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    Vegan walking tacos for potlucks & parties

    Published: Jul 24, 2018 · Modified: Jul 4, 2022 by Cadry Nelson
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Hands holding vegan walking taco + text that says "vegan walking tacos."

    Vegan walking tacos are a hit with kids & adults alike. They’re great for parties and potlucks.

    Plus, everyone can get in on the fun by adding whatever toppings they love most.

    Can’t find snack-sized bags of chips? No problem! Visit your local craft store to make walking tacos without the bag.

    Hands holding vegan walking taco.

    This time of year, fairs are popping up all over the place. There are art fairs, jazz fests, state fairs…

    And all of them seem to have one thing in common – walking tacos.

    You may also know walking tacos by the name of frito pie, hay stacks, corn stacks, or taco in a bag.

    For the uninitiated, walking tacos are similar to bagged nachos.

    They’re made by crunching corn chips or nacho chips in snack sized bags, and then topping them with all of the typical taco accoutrement.

    Then you can grab a fork and walk around the midway, or stop and listen to a live band while noshing on bites of crunchy, savory tacos by the forkful.

    Not only are they popular at amusement parks and fairs, walking taco bars are also a fun option for potlucks, open houses, birthday parties, dinners by the campfire, and tailgating.

    Everyone loves a walking taco bar!

    People can modify their frito pies to fit their personal taste preferences.

    Needless to say, a meal that involves chips as a main component is a hit with kids.

    Overhead vegan walking tacos on platter.

    As you’d probably guess, most of the hay stacks that you see in the concession area aren’t vegan.

    However, it’s easy to prepare them that way with a few simple swaps.

    I make vegan walking tacos with:

    • Lentil taco meat
    • Green leaf lettuce
    • Diced tomatoes
    • Shredded non-dairy cheese
    • Easy guacamole
    • Chives
    • Cilantro
    • Hot sauce
    • Quick pickled jalapeños

    But the options are endless!

    Here are a few more topping ideas:

    • Vegan three bean chili
    • Creamy cashew queso
    • Vegan refried beans
    • Dairy-free sour cream
    • Pickled red onions
    • Tomato salsa
    • Pickle salsa

    Vegan walking tacos in containers with corn chips.

    Organic corn chip dippers on Trader Joe's shelf.

    What about the chips?

    For tacos in a bag, Fritos and Doritos are common options.

    Fritos are already vegan. But I chose to use the Trader Joe’s version of those. They’re called organic corn chip dippers.

    If you’re more of a Doritos fan, I hear that the spicy sweet chili flavor is vegan. Although, I’ve never tried them.

    For a similar Doritos-style flavor but spicier, I recommend Paqui jalapeño tropicale.

    Hands holding vegan walking taco.

    Walking tacos without the bag

    Usually walking tacos are made in snack-sized chip bags.

    However, three natural grocery store visits later, I gave up on that idea.

    Instead, I picked up a full-sized bag of organic corn chips from Trader Joe’s, and used some kraft box french fry containers instead.

    If you’d prefer to go this route, you can find french fry containers similar to these at craft stores or online.

    For an even easier solution, use bowls instead.

    Individual snack bags usually come with about an ounce or two of chips inside. That’s basically one or two small handfuls.

    As a bonus, since I wasn’t using pre-bagged chips, I was able to layer my walking tacos. That meant I could get a variety of tastes in every bite.

    I didn’t want all of the chips at the bottom and all of the guac at the top, because that’s a sure fire way to be eating dry chips at the end of it.

    Instead I placed a few chips into the container, added some lentil black bean taco mixture, diced tomatoes, non-dairy cheese, guacamole, chives, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, and then repeated until I’d reached the top of the container.

    David smiling and holding a vegan walking taco with a fork.

    Smash it!

    Most people like to smash their chips for easier eating.

    They’re not as pretty that way, and so I didn’t do that for photo purposes.

    Plus, corn chips are small enough, it’s not really required.

    But if you go with a larger chip, crushing the chips makes it simpler to scoop up a forkful.

