This Tex-Mex salad bowl features a zingy lime-based dressing, paired with crisp romaine lettuce and cooked chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans).
Contributed by Laura Theodore, who writes: “Since Tex-Mex style salads are traditionally made with black beans, I decided to add a jazzy twist, by substituting black bean tortilla chips as a festive garnish.
The chips provide a pleasing crunch, flavor and texture, adding a wow factor to this satisfying salad.”
Recipe by Laura Theodore, from Jazzy Vegetarian’s Deliciously Vegan. Published by Scribe Publishing Company ©2018, reprinted by permission.
Jazzy Vegetarian’s Deliciously Vegan is available wherever books are sold or directly from Laura Theodore (signed copies!)
Laura Theodore’s Tex-Mex Salad Bowl

This Tex-Mex style salad features a zingy lime-based dressing, paired with crisp romaine lettuce and cooked chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans).
Ingredients
- 8 cups loosely packed baby romaine or chopped romaine lettuce
- 20 black bean tortilla chips
- 14 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed, if canned
- Kernels from 1 large ear of corn, cooked (or 3/4 cup thawed frozen or canned corn kernels, drained)
- 1/2 cup seeded and chopped orange or red sweet bell pepper
- 4 green queen olives with pimento, sliced
- 1/2 large avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Sweet and Spicy Lime Dressing
- 2 1/2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- For each salad, put 4 cups of lettuce into a large bowl.
- Arrange 10 tortilla chips around the circumference of the bowl.
- Arrange 7 tomato halves on top of the lettuce.
- Top with one-half of the chickpeas, corn kernels and sweet peppers.
- Sprinkle one-half of the olives over the salad and arrange one-half of the avocado slices on top in a pleasing manner.
- Put all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and briskly whisk until smooth (see note). Drizzle one-half of the dressing over the salad. Repeat with the second salad, and serve.
If you like this southwestern-flavored salad, you may also enjoy …
Hot and Cool Layered Black Bean Taco Salad
See lots more easy vegan salads & sides.
I love this salad! Great recipe!
Thank you, Lisa. Laura’s recipes are great … and so easy!