Top 5 Healthy Plant-Based Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Going vegan doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor. Eating great Mexican food is not only possible on a plant-based diet, but it’s enjoyable and easy. Most of the flavor elements in Mexican cooking — from the chiles to the limes to the cilantro — come from plants. These flavor profiles can easily be applied to bean and vegetable dishes for healthy Mexican fare.

Here are the top 5 healthy plant-based recipes for your Cinco de Mayo festival:

1. Guacamole — mash together a garlic clove, a small handful of cilantro, and a jalapeno with the juice of half a lime. This works best with a mortar and pestle, as crushing the cilantro releases the natural oils for a better flavor. Smash in two ripe avocados. Dice up a little red onion and mix in. Slice up a tomato or two to mix in. Salt to taste. Adjust by adding more lime juice or more jalapeno if you like it hot!
2. Black Bean & Salsa Soup (an absolute staple recipe as it is about the easiest thing imaginable)
3. Sweet Potato Enchiladas
4. Portobello Tacos
5. Lentil Taco Meat (seriously bomb).

Tofutti makes a great vegan sour cream, and Daiya is the closest cheese analogue. If you miss the meat, you can use Gardein Chick’n, which in a recipe you’d never notice the difference.

I generally advocate for 100% whole plant foods, however substitutes for animal products can definitely help you transition to a more plant-centric lifestyle, and can even be nice for an indulgence here and there if you are fully Plantiful.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo doesn’t have to mean loading up on cholesterol and saturated fat laden cheesy and sour creamy dishes. Go plant-based. Make the feast above and your taste buds will be satisfied, and your waistline will stay put.