    Overhead hands holding vegan walking taco with corn chips.

    Add vegan cheese & taco filling

    For the cheese, I grated a block of non-dairy cheddar.

    I used lentil & black bean taco filing as the meaty component of this dish. The lentils bulk out the filling and give it a texture that is similar to its meaty counterpart.

    I also use this lentil & black bean filling in my vegan burrito bowls. So if you like to cook once and eat multiple times like I do, plan on eating burrito bowls one day. Then have Frito pie the next.

    Of course, you can also put this filling in regular tacos, burritos, or even as a topping for air fryer baked potatoes.

    Vegan walking taco with lime slices and non-dairy cheese.

    Hands holding vegan walking taco.

    Vegan walking tacos (a.k.a. frito pie)

    Whether you're hosting a potluck, party, or cookout by the campfire, this dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser for kids and adults alike.
    Finish out your spread with optional toppings like jalapeno pepper slices, hot sauce, chopped cilantro, vegan sour cream, chopped onions, or chives.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan
    Keyword: dairy free, finger food, kid friendly
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 260kcal
    Author: Cadry Nelson

    Ingredients

    • 6 snack-sized bags Fritos-style corn chips or one full-sized bag. Full sized bags are usually 8 to 9.75 ounces*
    • 1 batch lentil taco meat
    • 2 medium tomatoes chopped
    • 1 ½ cups chopped green leaf lettuce
    • ¾ cup shredded non-dairy cheese
    • ¾ cup guacamole homemade or store-bought

    Instructions

    • If you're using snack-sized bags of corn chips, gently crush the corn chips in the bag. Then cut an opening alongside the bag to create a bowl or pouch for your walking taco.
      If you're using alternative containers, gently crush the corn chips in your hands and put them into the container.
    • Top the chips with spoonfuls of lentil taco meat, tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, non-dairy cheese, guacamole, and any of the optional toppings you like.
    • Dig in with a fork!

    Notes

    I used Trader Joe's organic corn chip dippers. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 9.2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!
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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Becky Striepe

      July 24, 2018 at 12:20 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great idea! I need an excuse to eat these, ASAP!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        July 31, 2018 at 7:34 am

        Thanks, Becky!

        Reply
    2. Mandy

      July 24, 2018 at 5:48 pm

      I’m saving this idea for my sons graduation party … in four years !
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        July 31, 2018 at 7:59 am

        Haha! You’re really ahead of the game!

        Reply
    3. Dianne

      July 25, 2018 at 9:46 am

      5 stars
      This amazing thing hasn’t reached the East Coast yet, because I’ve never heard of walking tacos or Frito pie, and now I’m sad that I’ve been missing out for so long!! Thank you for the recipe so I can remedy that.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        July 31, 2018 at 11:26 am

        It’s interesting how things are regional like that – especially since the internet seems to be the great equalizer in terms of food trends. I hope you enjoy your first walking taco!

        Reply
    4. Shell

      July 26, 2018 at 6:55 am

      5 stars
      Yum! I love the idea of a walking taco bar. Everyone can pick and choose how they would like to build their own walking taco. I like to chop up a variety of bell peppers for my walking tacos.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        July 31, 2018 at 11:27 am

        Great idea! I always love red bell pepper in my taco salads. I’m sure I’d love it in walking tacos too.

        Reply
    5. Lulu

      May 24, 2020 at 12:51 pm

      Great idea! Saving for my son’s birthday next month! Where did you get the chip holder? I would rather do that the chip bags. I love them!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        May 24, 2020 at 1:20 pm

        Thanks! It’s nice to have generic cartons, so you can get big bags of a variety of chips. Then everyone can pick. I got my containers at a craft store. You can find them at places like Michael’s, or they also have them on Amazon. Just search “french fry containers” or “kraft paper french fry containers.” I also linked to a similar one in the blog post. Hope that helps!

        Reply

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    I’m a longtime vegan. (15 years!) But I grew up eating a Standard American Diet. I know that all of us crave foods that are familiar, comforting, and delicious.

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