How to Order Vegan Mexican Food

by Jenny Sugar 0

Carne y queso are definitely not vegan-approved, but it seems as if they're in every dish at most Mexican restaurants. But that doesn't mean vegans have to skip out on South of the border hot spots — check out our cheat sheet for ordering vegan when the mood for Mexican strikes. Remember that it's always a good idea to let your server know that you're vegan ahead of time, in case there are menu items containing hidden animal ingredients.

Appetizers:

• Black bean soup: hold the sour cream and shredded cheese topping
• Tortillas with salsa and fresh guacamole
• Nachos: load up on the veggies, beans, and guacamole, but hold the sour cream and cheese; make sure the refried beans are made without lard

Salads:

• Fajita salad: ask for sautéed peppers, mushrooms, and onions instead of beef or chicken; hold the cheese and ask for avocado instead
• Tortilla salad: ask for extra beans, corn, black olives, and peppers, and skip the cheese; ask for a side of fresh guacamole and pico de gallo

Entrées:

• Rice and beans: go ahead and order both black and pinto beans, but make sure they're not cooked in lard or chicken broth
• Fajitas: opt for portobello mushrooms, green peppers, and onions instead of meat; hold the cheese
• Veggie quesadilla: ask for corn, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and broccoli to go inside the quesadilla using vegan refried beans to hold everything together instead of melted cheese
• Burrito: some places offer tofu as vegetarian choice, but if yours doesn't, then go for sautéed veggies, beans, rice, and salsa with a side of quac
• Soft or hard tacos: go for tofu or sautéed veggies and beans, rice, salsa, and guacamole

Source: Flickr user Tavallai