Taco Time would not be my top choice when it comes to Mexican restaurants. Del Taco and Taco Cabana have way more options with all their Beyond Meat offerings. But there are still some things us vegans can get at Taco Time.
Vegan options at Taco Time:
- Mexi Fries (Tater Tots)
- Chips and Salsa (or Guacamole)
- Custom Taco or Burrito
- Tortillas / Shells: Taco Shells, 10″ Flour Tortilla, 11″ Wheat Tortilla.
- Veggies and toppings: Banana Pepper, Black Olives, Cherry Peppers, Cilantro, Lemon Wedge, Lime Wedge, Onions, Pepperoncini, Pickled Jalapeno, Sunflower Seeds.
- Vegan sauces and condiments: 5 Alarm Hot Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Enchilada Sauce, Fry Sauce, Guacamole, Hot Sauce, Ketchup, Picante Sauce, Salsa Fresca, Salsa Nuevo, Salsa Verde.
Below, I’ll address a couple of menu items that are surprisingly NOT vegan. I’ll also share more tips on how to order the vegan dishes, and whether it’s possible to put together a whole-food plant-based meal, too.
This vegan menu was compiled with the help of the nutrition and allergen information on the Taco Time website. I also consulted some posts by other vegan bloggers.
Restaurant menus change and often vary by location. I recommend double checking any important information with the staff at your local Taco Time!
1. Mexi Fries
“Mexi Fries” are basically tater tots. Well, they’re not just “basically tater tots”—they are tater tots, period. That said, I do love me some tater tots.
Note: Keep in mind that these Mexi Fries may be fried in the same fryers as meat or animal products, as is often the case with deep fried products at restaurants.
2. Chips and Salsa (or Guac)
As with most restaurants, the tortilla chips at Taco Time are indeed vegan. They’re cooked with vegetable oil, not animal fat or anything like that. You’ve got a few options for what to dip these chips in:
- Salsa Fresca
- Salsa Nuevo
- Salsa Verde
- Guacamole
3. Custom Taco or Burrito
There is no “veggie taco” or “veggie burrito” that is even close to being vegan at Taco Time—so if you want a vegan taco or burrito, you’ll have to build it from the ground up.
Your vegan taco or burrito will not be incredibly filling, as there is no vegan “meat,” and the beans and rice also contain dairy.
Still, you can fill a shell or tortilla with some veggies and salsa—that sort of thing. Here are some of the options you’re likely to have…
Choose a tortilla or taco shell:
- Taco Shells
- 10″ Flour Tortilla
- 11″ Wheat Tortilla
Note: The “Tortilla Salad Bowl” is not a vegan option, as it contains dairy.
Veggies and other toppings:
- Banana Pepper
- Black Olives
- Cherry Peppers
- Cilantro
- Lemon Wedge
- Lime Wedge
- Onions
- Pepperoncini
- Pickled Jalapeno
- Sunflower Seeds
Vegan sauces or condiments:
- 5 Alarm Hot Sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Enchilada Sauce
- Fry Sauce
- Guacamole
- Hot Sauce
- Ketchup
- Picante Sauce
- Salsa Fresca
- Salsa Nuevo
- Salsa Verde
Bonus Tip: If you’re not seeing a ton of exciting veggies or toppings to load your taco or burrito with, then consider getting an order of Mexi Fries (tater tots) or Tortilla Chips added to your burrito. Personally, I love a tot-filled burrito.
4. Beverages
There are plenty of vegan soft drinks and other beverages. Here’s a bit of the selection you’re likely to find:
- Barq’s Root Beer
- Barq’s Red Crème Soda
- Cherry Coca-Cola
- Coca-Cola Zero
- Coca-Cola
- Diet Coke
- Diet Dr. Pepper
- Dr. Pepper
- Fanta
- Fresca
- Fruitopia Strawberry Passion Fruit Awareness
- Full Throttle Twisted
- Fuze Tea
- Glaceau Fruitwater
- Glaceau Vitaminwater
- Gold Peak Tea
- Hi-C
- Mello Yello
- Minute Maid Lemonade
- Pibb Xtra
- Powerade
- Red Flash
- Seagram’s
- Sprite
But What About…
You might assume that some of the following menu items would be vegan, too, but unfortunately they’re not:
- The beans are not vegan, as they contain dairy.
- The rice is not vegan, as it contains dairy.
Now let’s answer a few other questions about eating vegan at Taco Time…
Are Taco Time Churros Vegan?
Taco Time Churros are not vegan, as they contain milk and egg ingredients. This is according to the allergen information on the Taco Time website.
Are Taco Time Crustos Vegan?
Taco Time Crustos are not vegan, as they contain milk. This is according to the allergen information on the Taco Time website.
What Is in a Taco Time Veggie Burrito?
The Taco Time Veggie Burrito comes with a whole-wheat tortilla, refried beans, rice, cheddar cheese, sour cream, lettuce, salsa fresca, and sunflower seeds.
This Veggie Burrito is not vegan or even close to vegan. Remember: Even the beans and rice at Taco Time contain dairy!
Is Taco Time Guacamole Vegan?
Taco Time guacamole is vegan. Guacamole is pretty much always vegan, and the allergen info on the Taco Time website confirms no allergens for the guac.
Whole-Food Plant-Based Options
What if you’re not just avoiding animal products but also trying to avoid processed foods, including refined sugar, oil, and flour? Are there any strictly whole-food plant-based (WFPB) options at Taco Time?
Not really. In order to have a strictly WFPB meal at Taco Time, you’d have to just get veggies on a plate or something.
Remember, the beans and rice contain dairy, so those options are out. Then the tortillas and taco shells would also contain processed flour and likely oil, too. And the chips are going to contain oil.
If you want to eat strictly WFPB, go somewhere else!
Two More Recommendations for Your Plant-Based Journey
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