Name: Vegan Walnut Taco Meat (Fast & Easy!)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 2 cups whole walnuts*; 8 ounces baby bella (cremini) mushrooms; 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (or coconut aminos for soy free); 2 tablespoons ketchup; 1 tablespoon cumin; 1/2 tablespoon each smoked paprika**, onion powder, and garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

The secret to vegan taco meat that pleases everyone? This walnut taco meat is beyond delicious in tacos, salads, & more.

Here’s a new trick for plant-based eating that will rock your world. Because it did for us! Meet this Walnut Vegan Taco Meat! It might sound odd, but the combination of mushrooms, walnuts, and spices makes a mixture that’s very similar in texture and flavor to real meat. We’ve had a few testers try this and everyone agrees: it’s so delicious! Use it in tacos, taco salad, and even in chili. It’s a great homemade alternative to processed veggie crumbles! Here are all the secrets.

Ingredients for vegan taco meat

What to expect with walnut taco meat? Well, here’s the thing: it’s not exactly like meat. It doesn’t quite have the same chewy texture. But it’s very close! In fact, it’s the closest thing we’ve ever had. And that’s saying something, since we’ve been writing vegetarian and vegan recipes for 10 years! Here’s what you’ll need for this kitchen magic trick:

Whole walnuts: make sure to measure them whole
Baby bella (cremini) mushrooms: you can also substitute white button mushrooms
Soy sauce or tamari: or coconut aminos for soy free
Ketchup: or use tomato paste for sugar free
Cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder
Kosher salt
Olive oil

Want more ideas for walnuts? Try these 10 Tasty Walnut Recipes.

Why it works: the basic idea behind walnut taco meat

Here’s the main idea behind this vegan walnut taco meat. It might sound odd: until you try it for the first time! You’ll be sold, one bite in. (At least, we were.) Here are the main steps you’ll complete:

Chop walnuts and mushrooms very finely to the texture resembling ground beef.
Add savory seasonings to amp the “umami” flavor of these ingredients.
Saute the mixture until it is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in a little olive oil to approximate the richness of ground beef.

Use a food processor (or knife)

You’ll need one special tool for this vegan taco meat: a food processor! But you can also make it with a knife. Here are a few notes on the chopping:

Use a large-sized food processor. If all you have is a small one, you can do it in batches.
Pulse, don’t process! The key here is to pulse until the texture resembles ground beef. Don’t even think turning on the food processor continuously! If you do that, it turns into a watery paste.
Alternatively, use a knife! It takes a little longer, but you can definitely chop the mushrooms and walnuts, then stir in the spices.

Vegan taco meat is a great alternative to purchased crumbles

This vegan taco meat is a great alternative to store-bought veggie crumbles. In fact, some brands are essentially just as much a processed food as ground beef itself (though some brands these days are more natural). You can also store it just like store-bought! Keep reading…

Storage info for walnut taco meat: freeze it!

The nice thing about this vegan taco meat: you can freeze it just like purchased veggie crumbles! This makes it perfect for throwing crumbles into soups, salads, and more. Here’s what to do if you make these crumbles in advance:

Refrigerate 1 week. It lasts very well in the refrigerator: simply reheat it in a skillet for a minute or two.
Freeze for up to 3 months. To freeze it, place it on a baking sheet in a single layer for 1 hour. Then remove the crumbles from the tray and place them in a freezer safe container. Store for up to 3 months and reheat in a skillet before serving.

Ways to serve vegan taco meat

The uses for these crumbles are endless! In fact, they’re so good we can’t help but use them on everything! Don’t limit yourself to only recipes with the word “taco”. Here are some vegan recipes where walnut taco meat shines:

Tacos like vegan tacos, plant based street tacos, black bean tacos or refried bean tacos (see more tacos)
Salad like our Ultimate Taco Salad (with genius creamy dressing) or Mexican salad
Nachos like Sheet Pan Nachos or the BEST Vegan Nachos

Ways not use it? Avoid using this taco meat in chili (it gets soggy) or to make burgers (it doesn’t hold up.

This vegan taco meat recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free