A super tasty plant-based twist on the classic street tacos – the perfect combination of plant-based street taco filling, cabbage and corn slaw, and zesty crema all on top of warm corn tortillas.
I’m sharing a really fun recipe with you today!!
Have you ever had a street taco?
The first time I ever had a street taco, I was in Hawaii visiting a dear friend. She took me to her favorite food truck and ordered for me. I couldn’t believe how different they were from regular tacos. Later, when I was in Jacksonville, Florida for a work trip, I jumped at the chance to order them again. And they did not disappoint.
Since then, I have overhauled those street tacos quite a bit to make them plant-based while capturing the essence of the flavor, textures, and overall experience.
So what exactly is a street taco?
For starters, a street taco is a bit smaller than a regular taco. They’re made to be easily held in one hand. The ultimate finger food! And just like regular tacos, you can fill street tacos with a variety of ingredients. But there are a few other important distinctions. Street tacos typically use smaller corn tortillas – but they’re the soft corn tortillas, not the crunchy ones. And normally, they feature a shredded taco filling instead of ground.
I love that I can enjoy eating three or four of them without filling overly full. I also love that they are typically made like a tostada – open-faced – and then folded up to eat. There’s also the option to layer an extra soft corn tortilla underneath the first. This can be helpful and a little less messy if someone happens to add too many toppings. One of the things I may or may not be guilty of…
This is my favorite way to enjoy Street Tacos. They are filled with a scrumptious shredded plant-based filling, cabbage and corn slaw, and zesty crema. So let’s talk about the filling!! I like using hearts of palm, but you can also use young green jackfruit. Both are delicious in these street tacos! And for three reasons.
First, they create the look and texture reminiscent of traditional street taco fillings, while being plant-based, healthy, and tasting great!
This Plant-based Street Taco filling is created by gently pulsing it in a food processor for a very short stint to shred it. It is then mixed with some fresh lime juice, minced garlic, and spices, and marinated in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. I also like adding a sheet of nori to add a little umami and depth. You can marinade this filling one or two nights ahead of time, making these Plant-based Street Tacos a great make-ahead meal.
The Zesty Crema is pretty tasty and easy to make. This is my husband’s favorite part of these tacos. He was excited to learn that it’s made with my Vegan Sour Cream, which is made by blending silken firm tofu, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic powder, and a pinch of onion powder. Pure plant-based goodness!
Though this sour cream is also great with regular tacos, I like kicking things up a notch by adding fresh lime juice, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and hot sauce. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your liking. If you prefer more spice, you can add in a bit more hot sauce or a little cayenne pepper. I think this is the perfect balance to the slaw.
The Cabbage and Corn Slaw is delicious all on its own. It’s full of tangy crisp flavors and textures!! While my husband loves the Zesty Crema, the crisp Cabbage and Corn Slaw is definitely my favorite part of these Plant-based Street Tacos. Simply combine the fresh lime juice, agave, garlic, and onion powder, along with some freshly ground black pepper.
Then toss in some shredded cabbage, corn, purple onion, minced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro. The end result is simply divine! I like using half of a jalapeño and removing all of the seeds because I don’t care for super spicy foods. But feel free to use an entire jalapeño, if you prefer your food more spicy. You can always omit it, too. The choice is yours.
I love that you can make the Filling, Zesty Crema, and Cabbage and Corn Slaw one or two days before you plant to serve them. Then, when you’re ready to make these Street Tacos, simply bake and broil the filling while heating up the corn tortillas in a cast iron skillet on the stove. I like using the small street-sized corn tortillas, though you can use regular corn tortillas, too.
Now that you have all of the components for these Plant-based Street Tacos, it really does come together super quick. Just lay two or three tortillas on your plate, layered if you prefer. Then spoon a little of the filling onto a warm tortilla, along with a spoonful of Cabbage and Corn Slaw and Zesty Crema on top.
The toppings are endless! You can top these Plant-based Street Tacos with cubed avocado, vegan feta cheese, chopped cilantro, and more. I like serving the alongside lime wedges and hot sauce.
I hope you enjoy this Plant-based Street Tacos as much as I do.
I would love to see your results. Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Street Taco Filling Ingredients
- 16 ounces canned/jarred hearts of palm or young green jackfruit*
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 lime, juiced (1 Tbsp)
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground chipotle chili or cayenne
- 1-2 nori sheets, torn**
- salt and pepper to taste (optional)
Plant-based Street Taco Ingredients
- 1 package small street-sized white corn tortillas
- Cabbage and Corn Slaw (recipe follows)
- Street Taco Sauce (recipe follows)
- Toppings: avocado, vegan feta cheese, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, hot sauce or sriracha
Cabbage and Corn Slaw Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼-½ tsp ground black pepper
- 3-4 cups cabbage or cabbage blend, shredded or chopped
- 1 cup sweet corn kernels
- ¼ cup chopped purple onion
- ½-1 jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Zesty Crema
- ½ cup Vegan Sour Cream
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1-2 tsp hot sauce
- ¼ tsp salt (optional)
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the hearts of palm (or jackfruit). In a food processor, pulse the hearts of palm or jackfruit until shredded or chopped – do not over-blend – it should resemble flaked fish.
