Walnut taco meat is going to be one of your new favorite ways to have tacos!
This vegan taco meat is so easy to make, only has 9 ingredients and is ready in less than 15 minutes! Naturally gluten free, dairy free, paleo, Whole30 and low carb friendly, you are not going to believe this taco meat is made with walnuts!
Why you are going to love this recipe
- Everyone loves tacos, but it can be boring to always have the same filling. That’s why this mushroom walnut taco meat is such a great addition to your normal taco night rotation!
- Made with simple to find ingredients that you can feel really good about eating! This recipe is great for serving a big crowd; as you can easily double or triple it! Great for when you are serving vegans or vegetarians and meat eaters. Everyone will love this recipe!
- Not just for tacos! Add this healthy vegan taco meat to burritos, nachos, enchiladas, quesadillas or your favorite salad or burrito bowls! You are going to want to make extras of this for later in the week!
Ingredients
- Mushrooms (white button or baby Portobello)
- Walnuts
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Cumin
- Salt
- Tomato paste
- Salsa
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Start by first processing the mushrooms in a food processor. Pulse until they look like large grains of sand or rice.
Step 2: Add the mushrooms to a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray and cook 5-6 minutes over medium heat to cook off excess water.
Step 3: While the mushrooms are cooking, pulse the walnuts in the same food processor until they also resemble large grains of sand or rice.
Step 4: Add the walnuts to the skillet with the mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Add the rest of the ingredients and cook 3-4 minutes until everything is hot and the flavors have combined.
Serve hot or cold.
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How to serve
Use this vegetarian taco meat like you would ground beef in a variety of Mexican inspired dishes including:
- Tacos
- Quesadillas
- Enchiladas
- Burritos
- Burrito bowls
- Taco salad
- Nachos
The best taco toppings
- Shredded lettuce
- Cabbage (green or red) or Creamy Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped red onion
- Sliced radish
- Pickled onions
- Jalapenos (fresh or jarred)
- Avocado
- Guacamole
- Cilantro
- Vegan Nacho Cheese
- Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce
Storage
This vegan walnut meat goes quickly, but if you do have extra (or you made double or triple batches) you can store in the fridge for up to 5 days in a well-sealed container.
You can also freeze this mixture, however the mushrooms may change texture with freezing so it may not be exactly the same texture after freezing. Reheat in a skillet to help cook off any excess water from defrosting. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months in a freezer safe container.
How to clean mushroom
Mushrooms, unlike other veggies are actually very porous and will absorb water. Because of this, it’s actually better to wipe down mushrooms with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to remove dirt.
Tips for storing walnuts
Walnuts and other nuts and seeds are full of healthy fats. However, these healthy fats can start to go rancid when exposed to air and light. To help extend the life of walnuts and other nuts and seeds, I prefer to store them in the freezer.
Because of their high fat content, nuts and seeds do not freeze in the freezer but instead they preserve freshness. Be sure to store them in an airtight container as you do not want them to absorb any other flavors from the foods in the freezer.
Store walnuts in the freezer for up to a year.
Substitutions
Mushrooms: If you don’t love mushrooms or can’t find any, you can also use cauliflower rice in place of the mushrooms. You will need about 2 cups of fresh cauliflower rice or one bag of frozen. Follow the same directions, making sure you allow some of the moisture to cook out of the cauliflower before adding the walnuts.
Walnuts: If you cannot find walnuts or do not have any on hand, you can also use almonds, cashews or pecans. I bet this would also work well with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds if you are nut free.
Smoked paprika: This is typically pretty easy to find at most stores (I get mine at Trader Joe’s) but you can also use regular paprika in a pinch. If you don’t have either, increase the chili powder instead.
If you love this recipe, you should try
- 3 Ingredient Black Bean Dip
- Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 10 Minute Taco Chicken
- Mexican Cauliflower White Bean Soup
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
Walnut Taco Meat
$5.19 recipe/$1.29 servingGuided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 16 oz mushrooms (white button or baby portobello (Cremini)) - $3.10
- 1 cup walnuts - $1.33
- 1 tsp chili powder - $0.10
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika - $0.05
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder - $0.05
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin - $0.05
- 1/2 tsp salt - $0.03
- 1 tbsp tomato paste - $0.08
- 1/2 cup salsa - $0.40
Instructions
- Add mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until they resemble large pieces of sand or rice.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms (spray with non-stick spray -optional).
- Cook mushrooms for 5-6 minutes, over medium heat to allow moisture to escape mushrooms. Stir frequently.
- Add the walnuts to the same food processor. Pulse until walnuts resemble large sand or rice.
- Add walnuts to the mushroom mixture in skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well until all is incorporated. Cook 3-4 minutes.
- Serve hot or cold.
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