Easy Vegan Walnut Meat Tacos

These quick and easy vegan walnut meat tacos have 5 simple ingredients and can be eaten raw or cooked. You will love this vegan walnut meat taco recipe.

I love tacos, but I crave creative tacos. Who wants the same tacos over and over again? Not this girl. This Taco Tuesday, I made a walnut meat tacos recipe, an oldie but a goodie. Yes! Believe it or not, walnuts make fabulous vegan walnut meat tacos with simple ingredients. And walnut meat tacos can be eaten raw or cooked!

Jump to:

• What are the Health Benefits of Walnuts?
• Walnut Taco Meat Ingredients
• How to Make Walnut Meat Tacos
• How to Cook Walnut Tacos
• Walnut Taco Topping Ideas
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• More Delicious Vegan Recipes to Try!
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Despite the nut debate, I eat nuts in small amounts to promote a healthy lifestyle. Although many people argue about the benefits of eating nuts versus the fat content, I enjoy nuts occasionally.

For those of you who have nut allergies, I make various other taco recipes without any nuts, so you may want to them out!

What are the Health Benefits of Walnuts?

According to Healthline, to say that walnuts are nutritious food and are a bit of an understatement.

Walnuts provide healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals — and that’s just the beginning of how they may support your health.

Here are 13 science-based health benefits of walnuts:

• Rich in antioxidants
• Plant source of omega-3s
• May decrease inflammation
• Promotes a healthy gut
• Reduces the risk of some cancers
• Supports weight control
• Lowers risk of type 2 Diabetes
• May lower blood pressure
• Supports healthy aging
• Good brain function
• Positive male reproductive health benefits
• Improves blood fats
• Easy to include in meals and recipes

Walnut Taco Meat Ingredients

First, walnut meat tacos are easy to make and only require a few basic ingredients. 

• Organic Raw Walnuts: Organic raw walnuts have not been roasted or salted. They are raw and uncooked.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: I buy the Sun-dried tomatoes (dehydrated NOT IN OIL) in a package found in the produce section by the nuts.
• Tomato Paste:
• Chipotle Peppers in Sauce: Diced chipotle chili peppers in small cans are available in the Mexican section of the grocery store. A little goes a long way.
• Vegan Taco Seasoning: Whole Foods and Sprouts brand Vegan Taco Seasoning is oil-free, or you can use a homemade blend.

How to Make Walnut Meat Tacos

• One kitchen appliance that makes walnut taco meat a little easier to prep is a food processor. Of course, you don't need a food processor; it's just a time saver.
• An alternative is to hand-chop the walnuts and sun-dried tomatoes instead. 

• Since I use oil-free, dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, they must first be rehydrated.
• To bring them to life quickly and soften them, I boil 2 cups of water and soak the sun-dried tomatoes for 10 minutes until they are soft.
• Then, drain the water and place the sun-dried tomatoes in the food processor base with the large blade, processing on high until they are chopped into small pieces. 

• If you do not have a food processor, follow the same steps, and dice the sun-dried tomatoes by hand, as well as the walnuts.  
• Next, add the raw walnuts and the remaining ingredients.
• At this point, you must PULSE the ingredients rather than process them on high.
• As a result, the walnut meat should have a similar consistency to taco meat.
• However, you don't want it to be too mushy by over-processing. 

• Once processed, transfer the walnut meat to a bowl.
• It can be served as raw walnut meat tacos, or you can heat it in a pan for crunchier hot taco meat.

How to Cook Walnut Tacos

• Because I prefer hot food, I cooked walnut meat tacos.
• I used a large non-stick skillet to heat the walnut meat, cooking it over medium-low heat until it was heated through (about 10 minutes).

• Next, heat your chosen taco shells, or you can use the walnut taco meat for a variety of other purposes:
• Vegan Taco Salad
• The Best Ultimate Vegan Lentil Black Bean Burrito Ever
• Healthy Burrito Bowl

For an added WOW level, put the walnut taco meat and other toppings on one side of the tortilla, fold it over, and cook it in the pan, making a hot, crunchy exterior taco shell.

Walnut Taco Topping Ideas

• Vegan Sour Cream
• Fruit Salsa Recipe
• Tomatillo Salsa
• Mango Salsa
• Pineapple Salsa
• Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• It is essential to rehydrate the sun-dried tomatoes and drain them well before adding them to the food processor or chopping them by hand. It helps to get the right texture and softness to the walnut taco meat.
• Do not use salted walnuts. The taco meat will be far too salty and inedible. You have to use raw walnuts.
• Again, if you don't have a food processor, chop the raw walnuts.
• I suggest using organic walnuts. Organic walnuts may be healthier than non-organic walnuts because they are grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals.
• When the walnuts are added, could you be sure to use the pulse option? You want the final product to be something other than gummy or over-processed.
• This walnut meat will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer and makes a fantastic meal prep or make-ahead meal!
• You can freeze walnut taco meat for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
• This vegan taco meat can be eaten raw or cooked.

Give this vegan walnut taco meat recipe for a new way to enjoy vegan tacos!

More Delicious Vegan Recipes to Try!

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📖 Recipe