Taco Salad

 

I’m typically very lazy with my day-to-day salads - I’ll usually throw greens and whatever veg I have in a bowl, drizzle everything with olive oil and lemon juice, and call it done. But whenever I take the time to make something more thought through like this taco salad, I’m reminded that even daily cooking can be creative and fun.

This taco salad showcases a rainbow of vegetables, bulked up with spiced quinoa and an avocado dressing. Serve it with tortilla chips (I’m currently loving these grain-free ones) to take the fun factor to next level. Enjoy!

Taco Salad

serves 4

for the salad

  • 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • sea salt

  • 1/2 head small red cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded on a mandoline

  • 4-5 leaves Romaine lettuce, thinly sliced

  • 1 medium carrot, ribboned with a vegetable peeler

  • 1 tomato, cubed

  • 1/4 red onion, diced

  • 1/2-1 avocado, sliced (optional)

  • pickled jalapenos

  • tortilla chips

for the avocado dressing

  • 1 large avocado

  • juice from 1 lime

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

  • 1 small bunch cilantro, tough stems trimmed

  • sea salt

to make the salad

In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa steam for another 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, lettuce, carrot, tomato, and red onion. Add the avocado dressing to taste and mix to combine. Distribute the salad among bowls, top with spoonfuls of the quinoa, sliced avocado, if using, and garnish with the pickled jalapenos to taste. Crush some tortilla chips over top or serve them on the side. Enjoy!

to make the dressing

In a food processor, combine the avocado, lime juice, mustard, garlic, cilantro, 1⁄2 cup + 2 tablespoons water, and salt to taste. Process until smooth. If the dressing seems too thick, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.

Intuitive Cooking Takeaways

Whenever I’m cooking grains, I like to consider what I’ll be serving them with, and whether I can add something extra to contribute to the overall flavor of the dish. The quinoa in this recipe is a great example of that. I added spices that are commonly found in taco seasoning to flavor the quinoa in theme with the salad. I highly recommend doing this whenever you’re cooking grains! Besides spices, you can add bay leaves, aromatic vegetables, a splash of vinegar, tamari, etc. to take your grains from plain to more exciting :)

 
recipe, allMasha DavydovaComment