Breaking news: vegetarian taco meat is a weirdly delicious thing. Like, all plants. In tacos. That really closely resembles ground beef and possibly even tastes better. This is a miracle of epic proportions.
Do we love tacos or DO WE LOVE TACOS? We – team POY, readers and bloggers and friends and family alike – definitely love tacos. We also love all derivatives of tacos – taco bowls, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, enchiladas, tostadas, nachos, etc., which is good news for the magic of vegetarian taco meat because it goes with everything. All of them. Not one taco relative left behind.
The number of types of tacos I’ve made is beyond counting. It would actually be embarrassing. That number is not slowing down anytime soon, pals. Being a taco fanatic means I am definitely not going to say no to a beef taco if you offer it to me, but I am also a part-time vegetarian and I really love a good meatless alternative.
I have no real explanation for this except that I love to eat plants and I find cooking vegetarian recipes to be easier. And more fun. So chipotle-spiced, easy-to-make veg taco meat was born.
How To Make Some Mind-Blowing Vegetarian Taco Meat:
Here’s what we have going on in this vegetarian taco meat situation:
- cauliflower
- walnuts
- chipotle peppers
- a few spices
- salt
Can you handle it? It’s too easy. It should be wrong but it’s so right.
Once that gets all ground up, we’re going to bake it.
You still with me?
Serve It Up with All The Things
While it’s baking, since you’re going to have about 30 minutes of down time, this is the perfect opportunity to get into a salsa frenzy and whip up every type of friendly taco buddy that you can think of.
I went with the trifecta pictured here: corn and black bean salsa, pico de gallo, and guacamole because I don’t want to hate my life.
My taco vision quickly got out of control and I opted for a taco bowl – er, maybe burrito bowl, technically, with the rice and everything – instead of a traditional folded-in-a-tortilla fashion. Which is a callback to what I said at the beginning: that this vegetarian taco meat is ready to go with anybody in the taco family.
Only love for this mountain of glory.
What can I even say? My heart is happy. Vegetarian taco meat, please never leave me.
I hope you love tacossss.
Ways To Use Vegetarian Taco Meat
- In tacos!
- In bowls!
- In burritos!
- Stuffed in enchiladas.
- Layered in a crunchwrap.
- Eaten straight off the pan.
Check Out Our Video For How To Make Vegetarian Taco Meat:
Cauliflower Walnut Vegetarian Taco Meat
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings (about 1/2 cup each) 1x
Description
This vegetarian taco meat is made with cauliflower, walnuts, and chipotle peppers. It’s so easy: just mix and bake. Meatless miracle!
Ingredients
The Vegetarian Taco Meat Basics:
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 cups whole walnuts
- 2 individual chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins:
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic or onion powder
- a pinch of cayenne for more heat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is evenly ground (see picture).
- Transfer to a greased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through to prevent over-browning.
- Serve in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls, and the like!
Equipment
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Notes
My salsa-making game is pretty loose. I like to just eyeball it and taste and adjust as I go.
- Corn Salsa: toss some corn kernels in a pan and saute until roasty-looking. Mix with black beans, jalapeño, salt, lime juice, cilantro.
- Pico de Gallo: toss chopped tomatoes with chopped onion, salt, lime juice, and cilantro.
- Guacamole: toss mashed avocados with chopped onion, salt, lime juice, and cilantro.
Freezer Meal Version
- Pulse in a food processor to make the “meat”:
3 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups whole walnuts
2 individual chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
optional: lime juice, onion and garlic powder, cayenne to taste - Bake and then freeze: 375 degrees for 30 minutes (stir halfway through), freeze in plastic bag or glass container.
- Final Step: Add Cauliflower Walnut Taco Meat to a skillet to reheat, or in the microwave. Serve in tacos, enchiladas, rice bowls, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, the usual.
- Check out our full freezer meal posts with all recipes and instructions here!
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: vegetarian taco meat, cauliflower walnut meat, vegetarian Mexican recipe, vegetarian recipe, taco bowl
View freezer meal version of this recipe here.
You might also like our full freezer meals post.
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This recipe is part of our best healthy spring recipes page. Check it out!
No food processor. Can I use a blender? Or just chop up super small?
I’d be afraid of the cauliflower pureeing if you use a blender. If the blender can pulse the cauliflower in short spurts, it may work! If not, chopping super small will work just fine!
I don’t know…I must have done something wrong somewhere since everyone else seems to love this recipe. For me this was very, very, dry and crumbly–just screaming for some sauce or at least a little moisture. It was like putting sand into taco shells. If I were to make this again, I would try mixing in a little tomato sauce or maybe some refried beans. Thank you anyway.
Hi!
Just wondering the serving size? I see it serves 6 people, but is the serving size per person 1/2 cup, 1 cup etc?
I found it!! 1/2 cup lol
Ohhh man, Lindsay. You’ve done it this time!
