Vegan Taco Bowl Recipe for Under $1 a Serving

This Mexican-inspired taco bowl dip is all sorts of delicious. Made with layers of creamy refried beans, guacamole, cashew cream, salsa, veggies, and dairy-free shredded cheese, it packs a flavor punch.

Taco dip is the perfect item to bring to a potluck or gathering (know of any football events coming up?). Pair it with some crunchy tortilla chips, veggie, pita chips, whatever and you've got a touchdown dish on your hands!

While it may not be traditional, this plant-based version contains all the same great flavors everyone will love without unwanted cholesterol from dairy-based products. By lowering your LDL cholesterol, you may even help protect yourself against viral sicknesses. Now that’s impressive!

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Want to make this dip more budget-friendly?

Use half the amount of cashew cream and double the refried beans.
Skip the shredded cheese and use a sprinkle of nutritional yeast on top.
Use more vegetables (tomatoes, lettuce, onions) to bulk the dip up.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Cost: $8.13 recipe | $0.81 serving

Vegan Taco Bowl Dip

Serves 10

Ingredients

Cashew Cream & Nacho Sauce

1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked ($2.58)
1 cup water ($0.01)
1 lime, juiced ($0.18)
Salt to taste ($0.01)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast ($0.48)
2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños ($0.05)
¼ teaspoon paprika ($0.01)

Guacamole

4 ripe avocados ($1.95)
1 small Roma tomato, de-seeded & diced ($0.16)
¼ cup diced white onions ($0.08)
1 clove garlic, minced ($0.04)
Salt to taste ($0.01)

Additional Layers

400 grams refried pinto beans ($0.78)
½ cup salsa or diced tomatoes ($0.25)
½ cup corn kernels, sautéed ($0.57)
½ cup shredded dairy-free cheese ($0.62)
¼ cup black olives, sliced ($0.20)
¼ cup green onions, sliced ($0.15)

Instructions

Cashew Cream & Nacho Cheese

Add soaked cashews, water, lime juice, and salt to a high-speed blender. Mix on high until smooth, then transfer about half to a small container.
Add nutritional yeast, pickled jalapeños, and paprika to the rest in the blender. Finish mixing, then transfer to a separate container.

Guacamole

Mash the avocados roughly, then mix in onions, garlic, tomatoes, lime juice, and salt. Finish mashing the guacamole to your preferred consistency.

Assembly

Spread the refried beans out in a layer on the bottom of a casserole dish or large bowl.
Add the guacamole on top followed by a layer of nacho sauce, cashew cream, salsa or diced tomatoes, corn kernels, shredded dairy-free cheese, black olives, and green onions.
Serve immediately with tortilla chips or cover and let chill until you are ready to serve. Enjoy!

Notes
An 8x8 casserole dish works well for this portion size.