6 Mouthwatering Vegan Mexican Recipes

Mexican food doesn't have to be dairy-heavy or meat-laden. By making a few simple adjustments, you can make tons of your favorite dishes vegan. And most of the following recipes are oil-free, so they're light and refreshing ways to enjoy the traditional flavors of Mexican food without weighing you down. ¡Buen provecho!

RELATED: 10 Low-Calorie Margaritas

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 medium red pepper

Salt

1/2 cup water (divided)

1 cup cilantro

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (plus more for garnish)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Seed and slice red pepper. Place on roasting pan, lightly salt, and bake 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place in a blender with 1/4 cup water. Blend on high for 1 minute until pureed, scraping sides of blender as needed. Set aside red pepper mixture and clean blender.

2. Place cilantro in a blender with remaining water and blend until smooth, about 30 to 45 seconds. Pour cilantro sauce out of the blender into a bowl but don't scrape the blender so some cilantro mixture still remains in it. Set aside.

3. Place corn, onion, almond milk, cumin, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste in the blender and blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour soup into two bowls and dot with red pepper coulis and cilantro sauce. Garnish with corn kernels and serve.

Nutrition score per serving: 121 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated), 8g carbs, 2g protein, 3g fiber

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 cup peeled and diced jicama

1 1/2 cup pinto beans (either canned or freshly soaked)

2 cups diced red pepper

1 cup diced red onion

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, cumin, and cayenne pepper for 30 seconds until well blended. Add jicama, pinto beans, red pepper, onion, corn, and cilantro, and mix well until jicama mixture is well coated with lime juice-cumin mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition score per serving: 335 calories, 3g fat (0.5g saturated), 66g carbs, 14g protein, 17g fiber

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

1 teaspoon cumin

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 tablespoon raisins

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups sliced mushrooms

3 cups chopped kale

1/2 cup dry polenta

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Salt

Pepper

Pumpkin seeds and cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Pour liquid from tomatoes in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cayenne, and cumin, and saute for 1 more minute. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, broth, peanut butter, raisins, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid. Puree mole sauce in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute.

2. In the same pan, add strained liquid and mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.

3. Meanwhile steam kale for 3 minutes and prepare polenta according to package directions. Stir kale and nutritional yeast into finished polenta and add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Divide polenta-kale mixture and mushroom mixture between two plates and cover each one with 3/4 cup blended mole sauce. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and cilantro, if desired.

Nutrition score per serving: 425 calories, 11g fat (2.5g saturated), 67g carbs, 22g protein, 11g fiber

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For guacamole:

1 ripe avocado, diced and lightly mashed with a fork

1/2 small tomato, diced

2 tablespoons diced red onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons diced cilantro

1/2 tablespoon lime juice

Salt

Pepper

For quesadillas:

2 cups chopped butternut squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 dash cayenne

2 tortillas

1 tablespoon finely grated vegan cheese

Directions:

1. Prepare guacamole by mashing together avocado, tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

2. Steam butternut squash for 12 minutes. Meanwhile heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan and add onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until onion is slightly translucent. Reduce heat to low and add beans, squash, cumin, and cayenne, and mash lightly with a fork. Transfer bean and squash mixture to a bowl.

3. Place 1 tortilla in the same pan and heat for 30 seconds on low. Add half the bean-squash mixture, sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon cheese, and fold tortilla over to make a semi-circle. Repeat with second tortilla. Cut tortillas into thirds and serve with guacamole.

Nutrition score per serving: 358 calories, 22g fat (3g saturated), 40g carbs, 6g protein, 12g fiber

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

For guacamole:

1 ripe avocado, diced and lightly mashed with a fork

1/2 small tomato, diced

2 tablespoons diced red onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon diced cilantro

1/2 tablespoon lime juice

Salt

Pepper to taste

For filling:

1 portobello mushroom cap, sliced

1/2 small orange or red bell pepper, sliced

1 sliced onion round

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Chili powder

1 tortilla

Directions:

1. Prepare guacamole by mashing together avocado, tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly brush mushroom, pepper, and onion with olive oil, place on a baking sheet, and lightly sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Roast peppers and onions 10 minutes and mushroom 20 minutes, flipping everything halfway through. Serve on tortilla with guacamole.

Nutrition score per serving: 530 calories, 44g fat (6g saturated), 36g carbs, 7g protein, 17g fiber

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

For guacamole:

1 ripe avocado, diced and lightly mashed with a fork

1/2 small tomato, diced

2 tablespoons diced red onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons diced cilantro

1/2 tablespoon lime juice

Salt

Pepper

For tempeh:

1/4 cup mole sauce or vegetable broth (plus extra, as needed)

1/4 cup diced tempeh

1 teaspoon chili powder

Salt

Pepper

3 cups lettuce or mixed greens of choice

Salsa (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare guacamole by mashing together avocado, tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

2. Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat and coat with mole sauce or vegetable broth. Season tempeh with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add to pan and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping over once and adding more liquid as needed. Plate lettuce and top with tempeh, salsa, and guacamole.

Nutrition score per serving: 420 calories, 33g fat (5g saturated), 32g carbs, 13g protein, 17.5g fiber