Vegetarian Taco Pasta Salad
Whoa, what’s this? A savory recipe? Almost unbelievable considering my recipes are typically 95% sugar, but this vegetarian taco pasta salad is 100% worth it!
Restaurants have once again been shut down here in Los Angeles due to COVID, but even before that I was very rarely eating out. But, the one ‘restaurant’ I miss a lot is the classic L.A. taco truck. I haven’t been to a taco truck in so long, but I have been eating quite a few tacos at home (my vegan roasted veggie taco is one of the most popular recipes on my blog)! A girl can only eat so many tacos… but, I still want to eat tacos. Enter this vegetarian taco pasta, which is made with fewer than ten ingredients.
I love a long, complicated recipe that I can spend hours on. That’s part of why I love baking - the more steps I see in a recipe the more of a challenge it becomes, and I’ve always been up for a challenge. But, these days the grocery store shelves aren’t as full as they used to be, and my energy hasn’t always been in tip-top shape given the strange world we all live in. So, I’m appreciating easy recipes now that are just a few steps and a few ingredients. If you’re in the same mood as I, then this delicious taco salad recipe is for you!
Here is everything you need:
Short pasta of your choice
French dressing
Cooked quinoa
Cooked lentils
Cheese
Lettuce
Cherry tomatoes
Taco seasoning
Seriously, that’s it! I used Banza pasta for this recipe because they’re made of chickpeas instead of flour, which means it tastes great and has lots of protein. The quinoa and lentils in this recipe come together into a vegan ‘ground beef’ substitute that’s super easy to make too. I use this vegan ground beef all the time in my tacos, lasagne, and for rice bowls. When seasoned with taco seasoning, it tastes super good in any Mexican-inspired dish - it’s so good that even my meat-eating friends like it too!
This recipe is easily doubled to serve four or more! Enjoy!
Recipe
INGREDIENTS
8 oz rotini pasta (I like Banza)
1/2 c cooked quinoa
1/2 c cooked lentils
1/2 c French dressing
1 c Cobly-Jack cheese
1 c shredded lettuce
1/2 c cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tbsp taco seasoning
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Pour the quinoa and lentils on the baking sheet into a single layer. Bake for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to package directions. Strain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Once the quinoa and lentils are done, pour them into a large mixing bowl. Add the taco seasoning and stir.
Add the pasta, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes into the bowl and mix.
Now, drizzle the French dressing on top and mix until everything is evenly coated. Time to eat!