Much like sandwiches, wraps are an easy, go-to lunch that travels well and takes a couple of minutes to make. This Easy Southwest Vegan Wrap is the ideal choice for people in a hurry, or who don’t have particularly good cooking skills. Simply throw accessible, ready-made ingredients on a tortilla and roll! 

Vegan wraps can require a bit more creativity in finding the right ingredients to make them more interesting, which is exactly what this recipe achieves. This easy Southwest Vegan Wrap uses the best vegan cheese, pickled jalapenos, satisfying garlic spread, and fresh veggies to provide a lunch that’s more exciting than most take-away options. 

The Best Vegan Cheese: Follow Your Heart’s Smoked Gouda

There are a lot of incredible vegan cheese options from different brands nowadays, but the smoked gouda from Follow Your Heart is hands down my favorite and definitely a game changer in this recipe! 

The smokiness of the gouda gives this wrap a southwestern flavor, and this is one of the rare vegan cheese that is actually indistinguishable from the dairy version! Seriously, if you don’t tell people that it’s vegan, they would never know. 

This is especially impressive since Follow Your Heart has been one of the oldest players in the vegan game and has produced vegan deli options since the 1980s. Luckily the brand is widely available, so you should be able to find it in the vegan section of your local grocery store (definitely at any Whole Foods!).

Trader Joe’s Garlic Spread 

Another key component to this wrap recipe and one you should definitely pick up if it’s available to you is Trader Joe’s delicious garlic spread!

Garlic spread is basically blended up oil and garlic – and yes, it’s as good as it sounds. I’m a firm believer that fats make you happy, and this kind of fat is right up my alley. (Do keep in mind that because it is, in fact, mostly oil, it might be a good idea to limit your fat intake in your other meals).

If you’re familiar with chicken shawarma, this is the type of garlic spread you often find in those restaurants. Except now, you can enjoy it on veggie dishes like this one! 

Luckily for us, I believe this is a Trader Joe’s staple and is available year-round! For those of you who don’t have a TJ’s near you OR if you want a healthier option with more protein, hummus is a great alternative in this recipe!

Covid-friendly Appetizers or Hors d’oeuvres

While wraps are great as easy packed lunches, this recipe also makes a picture-perfect option for serving as appetizers or hors d’oeuvres at any *small* social gathering. 

This is a good option for serving even during covid, as it doesn’t require sharing utensils to serve and can easily be distributed to guests by one person. (Of course, please always, always refer to the CDC guidelines for any social gatherings).

To make these wraps into hors d’oeuvres, just tightly roll the wrap then cut into smaller circles. Secure the rolls with toothpicks and display them swirl-side up! Now you have a perfect finger food option to serve to guests that is both aesthetically pleasing and safe.