Vegan Taco Salad With Roasted Beets

This time of year, menu planning can get a little dreary. After all the holiday cooking, it's draining to churn out dinners night after night—whether you're cooking for one or a group. However, there's one food we can always fall back on when the kitchen becomes a drag: tacos.

You can jazz these up with whatever ingredients you want, and they're super easy to tweak to a plant-based lifestyle. Awhile back, we shared our delightful recipe for vegan black bean mushroom tacos. Today, we're switching things up with a delicious taco-inspired dish that'll fill your stomach and warm you up!

Vegan Taco salads are perfect for a hearty lunch or a weeknight pick-me-up. Our go-to recipe for this delightful meal can be switched to accommodate any tastes. So feel free to get creative—that's half the fun!

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 can sliced beets (14.5 oz)
• 2 medium roma tomatoes
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 1/2 cup whole black or green olives
• 2 medium jalapeños
• 1 large ripe avocado
• 1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot
• 2 whole limes
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 can black beans
• 5 oz container of preferred greens
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Tajín seasoning

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven preheats, prepare the seasoning for the beets: In a small dish, whisk cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and Tajín seasoning until combined. Drain your can of sliced beets, halve the slices, and place them in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and top with the seasoning. Mix generously with your hands until well-coated, squeeze the juice of one lime on top, then mix again. Place on a baking sheet in the oven for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through and flipping the beets. When done, beets should be crisp and browned on the edges; feel free to leave in the oven 10–15 minutes longer if you prefer them chewier.
2. While the beets are in the oven, prepare your salad toppings. Dice the tomato, bell pepper, olives, and jalapeños. Slice the avocado your preferred size, and drizzle with lime juice to keep from browning, followed by a sprinkle of Tajín seasoning. In a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, pour the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and allow a couple of minutes to heat. Follow with Frank's Red Hot, then frozen corn. Stir until the corn is evenly coated, and continue cooking until corn begins to brown, about 7–10 minutes. Finish with a generous sprinkle of Tajín seasoning, a teaspoon of chili powder, the juice of 1/2 a lime, and a final toss.
3. Drain and rinse your black beans, then assemble your salad. You can do this in any order, but this is our preferred method: For each serving, start with a generous bed of greens. Top with corn and beets, then follow with tomatoes, peppers, jalapeños, olives, avocado, and black beans. Finish with a sprinkle of Tajín and a squeeze of lime, then dig in! Feel free to add your favorite vegan dressing.

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