These easy vegan tacos are perfect for your next taco night. I love that they are soy-free, so you don’t have to use tofu or processed meat substitutes. Instead, they’re made from a combination of vegetables and walnuts, seasoned with a classic taco spice mix, to create a healthy taco “meat.”
Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
This recipe comes from my friend Ali’s new book, Inspiralized & Beyond.
If you’re not familiar with Ali, she’s the force behind Inspiralized.com, a go-to resource for spiralized recipes. (She even designed her own spiralizer– the Inspiralizer— which is what I use in my own home.)
In her latest book, Ali shares even more creative ways to enjoy vegetables, beyond just spiralizing them. For example, in her cover photo, you’ll see that she’s turned zucchini halves into the “bun” for a vegetarian meatball sandwich. She also includes recipes for using vegetables as lasagna sheets, brussels sprouts as mini “slider” buns, and bell peppers stuffed with a savory Philly Cheesesteak filling. If you need some fresh inspiration when it comes to serving vegetables, this book has you covered!
Vegan Taco Meat
These vegan tacos are a great way to sneak more vegetables into your day. The vegan “taco meat” is entirely plant-based, made from mushrooms and cauliflower that have been briefly pulsed in the food processor, then sauteed with crushed walnuts and plenty of taco seasoning.
I served them in traditional taco shells to appease my picky family members, but you can also serve them in jicama “shells,” as Ali suggests in her book, for a lower carb meal with a refreshing crunch.
When you top them with your favorite taco toppings, like shredded lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, and avocado, they’ve got all the classic taco flavor that you love. I hope you’ll enjoy them.
Vegan Tacos
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup crushed walnuts
- 8 ounces button mushrooms , sliced
- 4 cups cauliflower florets , chopped
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno (about half of one)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (15 ounce can) black beans , drained and rinsed
- Fresh cilantro leaves , for garnish
- 1 small jicama, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
- 3 limes , quartered
Optional Toppings:
- sliced black olives
- pico de gallo
- avocado
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until ground but not powdered, about 7 pulses. Transfer to a large bowl. Place the mushrooms in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped, about 15 pulses. Add them to the bowl with the walnuts. Place the cauliflower in the food processor and pulse until crumbled, about 10 pulses; do not overpulse. Add to the bowl with the walnuts and mushrooms.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and jalapeno and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower mixture, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is no longer crunchy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook for 2 minutes, until heated through. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Transfer the meat mixture to a serving bowl and top with the cilantro. Serve alongside the jicama shells, lime wedges, and optional toppings of your choosing for tableside assembly.
Video
Nutrition
For each of 6 servings: Calories: 238, Fat: 11g, Carbohydrate: 26g, Fiber: 12g, Protein: 11g
Recipe reprinted with permission from Inspiralized & Beyond by Ali Maffucci
Recipe Notes:
- For food combining purposes, this recipe is properly combined when served in jicama shells, or simply in lettuce wraps. If you would like it to be properly combined with a corn or flour tortilla, omit the walnuts.
- This recipe is also Paleo-friendly when you serve the “meat” in a lettuce wrap or jicama shell.
Giveaway (Now Closed)
Congrats to Heidi S.! The winner has been contacted via email. Thanks for your entries!
Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite creative way to serve vegetables? I think my favorite might be cauliflower rice. Cauliflower “Fried Rice” and my Mexican Cauliflower Casserole are two staples in my home!
–
Disclosure: Ali sent me a complimentary copy of her new cookbook, but I am under no obligation to post a positive review.
Love walnut tacos!
I like to make beet noodles with various sauces during the summer.
I roast vegetables every week to snack on – love roasted veggies. I love bean and quinoa burgers and use spiralized zucchini and/or carrots once in a week, they can be added to so many recipes. My daily breakfast smoothie is spinach, kale, frozen zucchini chunks, cashew or oat milk with a teaspoon of almond butter. Your vegan tacos look so delicious! I have learned so much from your recipes, keep them coming!
I’ve been really into parsnip noodles lately. I give them to my one year old with meat sauce and he LOVES them!!
