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Home » Recipes » Dairy Free

Walnut Taco Meat

By Erin · February 25, 2021 · Updated September 26, 2021 · 13 Comments

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Gluten FreeDairy FreeVeganVegetarian
blended walnuts in a skillet with text overlay

Meatless Monday just got a lot more delicious! This Walnut Taco Meat is made with only 7 ingredients and is a vegan alternative to your favorite taco meat recipe.

blended seasoned walnuts and mushrooms in a skillet

I can't believe it's taken me this long to share this walnut taco meat recipe! I used a similar mixture in my kale taco salad, and again in my ultimate taco salad, but this walnut taco meat is my FAVORITE of them all.

See, in my household, we're huge fans of "Meatless Monday". It's a great way to get out of your comfort zone while trying new and delicious food. This walnut taco meat fits the bill, and is a plant-based alternative to traditional meat.

Recipe features

  • Made with walnuts + shiitake mushrooms for the ultimate texture
  • Seasoned with easy-to-find ingredients
  • An awesome way to trick your family (in my case, my husband) into eating mushrooms 😉
taco meat ingredients with text overlay

Ingredient notes:

  • Walnuts: When blended/chopped, walnuts create a meat-like texture that other nuts, such as almonds or cashews, do not. Because of this, I don't recommend substituting for any other kind of nut!
  • Mushrooms: Ok, so you can technically use any kind of mushrooms, since you're going to be dicing them up. I love shiitake mushrooms because they get slightly crispy (read: not mushy) when you sauté them with oil.
  • Spices: The combination of smoked paprika, garlic, cumin, and soy sauce creates a delicious taco seasoning (trust me!!). But, if you want a substitution, you could use regular, store-bought taco seasoning, though you'll still have to add the soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos).

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Blend the walnuts. Start by adding the walnuts, along with the spices, to your food processor and pulse for 5 seconds or so. Then, with the motor still running, pour the soy sauce in through the top and pulse for 10-15 more seconds until everything is combined.

blended walnuts in a food processor

Step 2: Sauté the mushrooms. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium, then add the diced mushrooms and salt and sauté them for 3-5 minutes until they're soft.

cooked diced mushrooms in a skillet

Step 3: Combine. Last, scoop the walnut mixture out of your food processor and transfer it to the skillet with the mushrooms. Stir to combine and heat until the walnuts are warm.

Tips and FAQs

-Be careful not to over-process the walnuts; otherwise, they'll be too mushy when heated and the texture won't be correct. You want them to resemble ground beef crumbles.

-Make sure to dice the mushrooms up really well, similarly to how you'd dice an onion.

-If you want the mushrooms to get crispy (my favorite!), simply sauté them for a little bit longer until they're golden brown.

-California Walnuts wrote about the versatility of walnuts -- be sure to check it out if you love this recipe!

Do I have to include the mushrooms?

Nope! If you absolutely hate mushrooms, you can use chickpeas (drained, rinsed and patted dry) or cooked lentils instead.

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes! Prep this ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, add it back into a skillet and heat over medium-low until it's warmed, or reheat in the microwave.

What kind of recipes can this be used in?

SO MANY! This walnut taco meat would be delicious in my spicy vegan enchiladas, added in vegan chili, sprinkled on top of vegan mac and cheese, and/or added into the Mexican quinoa meal prep bowl.

cooked mushrooms and walnuts in a skillet

More vegan dinner recipes

  • Vegan Minestrone Soup
  • Sweet Potato Curry Farro
  • Spicy Tofu Enchiladas

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

blended seasoned walnuts and mushrooms in a skillet

Walnut Taco Meat

Meatless Monday just got a lot more delicious! This Walnut Taco Meat is made with only 7 ingredients and is a vegan alternative to your favorite taco meat recipe.
4.84 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Erin

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw walnuts
  • 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce or more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 5 oz. shiitake mushrooms diced
  • ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste

Instructions

  • Add walnuts, paprika, garlic, and cumin to your food processor then pulse for 5 seconds. With the motor still running, pour the soy sauce in through the top and pulse until mixture resembles meat (be careful not to over-mix -- the mixture should come together in 20 seconds or so).
  • Next, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium, then add the mushrooms and salt and sauté for 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Then, add the walnut mixture to the skillet and stir to combine until the walnuts are warm. Add more salt to taste and enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are per serving and are an estimation
*Make sure you only process the walnuts for a total of 15-20 seconds; if you over-process them, the texture won't be correct and they'll turn mushy when they're heated. 
*Dice the mushrooms similarly to how you'd dice an onion.
*If you HATE mushrooms, you can substitute chickpeas or cooked lentils instead. 

Nutrition

Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1051mg | Potassium: 435mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 511IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!
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About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. K Lynn Dreher says

    March 11, 2023 at 1:43 am

    "Per Serving" 410 Calories -- Is one taco one serving?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      March 12, 2023 at 7:29 pm

      The serving size varies greatly with this recipe, but that is per taco (walnuts are high in calories but also very good for you!)

      Reply
  2. Franneeannee says

    February 25, 2023 at 6:03 am

    Excellent! I’m going veggie and needed a taco filling that would work. This certainly does and I’m quite a seasoned taco lover. I’m surprised how good it is!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      February 25, 2023 at 2:38 pm

      I'm happy you liked it so much!

      Reply
  3. D__Jones says

    February 18, 2023 at 8:34 pm

    4 stars
    Wow, my family was very impressed and we are CARNIVORES! We did ours without the mushrooms but the next time we certainly will add them. We used the seasonings as is and added a little taco seasoning as well. I will make these again - thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      February 19, 2023 at 3:52 pm

      I'm glad this recipe was a hit!

      Reply
  4. Ash says

    January 08, 2023 at 11:06 pm

    It was easy and the texture was nice - crunchier than ground beef, but I like that.
    The flavor profile was kind of off. I think it was too salty. Soy sauce was probably the wrong umami ingredient.

    If I try it again I might substitute oyster sauce for the soy sauce and see how that goes.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      January 09, 2023 at 4:28 pm

      Hi Ash -- I'm glad you liked the recipe! This is meant to be a vegan meat substitute, hence why soy sauce is a good choice. But yes, if you're not vegan, feel free to use oyster sauce instead.

      Reply
  5. Shirlaine says

    September 10, 2022 at 1:58 pm

    5 stars
    I must say for someone who doesn't like walnuts this was amazing. I was very sceptical for the only reason that there was walnuts in it. I've shared this recipe with everyone that
    chose meatless lifestyle.
    Make sure the walnuts are blended well my second batch I didn't as much, so was a bit crunchier than I would have like but delicious regardless. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I've been plant-base for 5 months now food.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      September 12, 2022 at 5:12 pm

      I'm so happy you enjoyed it! My husband was VERY skeptical too, but he loves this recipe.

      Reply
  6. maia says

    June 14, 2021 at 6:28 am

    What do you think works as the best substitute for the shrooms? Thanks 🙂-Maia

    Reply
    • Erin says

      June 14, 2021 at 6:51 am

      Hi! You could try using cauliflower instead, or omitting altogether and doubling up on the walnuts.

      Reply
  7. Sabrina says

    February 27, 2021 at 10:50 pm

    so creative and so many things to make with these and love ground beef still but it's a nice way to swap to this healthier alternative every now and again so thank you and it even looks like ground beef!

    Reply

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