Are Tortilla Chips Vegan?

Let’s be honest, nothings better than diving into some chips and salsa, right? So can vegans eat tortilla chips?

The short answer is typically yes. Most of the time tortilla chips don’t contain any animal ingredients. Let's take a look at what corn chips usually do contain.

Most Common Ingredients Found in Tortilla Chips:

• Corn
• Vegetable Oil
• Salt

Simply put, tortilla chips contain just 3 ingredients. This means it's safe for vegans to indulge in any variety, be it white, blue, or red. But when in doubt, always double check the ingredients to be sure.

Now where you need to be a bit cautious is when eating flavored tortilla chips and when eating homemade tortilla chips out at restaurants.

Beware Flavored Tortilla Chips

Doritos are the most popular flavored tortilla chips out there, but unfortunately, almost all of the flavors contain dairy ingredients. Yes I know, it's a bummer but while most flavors are off limits, there are two versions of Doritos chips that are suitable for vegans:

• Spicy Sweet Chili Flavored Tortilla Chips
• Toasted Corn Tortilla Chips

On the other hand, Takis is another well-known flavored tortilla chip brand that has more vegan options than Doritos. The four vegan Takis flavors are:

• Fuego
• Zombie
• Nitro
• Salsa Brava

Beware of Non-Vegan Tortilla Chips At Restaurants

Another thing you need to be aware of is that tortilla chips served at Mexican restaurants may not always be vegan. Typically, tortilla chips will be deep fried in oil and are thus safe to eat for vegans. However, some restaurants may deep fry their chips in lard. Even though it's rather uncommon, it's something to be aware of and perhaps inquire about when dining out.