15 Delicious Menu Items at Chipotle That Are Totally Vegan (How to Order)
What’s filled with plant-based options, loved by many, and available in 49 states? The vegan menu at Chipotle!
Since it was started in 1993, Chipotle has been a mainstay on the list of vegan fast food options. Most of Chipotle’s menu is already vegan without any modifications.
In fact, of the 23 menu items to choose from at Chipotle, 15 of them are 100% vegan.
So, the next time you find yourself at Chipotle, here’s how to order vegan burritos, tacos, salads, and burrito bowls.
15 Vegan Options at Chipotle
Chipotle makes it easy to know which menu items are vegan—there are 15 of them. Check the Allergens & Special Diet page of their website periodically to make sure the recipes haven’t changed. Items labeled with V+ are safe for vegans.
Here’s an overview of everything vegan on the Chipotle menu—and it’s a lot.
1. Corn and flour tortillas
The burrito is the most popular menu item at Chipotle. They’re satiating, and if we’re being honest, they’re huge. If you want the most bang for your buck, order a burrito. It comes with a stretchy flour tortilla, which is vegan.
Alternatively, you can order a single taco or plate of three tacos and choose between hard-shell corn or flour tortillas. Both are vegan-friendly and delicious.
2. White and brown rice
Ever wonder what Chipotle puts in their rice to make it so appetizing? Both the white or brown rice are flavored with cilantro, lime and lemon juice, and bay leaves.
3. Black and pinto beans
After rice, you’ll choose between black or pinto beans (or ask for both!). Though some Mexican-inspired restaurants use animal products like lard or chicken stock to prepare their beans, Chipotle doesn’t. Both the black and pinto beans at Chipotle are 100% vegan and a good source of plant-based protein.
4. Sofritas
Chipotle offers several proteins, but only one of them is vegan, and that’s the sofritas. They were first introduced in 2013 and have been around ever since. The sofritas are made from tofu and seasoned with spices and tomato paste. They do contain chipotle peppers, so they can taste spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. If you order the sofritas, just remember that the guac isn’t free.
5. Toppings
When you’re nearing the end of your order, it’s time to add some color (aka fajita veggies, salsa, romaine lettuce, and guac).
The fajita veggies are usually located near the proteins, so request them early. They’re a blend of green bell peppers and onions. They’re not spicy at all and a fan favorite for their caramelized goodness.
All four of Chipotle’s salsas are vegan:
- Fresh Tomato Salsa (mild)
- Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa (medium)
- Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa (hot)
- Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa
This is also where you’ll add guac. On a veggie bowl, the guac is free. If you order sofritas, you’ll have to pay extra.
Finally, Chipotle offers two types of leafy greens—plain romaine lettuce and a supergreen blend from romaine, baby kale, and baby spinach. The supergreens are kept at the beginning of the line, so request them at the start of your order (which then makes your order a salad).
6. Chips
Chips are the quintessential side to complete any Chipotle order. They’re cheap, flavorful, and impossible to eat just one. Made from just corn tortillas, lime juice, sunflower oil, and salt, they’re also wholesome.
And to quench your chip-induced thirst, order any of Chipotle’s drinks, including the limeades, agua frescas, and foundation drinks. They’re all vegan except for the kids’ milk.
To recap, here’s a list of Chipotle’s 15 vegan menu options:
- Flour tortillas (soft)
- Corn tortillas (hard shell)
- White rice
- Brown rice
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
- Sofritas
- Fajita veggies
- Fresh Tomato Salsa (mild)
- Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa (medium)
- Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa (hot)
- Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa
- Romaine lettuce
- Guacamole
- Chips
And don’t forget to avoid the remaining menu items at Chipotle that are NOT vegan:
- Chicken
- Steak
- Beef barbacoa
- Carnitas
- Sour cream
- Cheese
- Queso blanco
- Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette (salad dressing)
How to Order Vegan at Chipotle
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or have other dietary restrictions, ordering off the Chipotle menu isn’t all that different from meat-eating patrons. The fast casual restaurant was one of the first of its kind, allowing customers to build their own menu items. The food items are arranged in a line and an employee will assemble your meal as you make your selections.