I love re-purposing veggies. My husband will eat the veggies when he doesn’t know they are there. I made zucchini noodles with tomato sauce and mushrooms. Wow, that went over well. I also make a mock chopped liver that he puts on gluten free thin crackers. It has peas, nuts, hard boil eggs and sauteed onions. The family dies for it.
I love the taco recipe. Thanks!! .
Looks delicious!!
Love this recipe – great on taco salads too!
I love to make a big chef salad and let it be the master of the table. It’s a little different every time because I use whatever I happen to have on hand. My only rules are that it must be colorful and crisp. I make homemade croutons and healthy homemade salad dressing to top it off. It is so satisfying and I can eat as much as I want guilt free. I could live on nothing but vegetables. I don’t think I have met one I didn’t love. Your website and my kitchen make a perfect marriage. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us.
I love to use cauliflower rice or cauliflower hash (both by Taylor Farms) as a way to ‘bulk up’ salads or stir frys.
I love making carrot dogs! They may not trick anyone, but they’re a delicious way to enjoy a childhood favorite.
Wow! The recipe sounds amazing!
I’m always looking for new ways to makeep food interesting for my family.
This sounds great. A good excuse to buy jicama which can then be used for dipping in Megan’s “ranch dressing”. I just tried the ranch dressing for the first time this week and have used it with veggies and on buckwheat noodles and quinoa noodles. Yumm!
Looking forward to trying this! Really hoping to win the Inspirilizer! I bought a different spiralizer in the past that just did not do what it was supposed to do.
Sneaking in veggies in sauces is the easiest way for me
So happy to find vegan recipes without soy.
My 9yr. doesn’t eat land animals so cooking For him can be hard. These taco will be fun to make.
Can hardly wait to try and what a great way to get more fiber in the diet.
Looks delicious!
Brilliant. I’ve been trying to find Jimica recipes to expand my veggie selection. I bought it and committed to finding a way to use it. Thank you for putting it in my in-box for me!!!! The Universe was trying to help me… I love it! I recommend your recipes all the time. I love your combination of simple ingredients but delicious food. Even with the internet I find it hard to find creative recipes that aren’t re-dos of something else. So happy I found you!
My 92 year old friend loves this ‘new way’ of eating and awaits each new day and the recipe of delight your two cookbooks and website bring to her little table. She loves the insights given and the photos are top rate in her book! We are trying the tacos today. Jenny tells everyone who comes to her door of her new found treasure and energy. Thank you for sharing your creativity with all. We are so very grateful for your leading light!
This looks great! Can’t wait to try this recipe! 🙂
I use veggies in place of pasta. Thanks for the giveaway.
I’m basic…i love salads. Lots of romaine, grape tomatoes,sweet Minie peppers, avocado, kale, nuts, Sometimes topped with cheese and bacon,
Your recipes are amazing! Can’t wait to try the vegan tacos!!!
My favorite way to increase our veggie intake is using cauliflower rice and spiralized zucchini, butternut and sweet potatoes. I have been buying spiralized veggies but it’s a gamble if they will be fresh.
This taco recipe will be a great addition to our menu. Your cauliflower detox tacos are a favorite. My husband loves Spanish rice and I have started substituting the cauliflower detox taco filling as a side dish instead of rice, as I need to limit carbs.
Hi Megan We like seasoned zucchini and onions sauted with coconut oil. Easy breezy.
I would love to know… which is your favorite spiralizer? I have been wondering about getting one! And do you recommend primary the softer squashes/zucchini or harder vegetables (carrots, beets) as well? Thank you!
I use the inspiralizer! Here’s an affiliate link to the one I have: https://amzn.to/2wDArP2
Thank you, Megan! 🙂
Cauliflower fried rice, cauliflower rice balls, eggplant “meatballs” over zoodles, broccoli and cauliflower tots for my son, black bean avocado brownies and zucchini muffins!
This looks delicious! I’ve been looking for a good taco recipe. Still a bit Leary on jumping completely in on the Vegan train. Thanks for recipes like this.
I like to add zuccini and cauliflower to smoothies. Also love to incorporate spinach in the chocolate pancake. I believe sprilaizing is an genius and efficient way to get more vegies in your diet.
