Taco Bell Has Tons of Vegan Options That Are Actually Pretty Healthy (and Tasty)
Taco Bell Has Tons of Vegan Options That Are Actually Pretty Healthy (and Tasty)
When you want a vegan meal on the go, Taco Bell probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind—but maybe it should be. The chain has plenty of vegan-friendly menu items and many of them even fall on the healthier end of the fast food spectrum. Taco Bell has 31 vegan ingredients that can be used to customize your own plant-based meal. All of those ingredients, plus the restaurant’s vegetarian menu items, are certified by the American Vegetarian Association.
While some dishes are naturally vegan, others can be customized by making some simple swaps. Taco Bell makes it easy for you with its “make it vegetarian” option, which automatically swaps out meats from any dish while adding in plant-based protein like black beans. “Make it fresco” will also swap mayo-based sauces, cheeses, sour cream, and guacamole with pico de gallo for most items. Want to keep your order nutritious? There are a few more things to keep in mind when going vegan at Taco Bell:
How to order a healthier vegan meal at Taco Bell
Define what vegan means to you: Everyone approaches a vegan diet differently, so it’s important to note that Taco Bell defines menu items as “vegan” as long as they contain no animal ingredients. “However, in some restaurants we use the same frying oil to prepare menu items that may or may not contain animal ingredients. Also, we cannot guarantee that cross-contact with meat products will not occur,” they state on their site. This can be a deal-breaker for some, and no biggie for others.
Watch the calories: “This is dependent on your ideal body weight and how many meals and snacks you have per day, but for most Americans, you should aim for 1,700 to 2,000 calories per day,” says Scott Keatley, R.D., of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. That gives you room for roughly 400 to 500 calories a meal, with some room for snacks.
Mind your macros: Your body needs a mix of macronutrients—carbohydrates (rice, tortilla, veggies), fats (gauc), and proteins (beans)—to keep you going. “Some important hormones are made from fat,” Keatley says. “Our muscles and organs are made from protein. Carbs are our body’s main source of energy.” Ideally, you want a balanced meal to hit all of your macros.
Be wary of salt and sugar traps: With any meal, it’s important to look out for excess sodium and sugar, especially if you eat out frequently, says Beth Warren, R.D., founder of Beth Warren Nutrition and author of Secrets of a Kosher Girl. That said, if you rarely have fast food, a little bit of extra salt and sugar isn’t a huge deal in moderation, she says.
Now that you have some pointers to keep mind, it’s time to dig in! We combed through Taco Bell’s menu to find the best vegan options—and we promise they won’t disappoint.
1) Veggie Power Burrito
This burrito hits all your vegan macros: black beans for protein, guacamole for healthy fat, a wrap for carbs, and lettuce and pico de gallo for texture and flavor. This mix of nutrients stabilizes your blood sugar for all-day energy and keeps mindless snacking at bay, says Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., author of The Little Book of Game Changers. Just skip the cheese, sour cream, and ranch.
Per serving: 320 calories, 10 g fat (2.5 g sat), 49 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 790 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 10 g protein
2) Veggie Power Bowl
The Veggie Power Bowl has all the goodness of the burrito, but with a fluffy layer of rice instead of a wrap—a nice compromise if you like to save your leftovers in a tidy container. Again, ditch the cheese, sour cream, and ranch to make it fully vegan.
Per serving: 370 calories, 10 g fat (1 g sat), 62 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 820 mg sodium, 13 g fiber, 10 g protein
3) Soft or Crunchy Tacos
Both the crunchy and soft tacos are vegan, if you load them up the right way. Add beans for your protein source, ditch the dairy, and load it up with lettuce, onions, and pico de gallo to elevate the crunch and flavor. Order at least three tacos to make it a filling meal.
Per serving: 160 calories, 4.5 g fat (.5 g sat), 24 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 240 mg sodium, 7 g fiber, 5 g protein
4) Tostada
Taco Bell’s signature tostada is basically like a crunchy taco spread out flat. Use a refried or black bean base with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions for flavor and texture. You can also add guac for a little extra fat—that can help keep you fuller, longer, Cording says. Just make sure to skip any dairy. Want an extra kick? Taco Bell’s sauce packets are also vegan-friendly.
Per serving: 150 calories, 5 g fat (1 g sat), 22 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 360 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 5 g protein
5) 7-Layer Burrito
Technically this is called a 7-Layer Burrito, but it’s five layers once you take out the sour cream and cheese. You can add in extras like onions and jalape?os if you want to substitute those items for something flavorful. Refried beans offer a punch of protein, while rice offers filling carbs.
Per serving: 440 calories, 14 g fat (3 g sat), 67 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 860 mg sodium, 8 g fiber, 12 g protein
6) Fiesta Taco Salad
This is a fun take on your basic salad, and it can easily be veganized. Ask for the salad without the ground beef, sour cream, or cheese, and sub in black beans and guac for protein and fat to hit all of your macros “versus simply ordering a plain tossed salad,” says Keri Gans, R.D.N., author of The Small Change Diet.
Per serving: 550 calories, 24 g fat (2 g sat), 71 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 680 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 12 g protein
7) Bean Burrito
This is just about vegan-ready—you just need to get rid of the cheese. Make it fresco for a punch of fresh and crunchy pico de gallo, or add in extras like lettuce, onions, and jalape?os to dress it up however you like.
Per serving: 350 calories, 9 g fat (2.5 g sat), 56 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 1010 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 13 g protein
8) Black Beans and Rice
Sometimes, you just want to keep it simple, and this side dish is it. Black beans and rice gives you a little bit of everything in the macros department with a solid boost of protein. You can also add guac and onions to make it even tastier.
Per serving: 190 calories, 4 g fat (0 g sat), 35 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 390 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 5 g protein
9) Crunchwrap Supreme
This beloved classic requires some slight swaps, but nothing too tricky. Just order your Crunchwrap without the meat, sour cream, and cheese, and add black beans for filling protein, Warren says.
Per serving: 460 calories, 12 g fat (3 g sat), 74 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 900 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 13 g protein
10) Chips and Guacamole
Keatley says a hearty snack should hover around 250 calories and the chips and guac combo just about gets you there. It should help fill you up for a bit, while fulfilling your salty cravings.
Per serving: 230 calories, 14 g fat (1.5 g sat), 23 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 310 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 3 g protein
11) Mexican Pizza
“Pizza” and “vegan” don’t exactly go together, but it’s possible to customize this menu item to suit your needs. Swap in black beans for the ground beef, and ask for your pizza without cheese. You can add guac for an extra satiating topping.
Per serving: 380 calories, 18 g fat (2 g sat), 45 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 480 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 9 g protein
With a few simple swaps, you can veganize just about anything.