Roasted black bean taco salad with avocado lime dressing

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 lime dressing.

Sooo yum.

The spicy roasted black beans were a bit of an experiment, but since I love roasting chickpeas, I figured black beans should roast up nicely 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.

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.

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?

Print

5 from 1 vote

Roasted black bean taco salad with avocado lime dressing

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Servings: 2

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.

Course: Light lunch

Author: Becca Heyes

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose.

Love easy Mexican recipes? My slow cooker burrito bowls couldn’t be easier – just throw everything straight in the slow cooker!