These bowls takes crisp, fresh salad ingredients, add a spicy and comforting Tex Mex twist, and emerge as my new favorite dinner recipe.
Apparently I have run out of ideas for vegetarian fajitas, so now we are moving on to finding ways to use fajita flavors in other kinds of meals. Fajita Stuffed Sweet Potatoes were a good start, but how about something lighter?
This recipe brings fajita flavors into an epic fresh crisp salad that is light but completely satisfying. It is a template for a meal that you can absolutely flex to your own tastes and everything is just thrown together in a bowl all casual, with very few rules, because once you add that smoky ranch it is practically guaranteed to taste good.
I assemble this recipe in a deconstructed way, in individual bowls with all of the ingredients separated. It’s fun that way, but feel free to throw it all into a big salad bowl, toss it together, and serve it from there, if that’s what you’d prefer.
The Formula for my Fajita Salad Bowl:
This isn’t a recipe that needs to be followed to a T, just try to get something in from each category and you’re onto a winner:
- Fajita Veggies: I’ve gone with my fave trio of onions, mushrooms and peppers. Feel free to change this up – in the summer I love to add asparagus to fajitas. Also feel free to flex the quantities. You really just want to fill a sheet pan with veggies, whatever works.
- Salad Ingredients: Lettuce, tomato and avocado for me. Feel free to add cucumber, radishes, whatever else you wish.
- Beans: I add some canned black beans, but pinto, white beans or chickpeas are all good options here.
- Cheese: Grated cheddar or crumbled cotija or feta. You could even use something like fried cubes of halloumi if you want a really substantial and meaty element.
- A Creamy Tangy Dressing: I whisk together a quick homemade smoky ranch which is perfect for this salad, offering tons of flavor and a cooling element. You could use a bottled dressing if you prefer or if you are short on time / ingredients.
Top Tips
- To get this on the table as quickly as possible, do not prep any of the salad ingredients or prepare the dressing until the fajita veggies are in the oven. You will have time while they cook to do everything else.
- Making the ranch dressing ahead of time will allow the flavors to develop a little more, and make the prep process a little simpler, but it’s not necessary.
- Leftovers will make a great lunch for the next day! They can be be assembled in a glass dish (keep the ingredients deconstructed so that the lettuce doesn’t wilt) or layered into a mason jar salad. Make sure the avocado is coated in olive oil, lemon juice or lime juice before adding it so that it doesn’t brown.
- You can easily scale this recipe down or up. I usually halve the recipe and just make it for two people, but I make the full batch of smoky ranch so that I have leftovers.
- Any leftover smoky ranch makes a great topping for tostadas or tacos, or a dip for quesadillas.
Veggie Fajita Salad Bowls
The best way to enjoy fajita flavors without the wraps. Melt in the mouth fajita vegetables are right at home in this fresh crisp salad bowl with a smoky ranch drizzle. This recipe is adaptable, easygoing, and can be on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400 g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large head lettuce, washed, dried and chopped
- 1.5 cups (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large ripe avocado, sliced or cubed
- 1 cup (100 g) grated cheddar cheese, crumbled cotija / feta also works well here
- 1 handful cilantro (fresh coriander), roughly chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Fajita Veggies
- 2 red or white onions, sliced into strips
- 2 bell peppers, sliced into strips
- 4 portobello mushrooms, sliced into strips
- 3-4 tbsp fajita seasoning
Smoky Ranch
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream, you can use greek yogurt if you prefer
- 4 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp onion powder
- 0.5 tsp dried parsley
- 0.5 tsp dried dill
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.25 tsp dried coriander
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 430F / 220C / 200C Fan.
- Slice your veggies into strips, add to a large mixing bowl and toss with just enough vegetable or olive oil to coat them well. Toss the fajita seasoning through, then scatter on your largest baking tray and place in the oven for 20 minutes.2 red or white onions, 2 bell peppers, 4 portobello mushrooms, 3-4 tbsp fajita seasoning
- Prepare the smoky ranch by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.1/2 cup sour cream, 4 Tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp dried parsley, 0.5 tsp dried dill, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.25 tsp dried coriander, salt and pepper
- Chop your salad veggies and portion them out into bowls. Add the beans and cheese next to the salad veggies.Leave a space for the fajita veggies.14 oz canned black beans, 1 large head lettuce, 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 large ripe avocado, 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- Once the veggies are charred and tender, remove from the oven. Scoop them into the bowls alongside the salad ingredients. Drizzle the dressing over the top of the bowls, sprinkle with cilantro, add a wedge of lime and serve!1 handful cilantro (fresh coriander), 1 lime
The quickest way to get this on the table is to focus on getting the fajita veggies prepped and in the oven first, before doing anything else. While they cook you will have enough time to prep the remaining ingredients.
I like to add each component separately next to each other, but you can certainly toss them together if you would prefer.
Calories: 544kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 1489mg, Potassium: 1550mg, Fiber: 17g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 4075IU, Vitamin C: 113mg, Calcium: 341mg, Iron: 4mg