Vegan Taco Meat

Table of Contents

I’ve perfected vegan taco meat! Seriously, if you’ve gone vegan but have a craving for beefy tacos, then this recipe is for you!

I grew up in Texas. Which means I ate my fair share of Tex-mex. So, when I went vegan, I had to make sure my taco cravings were covered.

Taco meat is something I haven’t had in years. Especially, proper taco meat. Because, before I went vegan I was living in NYC and they simply don’t have the kind of Mexican food I’m used to.

So, when I found vegan ground beef for my vegan taco meat recipe with it, I was thrilled. It’s a perfect substitute, especially considering no one was hurt to make it.

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The Perfect Vegan Taco Meat Base

I’ve use to make this recipe with tofu and it was tasty, but the texture was slightly mush.

I recently discovered a few vegan mince meat replacement product that are perfect for this recipe. They’ve taken my tacos to the next level.

Next Level Hack Vegan Ground Beef

Funny enough, one of the products is called Next Level Hack and it’s available at Lidl stores.

This product is scarily similar to ground beef, or mince as they call it here in Europe. It’s made from vegetables, pea protein, soy protein, and wheat protein. It looks very much like minced meat with a slightly more pale color. The texture of the raw mince is more firm that the “real” deal, but once cooked it’s very convincing…as far as I can remember anyway.

Plus, as an added bonus the package is 100% recyclable and climate neutral.

It’s perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, beefy quesadillas, nachos and any other Mexican concoction you can imagine.

TVP – What’s That

TVP stands for texturized vegetable protein. It’s basically a dehydrated, defatted soy flour product. After rehydrated, TVP is the perfect texture for a meat replacement.

Like tofu, it doesn’t have much flavor on its own. So, you can pretty much flavor it how you like.

TVP is high in protein and iron, and low in fat. It’s also absurdly cheap. So, if you’re on a budget this is an excellent product to have in your vegan pantry. It’s super diverse and I even use it in my delicious vegan bolognese recipe.

For this vegan taco meat I’d suggest rehydrating it with a mixture of water, olive oil, vegan beef bouillon (or miso paste). This combination will flavor the TVP and be perfect for this recipe. Here are the measurements:

1 Cup TVP crumbles
1/2 Cup Boiling Water
1 T Olive Oil
1 T Miso paste or Vegan Beef Flavored Bouillon

Mix the water, miso/bouillon, and oil until well incorporated and there aren’t any lumps. Add the TVP crumbles and mix well. Set aside until it’s ready to use.

Other Vegan Options for this Vegan Taco Meat

Of course, Next Level Hack and TVP aren’t the only optimal vegan meat options on the market. Different brands will be available depending on where you live. Choose your favorite option and use it as instructed in the recipe below.

Additionally, you can use extra firm tofu or minced up tempeh in this recipe. It’s really up to you which protein to use!

How to Serve Vegan Taco Meat

These tacos can be topped with all kinds of ingredients. Lettuce, vegan cheese , tomato, green onion, radish slices, vegan sour cream, or guacamole. Whatever your tastebuds fancy, go for it!

You can even make tacos with corn or flour tortillas. If you opt for the latter, I do suggest making a burrito instead. And if you want to bring it to the next level, grill the rolled burrito on a grill pan for an extra crispy crunchy exterior. Trust me, it’s worth the extra few minutes!

You can also pair these tacos with hot sauce or salsa. Make a side of rice and beans, and you have created the perfect vegan Tex-mex feast!

Everyone Loves This Vegan Taco Meat

I recently brought this taco meat to a garden party for a friend’s birthday celebration. Three vegans and four non-vegans were at the party. As is usually the case, the non-vegans wanted to sample the vegan meat. Luckily, they were polite enough to wait until us vegans had finished eating.

The verdict? Vegans and omnivores alike gave this mixture two thumbs up!

Is This Recipe Really Fast?

https://youtu.be/mI_C0gXq1GQ

Don’t worry! Just because these tacos are incredible, it doesn’t mean they take forever to make. You can have tasty vegan taco meat in under 30 minutes! Just watch the above video and you can see for yourself.

Seriously…it’s that fast!

So, without further ado…here’s is my Vegan Taco Meat Recipe!

Vegan Taco Meat – Quick and Easy Recipe with TVP, Tofu, Tempeh, or Vegan Ground Beef

Print Recipe

This vegan taco meat will please even the biggest taco fan! It's full of flavor, extra meaty, and absolutely delicious!

Prep Time7 minutes mins

Cook Time23 minutes mins

Total Time28 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-mex

Keyword: Vegan Taco Meat

Equipment

Large skillet or saute pan
Large Wooden Spoon
Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring spoons
Measuring Cup

Ingredients

275 grams Lidl Next Level Hack Vegan Meat Can use any vegan minced meat, TVP (see note), or crumbled extra firm tofu
1 Onion
1 Red, Yellow, or Orange Bell Pepper
2-3 Garlic Cloves
3 Tablespoons Mexican Chili Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Smokey Paprika preferably Spanish but any will do
1/2 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 Tablespoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
1-1.5 Cups Water
1-2 Tablespoons Canola Oil

Instructions

Peel and chop onion into small dice.
Cut in half, core, de-seed, and chop bell pepper into small dice.
Smash, peel, and chop garlic cloves into small dice.
Heat a large skillet on medium high heat until hot and add 1-2 tablespoons of canola, rapeseed, or any neutral flavored oil that has a high smoke point to the pan and heat.
Once the oil is hot (but not smoking) add the vegetables. Stir, add a few pinches of salt.
Cover and cook on low for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
Remove lid, stir, and push vegetables to one side.
Crumble vegan mince meat into the pan. Break into small pieces with a fork.
Season with a pinch or two of salt and a few turns of pepper. Stir.
Add the lid and cook for about five minutes just until the mince begins to brown.
Remove the lid and stir.
Add all of the dry spices, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir the mixture.
Add water and scrape any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Cover and cook on medium low heat with the lid on for 3-4 minutes.
Remove the lid and cook at a slow boil until most of the liquid has evaporated. You may need to turn the heat down to low depending on how strong your stovetop is.

Video

https://youtu.be/mI_C0gXq1GQ

Notes

Enjoy this taco meat on corn tortillas or flour tortillas. Top with lettuce, tomato, guacamole, hot sauce, radishes, or whatever your heart's desire.

TVP Note: If using TVP use 1 cup of crumbles. Hydrate them in 1/2 cup boiling water before adding them to the mix.

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Vegan Breakfast Burritos!

If you’re looking for a vegan breakfast taco recipe…I have you covered there too. Click here for the recipe.

Vegan Taco Meat - Quick Easy Recipe & VIDEO! - [VIDEO] (2024)