Vegan Taco Salad: Sweet Potato, Grain, and Creamy Jalapeño Sauce

An explosion of flavors and textures in 30 minutes, totally plant-based.

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Equipe Receita Solta

Vegan Taco Salad: Sweet Potato, Grain, and Creamy Jalapeño Sauce
Prep Time20 min
Cook Time25 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyEasy
Calories430 kcal

Resumo para quem tem pressa

"A hearty Mexican salad that combines cubes of roasted sweet potato and chickpeas with smoked paprika and cumin, on a base of massaged kale and romaine lettuce. The velvety cashew nut sauce with jalapeño crowns the dish."

Enjoy a vibrant and nutritious salad, with roasted sweet potato and chickpeas, crispy chips, and a creamy jalapeño dressing. Ideal for quick and delicious dinners that surprise the palate.

O Que Você Precisa Saber

- The sweet potato caramelizes at 200°C while the chickpeas get crispy with the Mexican spices. - Massaging the chopped kale with olive oil breaks the tough fibers of the leaf, making it soft and easy to chew. - Soaked cashew nuts blended with jalapeño create a dense and velvety sauce without using any dairy.

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 2 units (about 500g), peeled and in 1.5 cm cubes Medium sweet potato
  • 1 can (400g), drained and rinsed Cooked chickpeas
  • 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon (optional, for a spicy touch) Pimenta caiena
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups (approximately 1 bunch), without stems, coarsely chopped Kale
  • 4 cups, chopped Alface romana
  • 2 cups, coarsely broken Tortilla chips
  • 1 medium unit, sliced or cubed Avocado
  • 1 cup, halved (optional) Tomate cereja
  • 1/4 cup, thinly sliced (optional) Red onion
  • 1/2 cup, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained (for the sauce) Raw cashew
  • 1/4 cup (or more, for sauce consistency) Cold water
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 a 1 unit (seedless and chopped, adjust to your taste for the sauce) Jalapeño
  • 1 small clove (for the sauce) Garlic
  • 1/4 cup (for the sauce) Fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon (optional, to balance the sauce) Maple syrup or agave

Instructions

Instructions

1

<strong>Preheat and Prepare Vegetables:</strong> Preheat the oven to 200°C. On a large baking sheet, distribute the sweet potato cubes and the drained chickpeas. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to coat all ingredients homogeneously.

2

<strong>Roast:</strong> Take to the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sweet potato is soft and slightly caramelized, and the chickpeas are crispy. Turn halfway through for even cooking, ensuring everything browns equally. This step is crucial for the smoky flavor and desired texture.

3

<strong>Prepare the Jalapeño Sauce:</strong> While the vegetables roast, prepare the sauce. In the blender, combine the soaked and drained cashews, cold water, lemon juice, jalapeño (start with half), garlic, cilantro, and maple syrup (if using). Beat until you get a smooth and creamy sauce, adjusting the consistency with more water, one tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and adjust the spiciness with more jalapeño. The secret of this recipe is the velvety texture of the sauce.

4

<strong>Massage the Kale:</strong> In a large bowl, add the chopped kale. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and massage the collard greens with your hands for 1-2 minutes. This process softens the collard greens and enhances their flavor, making them more pleasant to the palate. The professional technique is to massage the kale, ensuring softness.

5

<strong>Assemble and Finish:</strong> Add the chopped romaine lettuce to the bowl with the massaged collard greens. When the sweet potato and chickpeas are ready, incorporate them into the leaf mixture. Add the broken tortilla chips, sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, and red onion (if using). Drizzle generously with the creamy jalapeño sauce and mix well. Serve immediately to enjoy the crunchiness of the chips.

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Chef Tips

- Soak the cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes to soften before blending in the blender. - Dry the cooked chickpeas well with a cloth before putting them in the oven to ensure a crispy texture. - Add the coarsely broken tortilla chips only at the moment of serving to maintain the crunch.

Variations

- Add 1 cup of green corn toasted in a dry skillet to give sweet smoky notes to the salad. - Add cooked and drained black beans mixed with the roasted chickpeas to increase protein density. - Sprinkle crumbled feta-style vegetable cheese on top before drizzling the green jalapeño sauce.

Substitutions

- Kale can be replaced by thinly sliced collard greens or raw spinach leaves. - The fresh jalapeño pepper can be replaced with seedless dedo-de-moça pepper or mild green pepper. - The cashews in the sauce can be replaced by soaked sunflower seeds without shells.

How to Store

Store the leaf base with the sweet potato and chickpeas in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the nut sauce and corn chips in separate containers to assemble at the time of eating.

Can You Freeze It?

Do not freeze the assembled salad or leafy vegetables. Only the already baked sweet potato and chickpeas can be frozen for up to 30 days in an airtight container to reheat in the oven.

What to Serve With

Pairs with cold Mexican beer with lemon, hibiscus water with orange, or fresh guacamole.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it indispensable to massage the kale with olive oil?

Raw kale has hard cell walls and a bitter taste; when rubbing the leaves with your fingertips for 2 minutes, it becomes tender, pliable, and mild in flavor.

Is the jalapeño sauce excessively spicy?

No, because the complete removal of the seeds and white membranes of the pepper eliminates most of the capsaicin, and the fats from the cashew nut attenuate the remaining heat.

Can I prepare the sweet potato and chickpeas in the air fryer?

Yes, bake in the air fryer basket at 190°C for about 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the drawer halfway through until golden.

How do I keep the avocado from browning if there's leftover salad?

Brush fresh lemon juice over the avocado pulp and store it with the pit wrapped in plastic wrap stuck directly to the fruit's surface.

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