This taco “meat” is absolutely incredible — 12/10 would recommend to a friend. I add a little more pizzazz by chucking in some garlic cloves and cinnamon (a pinch… trust me). Toss onto baking sheet then throw it into some warm tortillas with fresh salsa, guac, and queso fresco (or cotija) with a squeeze of a lime and you are good-to-go my friend. Thank you, Lindsay, for this beautiful creation!
Wow, thanks for the garlic and cinnamon tip! Totally going to try it. So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Claire!
I’m becoming more plant based and this is a great alternative. It is low calorie and great for mexican dishes…love love!!!
Awesome, Denise! So glad you’ve been enjoying it!
I love this recipe!! My husband and I are vegetarians and we were looking to add a little more to our tacos and burritos. This is such a great addition. So easy and quick and delicious. I honestly eat it right out of the pan once it’s done.
We love hearing this, Laura! So glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
For a less spicy version I replaced the chipotles with canned tomatoes. It came out great. Thank you so much for the recipe and all the delicious ideas!
Thanks for sharing this idea! My husband and I love this recipe but it’s too spicy for our kids – So glad to Jake it works this way, too!
The texture was spot on but the taste wasn’t there for me… It actually came out sour so I wasn’t able to enjoy it. Any tips?
Sorry to hear that, Gigi. Check to see if your walnuts are expired. You’ll be able to tell by their smell. Sometimes spoiled nuts can yield a sour flavor.
Sorry wrong rating.
Reading every food blog can make anyone hungry. I’m glad I’m striving to stay consistent today with my cardio. 🙂
Any spice ideas for subbing out the chili powder? I love the idea of this recipe, but I am not a chili powder fan.
You could try regular or smoked paprika instead!
Because of the lockdown we get groceries now by pickup, so you sometimes don’t get what you asked for, but a substitute. Because of this I made some changes. Instead of chipotles in adobo I used 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder and two tablespoons of salsa. Instead of whole walnut halves, I used a scant 3/4 of a cup of walnut pieces. It still turned out delicious and will add to the stash of freezer food for my daughter and son-in-law who are expecting their first baby next month. Thanks for this recipe!
Can I use frozen florets? They would already be cooked?
Hi Christie! We don’t recommend using frozen florets because they could become mushy.
We love this recipe! I usually bake it a bit longer and finish it off under the broiler to get some crispy bits. Its very versatile and reheats beautifully.
Delicious! I made a half-batch to try it out, and it turned out great. It really has the texture of meat. Can’t wait to turn the leftovers into a taco salad tomorrow. Will definitely make again
This is the best meatless taco recipe I’ve come across yet. Thank you for my new go-to recipe!
We love hearing that, Kate!
Where is the recipe for the “corn and black bean salsa” and your “pico de gallo”??? Looks yummy!
This is so delicious and easy. This is my second time making this recipe. We all love it, omnis and vegans alike. Next time I will reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes to keep the “meat” meaty. Thirty minutes was too long and made for a crumbly taco filling. I also made the roasted corn and black bean salsa – I added diced avocado and Tajin seasoning. Thank you so much for your creativity and generosity!
So glad you like the recipe, Sue! Thanks for the comment!
Someone is my family is allergic to walnuts, can you sub pecans or another nut?
We haven’t tested this recipe using another nut, but we think it’s worth a try! Pecans would probably work well!
How long does this last after you make it (and do not freeze it). Looking to make it for a salad topping and meal prepping. If I made it on a Saturday would it last all week long in the fridge?
We think it’d last 3-4 days in the fridge!
This looks delicious! Thoughts on using rutabaga rice instead?
Sounds like a unique and healthy swap, Andy! If you give it a try, we’d love to hear back!
I’m vegan but unfortunately also severely allergic to nuts. can i replace the walnuts with beans?
Maybe try roasting some chickpeas first and then doing the pulsing thing. Then they would have more of the texture of the walnuts.
We haven’t tested this recipe using beans instead of walnuts, so we can’t say for sure. If you give it a try, we’d love to hear back! If you’re a tofu fan, this is a great recipe as well! https://pinchofyum.com/spicy-sofritas-veggie-bowls
hello! I’m planning to meal prep these this weekend but I only have a 3-cup food processor…. do you think I can do things in batches and then mix it all together in a bowl? Thanks in advance!
Absolutely! Processing in batches will work just fine.
Excellent! We loved it
Hello! Does this work as well if I use pre-riced cauliflower instead of the florets? I find that my processor tends to blend up the cauliflower florets almost too fine. Was thinking I could process just the walnuts and mix with the pre-riced cauliflower.
Trying to avoid nightshades… Can it be made without the pepper in adobo? Does it taste just as good? Could I replace with another spice instead?
You could sub in a little bit of cayenne if that works! I would maybe start with just 1/4 teaspoon and taste/adjust from there.