- In a large bowl, toss the shredded hearts of palm or jackfruit with the water, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and torn nori sheet. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.
- Meanwhile, make the Cabbage and Corn Slaw. In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, agave, garlic, onion powder. Stir in the cabbage, corn, jalapeño, and cilantro until well coated. Store covered in the refrigerator until serving.
- In a small bowl, combine all of the Zesty Crema ingredients together. Store covered in the refrigerator until serving.
- When you’re ready to make your Street Tacos, preheat the grill or oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or silicon baking mat. Remove the marinated street taco filling from the refrigerator and spread evenly onto the baking sheet. Remove the torn strips of nori and discard.
- Bake or grill for 10 minutes, then broil for 3-5 minutes, until some of the edges and tips are slightly charred. Remove and transfer to a small serving bowl and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Warm each tortilla for 15-20 seconds on each side. Store in a tortilla warmer or dish towel to keep warm. Repeat until all of the corn tortillas are warm.
- To build your Street Tacos, spoon a little of the filling onto a warm tortilla, then spoon a little slaw and avocado on top. I like using two corn tortillas for each taco. (The second tortilla prevents me from being too messy by capturing any spilled filling and toppings.)
- Serve with the Creamy Dressing, fresh lime wedges, avocado, vegan feta cheese, chopped cilantro, hot sauce or sriracha.
- Enjoy!!
Notes
* I have successfully used canned hearts of palm, as well as canned young green jackfruit. They have a slightly different flavor, color, and texture. But they both make excellent Plant-based Street Tacos!!
** You can also use dulse flakes and kelp granules if you prefer a stronger fishy smell. I like using torn nori to give a subtle ocean-like flavor. If you hate fish like my husband, feel free to omit this.
Plant-based Street Tacos
Equipment
- oven
- food processor
Ingredients
Street Taco Filling Ingredients
- 16 ounces canned/jarred hearts of palm or young green jackfruit*
- 2-3 cloves of garlic minced (1 Tbsp)
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 lime juiced (1 Tbsp)
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground chipotle chili or cayenne
- 1-2 nori sheets torn**
- salt and pepper to taste optional
Street Taco Ingredients
- 1 package small street-sized white corn tortillas
- Cabbage and Corn Slaw recipe follows
- Street Taco Sauce recipe follows
- Toppings: avocado vegan feta cheese, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, hot sauce or sriracha
Cabbage and Corn Slaw Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼-½ tsp ground black pepper
- 3-4 cups cabbage or cabbage blend shredded or chopped
- 1 cup corn
- ¼ cup chopped purple onion
- ½-1 jalapeno seeds removed, minced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Zesty Crema
- ½ cup Vegan Sour Cream
- 1 lime juiced
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1-2 tsp hot sauce
- ¼ tsp salt optional
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit or hearts of palm. In a food processor, pulse the hearts of palm or jackfruit until shredded or chopped – do not over-blend. In a large bowl, toss the shredded hearts of palm or jackfruit with the water, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and torn nori sheet. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight.
- Meanwhile, make the Cabbage and Corn Slaw. In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, agave, garlic, onion powder. Stir in the cabbage, corn, jalapeño, and cilantro until well coated. Store covered in the refrigerator until serving.
- In a small bowl, combine all of the Zesty Crema ingredients together. Store covered in the refrigerator until serving.
- When you’re ready to make your Street Tacos, preheat the grill or oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or silicon baking mat. Remove the marinated street taco filling from the refrigerator and evenly spread it on to the baking sheet. Remove the torn strips of nori and discard. Bake or grill for 10 minutes, then broil for 3-5 minutes, until some of the edges and tips are slightly charred. Remove and transfer to a small serving bowl and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Warm each tortilla for 15-20 seconds on each side. Store in a tortilla warmer or dish towel to keep warm. Repeat until all of the corn tortillas are warm.
- To build your Street Tacos, spoon a little of the Street Taco filling into a warm tortilla, then spoon a little slaw and avocado on top. I like using two corn tortillas for each taco.
- Serve with the Creamy Dressing, fresh lime wedges, avocado, vegan feta cheese, chopped cilantro, hot sauce or sriracha.
- Enjoy!!