Are Tortilla Chips Vegan? Try Out These 5 Great Options

Last Updated on September 30, 2024 by Shavy Jain

It’s impossible not to think of a bag of Doritos with a dollop of tangy salsa when you’re planning a movie night or a simple garden party. For some, tortilla chips are their go-to food whenever they need to satiate those hunger pangs.

This popular snack with its light and crunchy texture is easy on the tummy and is readily available in all departmental stores. However, with the large variety in flavored tortilla chips, it is a valid reason to be concerned about its nutritional profile and its suitability for vegans. Read on to find out – are tortilla chips vegan or not? Before that, let’s take a look at some vegan tortilla chips that you ought to try!

5 Vegan Tortilla Chips That are Simply Exquisite!

Are Tortilla Chips Vegan? How Do I Find Out?

Usually, tortilla chips are considered to be vegan. Since they are prepared with oil, flour, water and seasonings, which are all plant-based foods, most tortilla chips are safe for vegetarians and vegans.

But, there is a crucial detail that can turn your ‘all-vegan’ chips into a farce. You need to watch out for some specific flavors though. If you are keen on following a cruelty-free lifestyle, be mindful of flavors like cheese and cool ranch. Are tortilla chips vegan at all times? It is highly possible that some variants of tortillas are sprayed with animal fats and use synthetic food colors that are tested on animals.

If you are dining out and ordering a plate of nachos, remember to ask your waiter, “Are tortilla chips vegan in your restaurant?” and find out what fat they’re fried in. Although lard is uncommon, some restaurants and outlets use it to fry the chips.

Are Tortilla Chips Vegan – From Doritos or Takis?

Unfortunately, Doritos contain dairy-based ingredients in most of their variants, hence, it is not vegan.

Are tortilla chips vegan always? Well, just because most Doritos are off-limits for vegans, it doesn’t mean that all of them are. Vegan tortilla fans can try the following flavors that are absolutely safe to consume:

• Doritos Blaze Tortilla Chips
• Toasted Corn Tortilla Chips
• Doritos Spicy Sweet Chilly
• Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips

Are tortilla chips vegan from Takis? These four flavors are safe for vegans to consume:

• Fuego (Purple Bag)
• Salsa Brava (Yellow Bag)
• Zombie Flavor (Green Bag)
• Nitro (Black and Red Bag)

(Source: Cruelty-free reviews)

Just steer clear of something that has cheese in it and you’ll be good to go. Take a look at these brands below if you are intent on skipping Doritos because you’re vegan or lactose-intolerant.

Your DIY Vegan Tortilla Chips Recipe

Are tortilla chips vegan if you make them at home? Yes, they can be! If you want to bowl your friends and relatives over with your cooking skills and expand your portfolio beyond cooking a pot of instant ramen and messing up even boiled water, then you should try this easy-peasy (don’t forget the lemon squeezy) tortilla chips recipe that is fully vegan!

You need the following ingredients:

• 350 grams of precooked white corn flour
• 2 cups of water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil or any plant-based oil you like
• Onion Powder
• Cayenne Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast

Here’s what you need to do:

• Knead a soft dough by combining the corn meal, water and salt. Make sure that you are using warm water, because you don’t want your tortillas to break before you cut them up into chips.
• Make as many little balls from the kneaded flour according to how many you need. Roll them into the thinnest round sheets you can manage and place them on a skillet to cook. You do not have to wait till the tortillas turn black and bitter, just enough to cook them.
• After the tortillas are cooked, cut them up into triangles or any shape you desire. Baste both the sides with oil and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper.
• Bake them! If you are using the oven, bake tortillas for 5 minutes at 200ºC. You can also use an air fryer, but take care that your tortilla chips don’t burn.
• Mix all the powdered spices separately in a bowl till the chips are sitting in the oven. Once they are out, let them cool down. Put the spice mix liberally on the chips and mix them well.
• You can serve your chips with salsa or some guacamole and relish them to your heart’s content.

Vegan Dips for Tortilla Chips!

Are tortilla chips vegan with dip? Yes, provided you choose vegan dips. Here are some of our best suggestions:

Homemade Tomato Salsa

Also known as Pico de Gallo, a good homemade tomato salsa will pack the punch in your snack time. It’s easy to make- all you need is to roast an onion on an open flame and mix it up with tomatoes, green chilies and coriander. Season it with salt, paper and lemon juice for some acidity and voila!

The salsa will sit nice and smoking hot on those chips. You can always add more chili for taste, just take care that you’re not the one doing the salsa in the loo next morning.

Holy Guacamole

Aztec cuisine without guacamole does not exist. This vegan dip is perhaps the easiest to make and project all your desired flavors in it given that avocado is practically a buttery tabula rasa. You can never go wrong with guacamole.

Do the classic by just mashing avocados and mixing them with salt. Or for a dash of tangy, mix that tomato salsa in the mashed avocados. Or, you can check out this recipe if you want something different!

Hummus

Mix the Middle East with Mexico and you will get one of the most bombastic and healthy combinations to snack on.

Hummus is usually made with chick peas, tahini and lemon juice. But you can make red pepper hummus by blending roasted chilies in the classic recipe. Add some ground cumin, garlic and salt and watch it take hold of your senses so much so that you will love to have a jar of hummus in your fridge at all times.

Vegan Cheese

This cheesy dip is not your regular melted cheddar.

You can make this dip with potatoes and carrots. Boil and blend them with onion powder, garlic powder, olive oil and nutritional yeast in a super powerful blender. If this isn’t finger-lickin’ good and vegan, then we don’t know what is.

Are Tortilla Chips Vegan After All?

Our answer to ‘are Tortilla chips vegan?’ is affirmative, however, you have to look for cruelty-free, organic ingredients in your edibles.

The best part about Mexican cuisine is that vegetarians and vegans have no trouble adapting to it and they don’t have to stare at a dreary plate of fading microgreens. You can always make vegan tortillas and dips, you can even introduce some colour in your tortillas by mixing beetroot or spinach puree and making it even better! If you’re looking for more vegan munchies, visit our sustainable store now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are tortilla chips generally vegan?

Yes, most tortilla chips are vegan as they are typically made from plant-based ingredients like corn, oil, and salt. However, some flavored varieties may contain non-vegan ingredients, such as cheese or animal-derived seasonings.

How can I tell if flavored tortilla chips are vegan?

Always check the ingredients list for any dairy or animal-based additives, like cheese, whey, or animal fats. Look for products that are labeled as “vegan” or certified by cruelty-free organizations.

Which tortilla chip brands offer vegan options?

Many brands offer vegan-friendly options. Some top picks include Taco Bell Tortilla Chips, Whole Foods 365 Tortilla Chips, Tostitos, Siete Lime Tortilla Chips, and Xochitl Mexican Style Tortilla Chips.

Are restaurant tortilla chips vegan?

Restaurant tortilla chips are usually vegan, but it’s always a good idea to ask how they are prepared. Some restaurants may use lard or fry the chips in oil shared with non-vegan items.

Are homemade tortilla chips vegan?

Yes, homemade tortilla chips can easily be made vegan. Simply use corn tortillas, plant-based oils, and seasonings like salt, garlic, or spices to create your own vegan-friendly chips at home.