Vegan Mexican
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Mexican is one of the most vegan-friendly cuisines on the planet, despite its association with cheese-laden Tex-Mex platters. The bedrock of authentic Mexican cooking is beans, rice, tortillas, salsa, and roasted vegetables - all vegan by default. The cheese, sour cream, and cream-based crema layered onto Tex-Mex versions are American adaptations, not the original recipes. At any Mexican restaurant in the United States, a vegan diner can build a complete meal from black or pinto beans, rice, corn or flour tortillas, salsa, guacamole, and any vegetable filling the kitchen carries.

Dairy and egg trapsCheese, sour cream, and queso are the obvious adds - say 'no cheese, no sour cream, no queso' on every Mexican order to be safe. Less obvious: refried beans in some restaurants contain lard (animal fat), so 'are the beans cooked with lard?' is a worthwhile counter-side check, especially at older Mexican-American diners. Rice cooked in chicken stock is a common hidden non-vegan ingredient at independent Mexican restaurants. Tamales are often wrapped in corn husks with animal-fat-based masa; verify before ordering.

What tends to clearBlack bean and rice bowls. Vegetable fajitas with no cheese and no sour cream. Bean burritos with rice, vegetables, salsa, and guacamole. Vegetable tacos with the same toppings. Chips and salsa as a starter. Guacamole as a separate add when the kitchen makes it fresh. Corn tortilla preparations tend to clear more reliably than flour, because flour tortillas occasionally contain lard. Chipotle's build-format is the easiest vegan Mexican order in the country; smaller independent restaurants require the 'is the rice cooked in chicken stock?' question on the front end.