Hi! Mexican food is my favorite food genre to turn healthy with veggies. I will be trying this “taco meat” recipe very soon. I also like taco filling made with lentils and quinoa, grilled “meaty” veggies like eggplant, mushrooms and zucchini. I make my own salsa too.
Thanks for all your great recipes!
I”m addicted now to buffalo cauliflower! using Franks hot sauce, saute up small bits of Cauli, last night I added Tempe, in olive oil with a little roasted sesame oil, then pour in the hot sauce and let simmer for a while, serve up with a bit of vegan ranch dressing and fresh veggies if desired… yum….
would love to win! thank you for your delicious recipes!
Zoodles!
My daughter is a good vegetable eater, but her 4 year old brother? Not so much. I have found that he’ll eat more if I have spice options at the table. The other day he was enjoying a barbecue blend on his broccoli, and typically likes Italian seasoning too.
Thank you for your great blog! I haven’t tried spiralizing veggies but I think I’ll give it a shot.
A creative way I eat veggies…wow…that’s a tough one. I don’t think I have a creative way…but this give-away would definitely help!
We include the kids in growing our garden. They will eat tomatoes straight off the vine if they take part in planting, watering, and watching them ripen. Same with cucumbers and squash.
This look tasty. I can’t wait to try it.
My son has to have a very restricted diet due to vaccine damage which has compromised his immune system. We are as close to a raw vegan diet as possible. Being a working single mom, I have to be CREATIVE! I have found that making zoodles with multiple sauces available provides variety while making food easily available to him when I am at work. Popular sauces are vegan alfredo, vegan marinara, vegan bolognese, and vegan nacho sauces
Cant wait to try these!
I am going to try this for my family. It’s time consuming trying to prepare meals for my family and also have an meatless alternative for me. I keep trying every day, though and this recipe sounds great!
I love to roast veggies – my fave combo is Brussels, Butternut Squash & Kale/Spinach – then add to “Buddha” bowl with Quinoa/Brown Rice, chopped walnuts & craisins YUM! Take it up a notch by drizzling with TJ’s Spicy Asian Peanut Vinaigrette! Also love Zoodles with pesto, and Spaghetti Squash “Parm” with Mushroom/Oat “meatballs” served right in the squash shells. Thanks for all your great recipes!
Looking forward to making these tacos. Thanks Ali and Megan!
I think my favorite might be rainbow lo mein I have made it several times using vegetables I have available, or leftovers.I love the cauliflower walnut vegan tacos too! There’s so many to choose from and I like a big salad daily .I love having healthy food prepped in frig making it easy to grab something good. I like trying new recipes and eating vegetables that are in season.
One of the ways my family enjoys veggies is by creating a “bar”… Salad Bar, Taco Bar, Potato Bar. They enjoy the opportunity to be “in control” by making their own choices and variety.
Sliced jicama shells??? That’s a great idea!!!!! Can’t wait to try that. My favorite way to sneak in more veggies is with cauliflower rice, I throw all different kinds of veggies into the food processor with the cauliflower…broccoli, cabbage, onions, carrots, kale, etc. Such an easy way to get in more veggies! Thank you for the chance to win the cookbook and spiralizer.
I have a 3-year old who hates all veggies except corn on the cob, so I’m constantly experimenting with how many veggies I can get into a smoothie without her noticing. 🙂
We LOVE vegetables. Pretty much any way. We’re currently loving roasting them (pretty much any), but I’ve also been making a lot of Indian veg recipes in the Instant Pot (saag is a huge hit). Thankfully I don’t have to “hide” veggies in food to get my kids to eat them. We don’t have a spiralizer but would LOVE to try it, I think the kids would have so much fun and enjoy it!
chopping up and adding into meatballs, so kids and adults get their veggie intake!! 🙂
Serve warm mixtures on top of mixed greens.
I love using cauliflower rice!
Curly fries! Not only potatoes, but sweet potatoes and zucchini are the best for big family. Will your taco recipe for a ‘taco night’. Thanks! We wore out our cheap spiralizer. Looking for a stronger one?
We put them through the blender and add them to sauces.