This vegan salad checks all the boxes on my list of a great salad that is filling enough for a full meal. Before I was vegan or even vegetarian my favorite thing to get at Max & Ermas (a favorite restaurant in Columbus Ohio) was their Santa Fe Chicken Salad. It really was good but when I went vegetarian in just was never the same. That is why I decided to make my own Vegan Santa Fe Salad.
With all of the grilled meatiness of the soy curls, the crunchiness of the homemade tortilla strips and creaminess of the avocado, and so many other rich flavors. This will soon become one of your favorite vegan salads for a hearty lunch or to serve to friends at a party or church potluck.
There are usually so many unhealthy items at parties I like to serve something healthy to break up the junk food. But when I say healthy I don’t mean healthy boring and tasteless, I mean healthy delicious and satisfying enough to eat instead of that third brownie or puff pastry appetizer and this vegan salad will defiantly fill the bill.
When i make this salad I like to shop all of the vegetables fairly small so that you can get all of those great flavors in every bite. I used soy curls to replace the meat in the salad and they worked perfectly. Check out this recipe for the Cilantro Lime Soy Curls that go great in so many recipes!
Ingredients you need for Vegan Santa Fe Salad
- Romaine Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Cilantro
- Black Beans
- Corn
- Avocado
- Tomato
- Corn Tortilla
- Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Cilantro Lime Soy Curls
Fantastic vegan salad packed with protien, veggies and crunch for a completely satisfying meal. You may use store bought dressing to save time.Santa fe Salad with Soy Curls
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Cilantro Lime Dressing (low oil)
Ingredients
- ½ jalapeno pepper, coarsely chopped (optional)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 medium scallion
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey or Agave nectar
- 1 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum* (optional)
- ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Place first eight ingredients in blender; and blend till smooth. The jalapeno is optional but very yummy. You can always use less or more for your desired spice level.
- Turn the blender on high and slowly drizzle in the olive oil and add xanthan gum until incorporated into the dressing.
- Add the cilantro leaves; pulse a few times to chop.
- Add salt to taste before serving.
Notes
*the xanthan gum is available at health food stores. It is optional but helps and some body to the dressing that we are missing because of the reduced oil.
