This Vegan Cauliflower Taco Meat is delicious! A meatless filling cauliflower, cremini mushrooms, walnuts and onion is tossed with homemade taco seasoning and roasted.
Vegan taco meat isn’t a new concept or anything. I’m sure, like me, you’ve seen it all over Pinterest. But back in 2015 when I wrote my cookbook, I created a recipe where I mixed ground turkey with finely chopped veggies and made a meatloaf. If you have my book, you may be familiar with the recipe. That sparked an idea recently to do the same but for taco filling. SO good.
Now if you’ve ever had a beef taco, you’ll most likely notice a slight difference in texture and possibly flavor between the two. However, vegan cauliflower taco meet is still deliciously satisfying and versatile.
It’s perfect in tacos, bowls, salads or nachos and this recipe makes a TON so you can freeze half for another time. Bonus!
To make this vegan cauliflower taco meat you will need:
- cauliflower
- walnuts
- cremini mushrooms
- yellow onion
- extra light olive oil
- taco seasoning
Typically I make a quadruple batch of homemade taco seasoning so I always have it on hand. But if you don’t already have it in your cupboard, double this recipe to be sure you will have enough.
Preheat your oven to 425℉ (220℃).
Meanwhile, in the bowl of your food processor fitted with the blade attachment, work in batches, adding half of 1 medium cauliflower (broken down into large florets) and pulse until coarse crumbles form.
Then transfer the cauliflower to a rimmed metal baking sheet and repeat.
Next you’ll want to repeat the same process with the all 8 ounces mushrooms and 2 cups walnuts.
Then pulse a few times until fine crumbs form, and then transfer to the pan with the cauliflower.
Add 1 small chopped yellow onion and pulse until finely minced.
Add that to the pan with the cauliflower and mushroom mixture.
Drizzle with 1 teaspoon extra light olive oil and season with 1/4 cup taco seasoning.
Stir well to combine.
Next, divide the mixture among two pans and roast both on the lower two racks of your preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove, stir and spread the mixture evenly. Swap and rotate the pans before continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes.
This recipe makes a lot, 5 whole cups worth of vegan taco meat. Which means, you can meal prep and still have leftovers to freeze and use later.
It’s as easy as that my friends.
I load up soft taco shells with the filling and top it with charred corn, black beans, pico and guac!
Enjoy! And if you give this Vegan Cauliflower Taco Meat recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Vegan Taco Meat
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned
- 2 cups walnuts
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, extra light
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425℉ (220℃).
- In the bowl of your food processor fitted with the blade attachments, work in batches of 2 and pulse the cauliflower florets until coarsely crumbled. Then transfer the cauliflower to a rimmed, metal baking sheet.
- Next add in all of the mushrooms and walnuts and pulse until coarsely crumbled. Then transfer to the baking sheet.
- Lastly add in the small, roughly chopped onion and pulse until finely minced. Add the onion to the pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with homemade taco seasoning. Toss well until combined.
- Divide the vegan taco mixture in half and transfer one half to the second rimmed, metal baking sheet.
- Slide both pans onto the lower two racks of your preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove, stir, swap and rotate the pans on the oven racks. Continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes.
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Yummy stuff! Thanks for the recipe!
This looks delish! I’m looking forward to trying it. Thanks for sharing!
Enjoy!
Can this be done on the stove? I live in Texas where its too hot to turn on the oven right about now…but this looks amazing.
Hi! I have not tried it, but I would worry that because the mixture won’t be spread out thin enough, when the water inside the cauliflower releases, it will not evaporate fast enough.
This stuff is great. We’re not completely meatless and my kids were floored when I told them there was no beef, they couldn’t believe it! Thanks for a basic taco filling that is just as good as the original and way better for us.