The taco meat for these Vegan Tacos is unbelievably delicious and made with 100% plants! Everyone will enjoy these plant based tacos made from mushrooms, walnuts and a few other pantry-staple ingredients. Ready in 20 minutes!
If you love making taco meat substitutes out of vegetables as much as I do, then you’ll also love my Cauliflower Vegan Taco Meat and Easy Chipotle Sofritas!
Looking for an easy and vegan-friendly dinner that’s packed with flavor? These Vegan Tacos feature a meaty mushroom and walnut filling that comes together in just 20 minutes. Top them with vegan sour cream, avocado, salsa, and any other toppings you love, then enjoy!
You’re going to love these vegan tacos because
- The meatiest taco “meat”. Mushroom walnut taco meat is where it’s at. It’s made from a simple blend of mushrooms, walnuts, tomato sauce, and spices to lend a realistic meaty texture and flavor. Load it into tacos, burritos, salads, and more!
- A foolproof weeknight dinner. This dinner is practically impossible to mess up because the walnut mushroom “meat” is made with simple ingredients and cooked in one pan. You’ll know it’s ready to eat when the irresistible smoky and meaty aromas are filling your kitchen and the mixture has thoroughly browned.
- It’s all said and done in 20 minutes. This naturally gluten free and vegan dinner is ready to eat in no time. It’s the perfect choice for quick weeknight dinners!
How to make the best vegan tacos
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Pulse the mushrooms and walnuts in a food processor until they’re crumbly. The mixture should still have some texture and not be a paste. If you don’t have a food processor, just chop everything up very finely.
Sauté the onion in an oiled large skillet over medium heat until soft and translucent.
Add the mushroom walnut meat into the pan. Sprinkle the spices and tomato sauce on top, then stir to combine.
Cook the walnut taco meat in the pan, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have softened, browned, and released almost all of their liquid. Add a splash of water if the pan gets too dry.
Scoop the filling into corn or flour tortillas with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Taco toppings
Get creative and add an array of colorful, flavor-packed toppings over your vegan tacos, such as:
Tips and variations
- Gluten free – The walnut taco meat is naturally gluten free but you can use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas to make the tacos 100% gluten free.
- Instead of walnuts – Crumbled almonds or cashews should lend the same meaty texture to the vegan taco meat.
- Nut free – Replace the walnuts with pepitas or sunflower seeds to make the mushroom “meat” nut free.
- Spicy tacos – Add a pinch of cayenne to the list of seasonings or saute diced jalapenos along with the onions in the pan.
- Warm the tortillas – They’ll be much more pliable and soft when they’re warmed over a low flame on a gas range or in the microwave.
Serving suggestions
Pair the vegan tacos with black bean salad, rice and beans, and vegan queso for a colorful Mexican-inspired meal.
The vegan taco meat can also be used to beef up all kinds of dishes, like vegan burritos, burrito bowls, stuffed baked potatoes, and nachos. Alternatively, add a scoop to any ordinary salad or taco salad to make it extra hearty!
Frequently asked questions
- Do you have to make this in a food processor? Chop the mushrooms and walnuts very finely by hand if you don’t have a food processor.
- How do you store the taco filling? Keep the leftover taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Can you freeze it? Yes! Store it in an airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the frozen meat in a skillet until warmed through, then serve!
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Add the mushrooms and walnuts to a food processor and pulse until they are crumbly, but not too much that they become a paste. You want a meat crumble type texture. Set aside.
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Warm the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until translucent.
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Now add the mushroom-walnut mixture from the food processor, as well as the chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and tomato sauce.
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Cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and it begins to brown. Add a little water if it gets too dry.
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Assemble tacos with toppings of choice.
- May use another nut for the walnuts if needed, such as almonds, cashews, pepitas or sunflower seeds even.
- I like to warm my corn tortillas right on my gas stovetop to get them a bit blackened and soft. So good!
- This vegan taco meat will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Simply reheat on the stovetop or microwave. It freezes well, too.
Serving: 1of 6 servings, Calories: 186kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 511mg, Potassium: 454mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 670IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 2mg
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