am with anything remotely Mexican. Enchiladas, tacos, burritos, they’re all welcome in my house – we even spent our honeymoon in Mexico, and ate our weight in tortillas and guacamole (no complaints here).

Often though, Mexican food isn’t exactly the healthiest option – not the way I make it, anyway (I may occasionally go a little overboard on the cheese…).

So today I thought I’d offer a healthier way to enjoy your favourite Mexican-inspired flavours, with this super easy roasted black bean taco salad – complete with a creamy avocado dressing.

Sooo yum.

A bowlful of vegan taco salad with roasted black beans.

Spicy roasted black beans

The spicy roasted black beans were a bit of an experiment, but since I love roasting chickpeas, I figured you can roast black beans too – and I was right! You don’t want them to end up like bullets – just roast them long enough that they get slightly crispy. They add a brilliant crunch to this taco salad, as well as being a great vessel for all those smoky spices. I used paprika, cumin and chilli, but go crazy.

Roasted black beans on a baking tray surrounded by taco salad ingredients.

Taco salad

The roasted black beans may be the star of the show in this taco salad, but you need a great base too. I used Florette‘s Classic Crispy salad, which contains a really nice mixture of lettuces – some frizzy leaves, some round leaves, and a few purple leaves for that big flavour. One of the best things about taco salads is that every bite is different, and the same can be said for these salad mixes – I love having a bit of everything in one bowl.

Just fill your bowl with the Florette salad, top it with corn, avocado, tomatoes, and whatever other veggies you’ve got your eye on, and then scatter over those crispy roasted black beans. Don’t forget the avocado lime dressing! It gives a lovely creamy texture.

A hand scattering crispy roasted black beans over a green salad.

I think taco salads usually contain some crispy tortilla pieces (I guess that’s what makes them taco-inspired), but I skipped those – they’re just not necessary when you’ve got the crispy roasted black beans anyway. So I suppose this probably isn’t technically a taco salad, but oh well. When something’s this delicious, I’m not worried about the technicalities.

Have you ever made a taco salad? What else would you add to your Florette crispy salad to transform it into a tasty dinner?

Overhead shot of a vegan taco salad, with roasted black beans on a baking tray.

Roasted Black Bean Taco Salad

Roasted black bean taco salad with avocado lime dressing – a healthy vegan Mexican inspired recipe. The spicy beans add a great crunch!

If you’ve cooked this recipe, don’t forget to leave a star rating!

5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Comment
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 451kcal
Author: Becca Heyes

Ingredients

For the roasted black beans:

  • 400 g tin black beans, drained and rinsed (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin

For the avocado lime dressing:

  • Small handful fresh coriander (cilantro)
  • 1 small clove garlic, peeled
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 large avocado
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

To assemble the taco salad:

  • 2 leaves large handfuls salad
  • ~ 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp sweetcorn kernels
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced

Instructions

  • Add the rinsed black beans to a large bowl with a dash of oil and the spices. Toss well to coat, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking tray. Roast at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway, until crispy but not overly hard.
  • To make the dressing, add the fresh coriander (cilantro) to a mini food processor, along with the garlic. Blitz well until finely chopped. Add the lime juice and half an avocado, and blitz again until smooth. Season to taste.
  • To assemble the taco salad, fill two large bowls with salad leaves, then top with the tomatoes, sweetcorn, chopped spring onions, and 1/2 an avocado. Finish with the roasted black beans and the avocado lime dressing, and serve immediately.

Notes

For an extra crunch, try adding some crushed up tortilla chips too.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Roasted Black Bean Taco Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 portion)
Calories 451 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 5.2g26%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 99mg4%
Potassium 1522mg43%
Carbohydrates 43.9g15%
Fiber 16.1g64%
Sugar 5.9g7%
Protein 12.5g25%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

Tried this Recipe? Give it a star rating!Star ratings really help support the site – thank you!

Save This Recipe

Save This Recipe

Drop your email address in the box and I'll send this recipe straight to your inbox! You'll also receive future recipes by email (1-2 per week, no spam!), AND a totally free e-cookbook!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




44 Comments

  1. I promised my sister I’d cook her a healthy Mexican meal at the weekend and knew you’d have tonnes of inspiration. I’m not sure she will settle for a salad but I will definitely be making this for my lunches over the coming weeks.5 stars

  2. Taco salads are the best! And there are so many yummy ingredients that you can add to the salad. Love how you added roasted black bean yum!