To place your order, choose from the following vegan chipotle menu options as you go down the line:
- Choose your entrée. For adults, there are four main options: Salad, tacos, burrito, or burrito bowl. If you opt for a burrito or tacos, both the flour and corn tortillas are vegan.
- Build your base. This is when you’ll make your main selections between brown rice or white rice and pinto beans or black beans. If you’re ordering a salad, it includes a bed of leafy greens, but ask to hold the Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette because it’s not vegan.
- Decide between sofritas and guac. A meal isn’t complete without protein, and Chipotle has two options for vegans: Sofritas and guacamole. Your entrée includes one or the other, but if you want both, it’ll be an additional charge.
- Add your toppings. Chipotle offers four different kinds of salsas and they’re all vegan. There’s no limit on how many you can order, so go nuts. You can also ask for the fajitas veggies or romaine lettuce to get more greens.
- Order chips and drinks. The Chipotle menu doesn’t offer combo meals, but you can bulk it up with a side order of the tortilla chips (with optional guac or salsa for dipping) and a drink.
That’s it! Ordering vegan from Chipotle’s menu is pretty straightforward. It can be overwhelming if it’s your first time, but you’ll quickly see why Chipotle is so popular among vegans. It’s one of the few places where vegans have a large menu to choose from and can eat alongside their meat-eating friends and family without feeling left out.
Quick Order: High-Protein Vegan Chipotle Burrito
The most popular menu item at Chipotle—the massive burritos—are indeed vegan-friendly and a good source of protein.
If you’re already in line and need a recommendation, here’s how to order a vegan Chipotle burrito to maximize protein:
- Flour tortilla (8g)
- White or brown rice (4g)
- Black or pinto beans (8g)
- Sofritas (8g)
- Fajita veggies (1g)
- Roasted chili-corn salsa (3g)
- Guacamole (2g)
This vegan Chipotle burrito will provide a whopping 34 grams of protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is everything at Chipotle vegan?
Chipotle serves animal products like chicken, cheese, and others, so it’s not an entirely vegan establishment. While it’s incredibly vegan-friendly, it’s a good idea to brush up on the menu every now and then to make sure the ingredients in your favorite order haven’t changed. Still, we’re grateful for the abundance of vegan options on Chipotle’s menu and hope for even more in the future.
What’s not vegan at Chipotle?
The chain’s website states that the restaurant uses only 53 real ingredients across its entire menu, making most of the menu vegan at Chipotle. Only 9 ingredients aren’t vegan. The non-vegan ingredients at Chipotle include beef, white cheddar, cheese cultures, chicken, cultured cream, honey, monterey jack cheese, milk, and pork. They’re used to make the following non-vegan menu items at Chipotle: Chicken, Steak, Barbacoa, Carnitas, Sour Cream, Cheese, Queso Blanco, and Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette.
Does Chipotle have vegan kid’s meals?
Yes, Chipotle has vegan kid’s meals. Kids can choose between the quesadilla meal or build-your-own tacos, but only the latter can be made vegan. It includes two tacos with either choice of tortilla, sofritas or guacamole (not both), and two other toppings. It also includes a side of chips and a drink. Milk is offered to kids, so request apple juice or a fountain drink to avoid dairy.
Is the salad dressing at Chipotle vegan?
No, the salad dressing at Chipotle isn’t vegan. Like the name suggests, the Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette contains honey. While there’s some debate surrounding whether honey is vegan, we’re in the camp that it’s not. If you order a salad at Chipotle, substitute the dressing for salsa and guac to keep it vegan.
What happened to the vegan chorizo at Chipotle?
If you’ve been following Chipotle, you know they added a vegan chorizo to the menu in 2022. Chipotle announced it would be available for a limited time, but that didn’t last long. It was removed from the menu, and it’s unclear if the additional vegan protein will be returning in the future.
Pin for later!
Now, it’s your turn to order! The vegan Chipotle menu is pretty generous, and it’s fairly easy to spot what is and isn’t vegan at the Mexican-inspired food joint. As long as you avoid the usual offenders (meat, cheese, etc.) and the salad dressing, the vast majority of the menu is vegan.
