Plant-based Taco Filling

A simple and tasty plant-based and vegan taco filling – perfectly seasoned for tacos, taco salad, nachos, enchiladas, chili, and more. 

Good morning! It’s Taco Tuesday!!

Who doesn’t enjoy a good taco? Tacos contain layers of delicious fillings and toppings. And you can use a myriad of containers – crunchy taco shells, baked corn tortillas (tostadas), lettuce wraps, soft flour tortillas, flat bread, pita bread, bags of chips (walking tacos, anyone?), and healthy taco salad bowls.

Only your creativity can slow you down.

My favorite taco carrier is the crunchy corn taco shell. If I have to be honest, I may have a huge crush on crunchy shells. First of all, crunchy taco shells are fun because they make a loud crunching sound when you bite into them. The sound is awesome!

I mean, it’s like you are conquering your food every time you take a bite! For just one minute, you can actually conquer something that tastes incredible!!!

Plus, depending on the brand, crunchy taco shells contain very little salt and ingredients. When I buy taco shells, I get them at Aldi since they contain very little sodium and minimal ingredients. They’re a great way to enjoy tacos when I’m short on time.

If you prefer, you can bake corn tortilla shells in the oven for a very healthy plant-based taco shell. Full details on how to make these flat tostada shells can be found here. It takes fifteen to twenty minutes in the oven and the results are crunchy oil-free corn tostada shells. You can purchase tortilla forms, if you prefer.

You can also bake your corn tortillas folded in half with the edges over a rack in your oven. This creates crunchy baked tacos with no fat, salt, or guilt! And they are so crunchy good! Be careful though because when they start to toast, they can get hot spots fast and scorch. Like toast and broiling anything, it’s just something to watch out for.

Of course soft flour tortillas make amazing taco carriers, too. But commercially prepared flour tortillas tend to contain excessive sodium, which is one reason they taste so good. But this makes sense since they can survive on the grocery shelf for a very long while without molding. So, as a standard, we tend to make our own flour tortillas with zero salt. And since making them takes a little more time, I usually reserve flour tortilla making for Rainbow Fajitas or Quesadillas on a weekend.

But let’s not get side-tracked here.

If you’ve listened to me rave about food for any length of time, you know there are three factors for me: appearance, flavor, and texture. Yep, my food has to have it all. It’s not that I’m really all that picky; I just know what I like. And I want my food to look good, taste good, and feel good.

And I’m not messing around – this taco filling has got it going on.

Before starting my plant-based journey, my family ate a lot of tacos. It was a true family favorite. After we made the switch, one of the biggest conundrums I found was how to serve our traditional family favorite without the traditional meat filling. We didn’t actually miss the meat, just the traditional filling and texture. So I was determined to find a way to enjoy the same tacos without the meat. Was that even possible?

Surprisingly, the answer is yes. There are so many different things you can use. And we have tried many of them, including walnut blends, lentil blends, tofu (Sofritos, anyone?), and so on. But I found that there are three different taco filling ingredients that provide a wholly satisfying taco experience. I’ll briefly describe each one to give you an idea of what your options entail and the benefits of each.

1 – Soy Curl crumbs. This is not something you deliberately seek out, but it is inevitable if you use Butler Soy Curls. I can not tell you how disappointed I was the first time I discovered a bunch of crumbs at the bottom of a bag of Butler Soy Curls – I had about two cups. “What a waste!”, said no one ever.

Seriously, these crumbs make an incredible taco filling – a wholesome taco filling that is 100% gluten-free!! And it couldn’t be more simple – just pour some hot water on it, wait a couple minutes and it poofs up like magic. Add in some taco spices, and sauté on low for a few minutes. Did I mention it has AMAZING texture? Yep, these leftover crumbs really are #1 in my book.

2 – The second option is a tried-and-true standby and similar to the soy curl crumbs: TVP or Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP). Sexy, I know. TVP has been around for a long time and is used a lot in the commercial sector as a filler for all kinds of things. I actually grew up on the stuff but didn’t realize it until I was in my teens. My parents subsidized some of our meals with TVP – it went in dishes like chili, spaghetti, and goulash because it was healthy and cheap. Who knew? Not me.

TVP is a very lean and inexpensive vegan source of protein. Like soy curls, TVP simply needs to be rehydrated in hot broth or water, then season and sauté until somewhat dry. And it’s pretty good. Like tofu and soy curls, it takes on the flavors you give it. So if you let it soak up some killer taco seasonings, you’re in for a top-notch taco filling.

3 – The third and final option is a solid runner-up. It too contains one whole food plant-based ingredient: cracked bulgur wheat. It’s what I use to make Vegan Sloppy Joes. It’s super nutritious and cooks in just five minutes in your Instant Pot or pressure cooker.

If you don’t have any soy crumbs or TVP on hand, cracked bulgur makes for a very good taco filling that is ready in a relatively short amount of time with almost no effort. I explain all about cracked bulgur and its nutritional benefits in my Sloppy Joes post.

So now that you have picked your main taco filling ingredient, it’s time to discuss the sides and toppings. This is the fun part. You can use whatever you like.

My hands-down favorite side dish with tacos is my Instant Pot Refried Beans. They’re smoky and delicious and contain no oil and no added salt. And they are super easy! Simply soak your beans overnight, cook them in the Instant Pot, drain, add your seasonings, and semi-blend with an immersion blender or potato masher. If you haven’t tried them, now’s the time. They’re kickin’ with these tacos.

What do you like putting on your tacos?

In addition to this tasty taco filling and my Instant Pot Refried Beans, I like having a plethora of fresh toppings to choose from, including shredded lettuce, chopped onions, diced tomatoes, guacamole or avocado, sliced or chopped black olives, and salsa.

My husband likes topping his tacos with sour cream and cheese. For this reason, I try to keep a package of cheese-like shreds by Daiya or Follow your Heart in the refrigerator. I’ve also made my own Cheddar Cheese that is full of plant-based goodness. It’s shreddable and made of potatoes, carrots, and cashews.

Easy Vegan Sour cream can be made in a jiffy with boxed tofu and vinegar – click on the link or check the notes below for a fast and simple recipe. I highly recommend trying out my Mighty Cheez Sauce, too. It’s one hundred percent whole food plant-based and delicious on tacos, tostadas, taco salad, veggie bowls, and super nachos.

Alright, alright. Enough chit-chat, let’s get cooking!

Who’s ready for some tacos?

I hope you enjoy these super simple tacos as much as we do.  Please leave a comment, rate it, and tag a picture #pebblesandtoast on Instagram! I’d love to see your results. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 1 cup tvp, soy curl crumbs, or cracked bulgur*
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• salt to taste (optional)
• 3 Tbsp tomato sauce
• 2-4 Tbsp water

Instructions

1. In a bowl, pour hot water over tvp or soy curl crumbs. Allow to rest for five minutes, or until the tvp has absorbed the water. See the Notes below for instructions on bulgur.*
2. Drain well. 
3. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté tvp or soy curl crumbs 3-5 minutes, until dry.
4. Add all the dry spices, tomato sauce, and 2 Tbsp water.  Continue to cook on low to medium heat for about 5 minutes, adding water as needed to prevent from sticking.
5. Serve in taco shells, tortillas, nachos, burritos, enchiladas, chili, or taco salad.  
6. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.  

Notes

* For the cracked bulgur, cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, and allow to release pressure naturally.  Drain any excess water and sauté as directed in step 3.

** To make Easy Vegan Sour Cream, combine 12 oz firm silken tofu, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.   Blend with an immersion blender or blender until smooth and creamy.  Keep refrigerated until ready to use – makes 2 cups.