Vegetarian Taco Salad With Sweet Potato

I know ‘taco salad’ is such a broad name, and really it’s more of a Mexican inspired salad. This vegetarian salad is filling thanks to beans, sweet potatoes, and avocado.

However, if you eat meat, feel free to add a grilled protein on top.

I wanted to keep the ingredients simple and take advantage of some store-bought shortcuts.

• Iceberg Lettuce
• Canned Black Beans
• Roasted Sweet Potato
• Store-bought Pico de Gallo
• Roasted Pepitas
• Avocado
• Jalapeno
• Jicama
• Pickled red onions (not pictured)
• Queso Fresco (not pictured)

There’s quite a few substitutes you can make for this vegetarian taco salad. Use what you have on hand or personal preference. Here’s just a few options:

• Iceberg Lettuce- Substitute Mixed Greens or Romain Lettuce
• Black Beans- Substitute with different beans, lentils, or chickpeas.
• Roasted Sweet Potato- You can omit these for a ‘no-cook’ salad. Or use roasted white potatoes.
• Pico de Gallo- I used a store bought one, but you can make your own or use Salsa.
• Roasted Pepitas- Any roasted nuts or seed will add some crunch to the salad.

I love the flavor and creaminess roasted sweet potatoes add to the salad.

Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into even pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Roast at 375° F for 15-20 minutes or until tender.

While the potatoes are roasting, prep the lettuce and salad toppings. Once everything is prepped, you can have an easy salad for the rest of the week.

Build the salad with the lettuce on the bottom and layer the toppings on. I also added some queso fresco on top and pickled red onions for color and acidity.

The salad goes well with a creamy cilantro lime dressing and some tortilla chips on the side.

Store any leftovers in individual containers up to 3 days. Or use the sweet potatoes and black beans to make these Baked Flautas.