Guide To Vegetarian Mexican Cooking

Mexican cuisine is the ideal cuisine for vegans, vegetarians, and plant-based eaters. With the dishes being centered around robust spices, grains, beans, and fresh vegetables, this is an obvious choice for meatless eaters. Vegetarian Mexican Cooking allows for endless ways to put your own twist on a traditional dish. Above all, this type of food is perfect for feeding picky eaters, those with food allergies, or if you are looking for a quick + easy + healthy meal idea.

Tara’s Tuesday Tips:

Guide To Vegetarian Mexican Cooking (And Eating!)

Lessons We Learned From Being Vegetarian + Loving Mexican Food

Here at MVF, we eat Mexican food every chance we get. We have learned some very important lessons in our taco-loving years:

First of all, just because it is vegetarian does not mean it is healthy.
Secondly, choose your toppings wisely. Ask yourself if you want the sour cream + cheese or do you get it out of habit? If you want it, go for it, but if not, you might want to give it a try without and save the grams of fat for something else fun that you might be craving.
Third, fast food Mexican can be loaded with unhealthy, un-authentic, and ultra-processed ingredients. These quick bites are advertised as healthy alternatives. In actuality, they are not! They are simply healthier alternatives to other processed fast-food options. Be careful of anything you eat regularly. If there is a Mexican menu item you eat several times per week, simply check the label and be sure you are getting the best version of that food item. Another option is to make your own!
In addition, most Mexican staples are low calorie-density foods and can be the ultimate weight loss tool. Veggies, herbs, spices, tomatoes, and more!
Most importantly, Mexican food is difficult to mess up. Simply pile up a few simple ingredients, add some chips or a tortilla, and you are instantaneously a kitchen rock star.

Reasons To Cook More Vegetarian Mexican Food

Inexpensive
Typically made with fresh, unprocessed ingredients
Easy + quick to turn a few simple ingredients into a snack or a meal
Perfect for feeding a crowd or large family
Easily converted to gluten-free or dairy-free
Naturally plant-based
Widely available ingredients
Can be a very healthy option
Ideal for meal prepping
Breakfast or lunch or dinner or snack, there is alway a vegetarian Mexican recipe that fits!

Essential Kitchen Staples For Vegetarian Mexican Cooking

Beans: pinto or black
Produce: tomatoes, onions, peppers of all varieties, avocado, corn, cilantro, lemon, lime, garlic, lettuce
Spices: cumin, smoked paprika, salt, oregano, taco seasoning powder
Rice: white, brown, black, cauliflower, quinoa
Nutritional Yeast
Tortillas: corn, white, wheat, sprouted, almond flour, rice flour, cassava flour, chips (of course)
Tofu, Tempeh

Tara’s Shopping Tips

First of all, you can find lots of healthy options in the freezer section including cauliflower rice, fire-roasted corn, cooked quinoa or brown rice, super healthy tortillas (as an alternative to white refined flour tortillas).
Secondly, organic jarred salsas are widely available now without added sugar.
Third, healthier chips are a fabulous option made with pure corn or almond flour and avocado oil (that is what we eat).
Fourth, canned beans can be your go-to in a pinch. Look for vegetarian + organic beans in cans free of BPA.
Most importantly, read your labels! Taco shells, chips, taco seasonings, and tortillas can have sneaky ingredients such as food dyes, oils, refined sugars and flours.

Make Avocado Your New Best Friend

As a healthy source of plant-based fats, the avocado has skyrocketed to popularity. Rightfully so, the avocado is versatile, creamy, + absolutely delicious. In regards to plant-based Mexican cooking, the avocado can easily replace the dairy in any dish and you can still have that creamy texture without the saturated fat. Not sure? Check out my article here.

Meal Prep Ideas

Easily prep rice, refried beans, black beans, quinoa, softritas, tempeh taco meat, and salsas ahead of time. Use any combination you love and there you have it!

My Favorite Meal-Prep Mexican Combinations:

- Refried beans + corn salsa. Heat refried beans separately, spread into a tortilla. After that, top with corn salsa when ready to eat.
- Quinoa + black beans + salsa. First, heat quinoa + black beans then layer in a bowl. Second, top with salsa when ready to eat.
- Salad: my favorite! Firstly, chop veggies, and keep them in a separate container. Next, think of your protein source. I make a big batch of sofritas or tempeh taco meat on the weekends. Third of all, decide if you are adding beans. Finally, top with creamy avocado dressing and/or salsa.
- Make a double batch of Mexican Quinoa on weekends. Portion out into smaller containers to take along for lunch or reheat on busy weeknights.
- Use your freezer! Firstly, this is my ultimate survival skill. Second, I make lots of extra refried beans, tempeh taco meat, and black beans. Third, I store them in 1-2 serving portion containers and I label them. This is a total game-changer for healthy eating. I don’t look for a box or a can on busy nights or for lunches. Most importantly, I can quickly defrost one of these and have it over a salad or in a tortilla. In addition, I keep riced cauliflower in the freezer. It heats up quick and can be a low-calorie option as a base for beans and tempeh.
- Instant Pot LOVE! Just like the freezer trick. The Instant Pot is another secret weapon for Mexican food, weight management, and meal-prep. For instance, I make a big batch of plain quinoa or rice every weekend. That way, I have a healthy base for my choice of Mexican toppings and a healthy meal already prepared.