Jazzy Vegetarian Laura Theodore’s Tex-Mex salad bowl features a zingy lime-based dressing, paired with crisp romaine lettuce and cooked chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) and an array of colorful vegetables. It’s festive enough to serve to company, easy enough for an everyday meal.
It takes almost no time to compose these gorgeous bowls resplendent with a rainbow of bell peppers, avocado, cherry or grape tomatoes, olives, and romaine lettuce (or other salad greens). Laura Theodore says:
“Since Tex-Mex style salads are traditionally made with black beans, I decided to add a jazzy twist, by substituting chickpeas, as well as 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.”
Of course, you can use blue corn tortilla chips for a similar effect (or yellow corn tortilla chips). Feel free to swap black beans back in for the more traditional combination. This can easily be a main-dish salad divided into 3 portions, or a substantial side salad for 4 portions.
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!)
Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.
Explore more …
- Hot and Cool Layered Black Bean Taco Salad
- Vegan Tex-Mex Recipes Your Family Will Love
- Kale and Avocado Salad (with corn, bell peppers & tomatoes)
Laura Theodore’s Festive 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). This can easily be a main-dish salad divided into 3 portions, or a substantial side salad for 4 portions.
Ingredients
- 8 cups or so loosely packed baby romaine or chopped romaine lettuce, or
- Good-quality tortilla chips (try black bean or blue corn for a stunning visual presentation)
- Grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, as desired
- 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Kernels from 1 large ear of corn, lightly cooked (or 1 cup thawed frozen corn)
- 1 orange or red bell pepper, diced
- Green olives with pimento, sliced, as needed
- 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
Sweet and Spicy Lime Dressing
- 1/4 cup tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed or bottled lime juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, chili powder, or other hot seasoning
Instructions
- Line each individual salad bowl with some of the lettuce. Arrange some tortilla chips around the side of each bowl.
- Over the lettuce, arrange the tomatoes, chickpeas, corn kernels, and bell peppers.
- Finally, arrange the olives and avocado slices in a pleasing manner.
- Put all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and briskly whisk until smooth. Pass around to drizzle over individual servings.
Tune in for the latest season of Laura’s vegan television show, Jazzy Vegetarian, airing nationally on the Create Network (check local listings) and listen to The Laura Theodore Podcast on Apple Podcasts. Visit Laura on the web at Jazzy Vegetarian.
See lots more easy vegan salads & sides.
I love this salad! Great recipe!
Thank you, Lisa. Laura’s recipes are great … and so easy!