Tortilla chips are the perfect combination of crunchy and salty while being the perfect vessel for dipping into your favorite salsa or guacamole but, are tortilla chips vegan or vegetarian?
Tortilla Chips are usually a vegetarian and vegan friendly food especially when dipped into a falvorful salsa or guacamole. You do need to be aware of some animal derived ingredients and oils that can be hidden in your tortilla chips.
Can Vegetarians Eat Tortilla Chips
Most Tortilla Chips are vegetarian-friendly, you do need to be aware of some animal based seasonings as well as what type of oil the chips are fried in.
Can Vegans Eat Tortilla Chips
Vegans can usually enjoy tortilla chips as long as they do not contain flavorings, seasonings, or cooking oil derived from animal sources.
Are Tortilla Chips Plant-Based
Those that follow a plant-based diet consume a diet that is rich in fruit, vegetables, legumes with lean meats, and dairy in moderation.
Processed food is limited but, not eliminated.
Since tortilla chips are processed food they may be eaten by someone following a plant-based diet but, in moderation.
Do Tortilla Chips Contain Animal Products
Tortilla Chips usually do not contain animal products as one of the ingredients but, they may be fried in an oil that is anima based making the tortilla chips not suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Commercially made chips can often have additives or flavorings that can contain animal products or have ingredients that have been tested on animals.
Do Tortilla Chips Contain Dairy
Plain Tortilla Chips usually do not contain dairy as one of their ingredients.
It is possible for some tortilla chips to be flavored with dairy products.
What Are Tortilla Chips Made Of
Traditional Tortilla Chips are made of the following ingredients.
- Corn Flour
- Salt
- Water
- Oil
Additional flavorings and additives can include.
- Cheese
- Buttermilk
- Food Coloring
- Artifical Flavorings
- Lard
Are Tortilla Chips Naturally Vegan
Tortilla Chips can be naturally vegan but, it depends on how you look at it.
Tradionally made tortilla chips are often fried in lard or animal fat making the finished product not suitable for vegans.
Why Would Tortilla Chips Not Be Vegan
Tortilla Chips may not be vegan due to the ingredients they contain or the oil they are prepared in.
Restaurants often will use animal fat or lard to fry their freshly made tortilla chips in.
In other cases, the chips made be fried in a plant-based oil but, the oil is also used to prepare meat in as well making cross contamination a concern.
Besides the oil that’s used to prepare the chips in, many tortilla chips especially commercially made chips are flavored with a wide variety of flavorings and seasonings including cheese, ranch flavor, butter milk and non -vegan friendly food dyes.

What Brands Of Tortilla Chips Are Vegan
- Siete Tortilla Chips
- Late July Chips
- Trader Joe’s Tortilla Chips
- Garden Of Eatin Chips
- Santitas Chips
- Tostitos Tortilla Chips
- Beanfields Chips
- Mi Nina White Corn Chips
- Xochitl Mexican Style Tortilla Chips
- WHole Foods 365 Tortilla Chips
- El Sabroso
Vegan Tortillas Eat Tostitos
All of the non-flavored Tostitos Tortilla Chips are vegan friendly as well as a couple flavored options.
- Scoops
- Original
- Bite-Size
- Lightly Salted
- Crispy Rounds
- Scoops Multi-Grain
- Strips
- Cantina
- Cantina Yellow Corn
- Hint Of Lime
Are The Tortilla Chips At Taco Bell Vegan
The tortilla chips at Taco Bell are one of the many vegan-friendly options you can choose from.
What Are The Best Vegetarian And Vegan Options At Taco Bell
Are The Tortilla Chips At Chipotle Vegan
The lightly seasoned tortilla chips available at Chipotle are vegan-friendly.
What Are The Best Vegetarian And Vegan Options At Chipotle
Are The Tortilla Chips At Baja Fresh Vegan
The Tortilla Chips available at Baja Fresh are vegan.
Are The Tortilla Chips At Qdoba Vegan
The tortilla chips at Qdoba are vegan-friendly.
What Are The Best Vegetarian And Vegan Options At Qdoba
Are The Tortilla Chips At Moe’s Southwest Grill Vegan
The salty and delicious tortilla chips at Moe’s Southwest Grill are vegan-friendly.
What Are The Best Vegetarian And Vegan Options At Moe’s Southwest Grill
Are The Tortilla Chips At On The Border Vegan
The tortilla chips served at On The Border are vegan-friendly.
Are The Tortilla Chips At El Pollo Loco Vegan
The tortilla chips, guacamole and delicious salsas are all vegan at El Pollo Loco.
Are The Tortilla Chips At Del Taco Vegan
The tortilla chips and guacamole are vegan-friendly at Del Taco.
Are The Tortilla Chips At Chilis Vegan
The tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole are all vegan-friendly at Chilis.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes there can be hidden ingredients or cooking methods in foods that may appear vegan or vegetarian.
Tortilla Chips are one of those foods that are vegan and vegetarian most of the time but, are occasionally not.
Vegans and vegetarians are often used to reading labels and asking questions at restaurants before consuming a meal or snack, tortilla chips would not be an exception.