Lentil Walnut Taco Meat (Vegan and Easy)

This quick & easy vegan lentil walnut taco meat is loaded with flavor and has an amazing meaty texture that's very satisfying. Great for taco Tuesdays, but also use this recipe to add more plant-based protein to your salads, burritos, buddha bowls and so much more. Also soy-free and gluten-free.

We must be making vegan tacos almost every week. Or some sort of modified tacos, such as nachos or taco salad. It is so easy to do: all you need is a vegan meaty base, plus whatever veggies are in the fridge. And a fun sauce to top it all.

Vegan fish tacos are amazing on nights I have more time to cook, but we definitely always are looking for more vegan taco meat options, especially the kind that I can make ahead for quick weeknight dinners.

So here it is, my new favorite plant-based taco filling recipe: lentil walnut taco meat!

It really comes together super easily and is shockingly loaded with flavor. We love the classic combo of chili and cumin spices and the nice punch of garlic. The flavors are fairly bold and easy to customize, but really, what makes this recipe super interesting is the incredible texture. It is nicely meaty, chewy, saucy yet crumbly.

Plus, have you tried adding walnuts to a vegan meaty mixture? Just like in my Swedish meatballs, the crunchiness from the nuts adds such a nice bite, plus extra nutrition too. The walnuts keep their shape, which helps the crumbly mixture from feeling a little too bland and adds a nice crunch that can handle the saucy consistency without turning mushy.

What's to love about this recipe

• Rich in healthy plant-based protein
• Very versatile
• Easy-to-make
• Great for meal-prep
• Perfect to feed a crowd
• Nutrient-dense
• Ultra flavorful

Ingredients you will need

• Lentils: I use green lentils to make it. We love lentils as they are a cheap & healthy source of high-quality plant protein that also cooks much quicker than other beans.
• Walnuts: you can save money by buying pieces of walnuts instead of the whole nuts, especially since you will need to chop them anyways.
• Onion: use a yellow or red onion.
• Garlic: for flavor.
• Fresh tomatoes: you can use any kind of tomatoes, even cherry tomatoes will work.
• Maple syrup: just to balance the flavor. Any sweetener is fine and add more if you like it sweeter.
• Spices: Chili powder, cumin powder and dried oregano. Feel free to add some smoked paprika, powdered chipotle pepper or cayenne for a spicy kick.
• Veggie broth (or water).

What kind of lentils to use

I love using regular green lentils to make this recipe. They do break a little while cooking, but still remain mostly intact, which makes it a nice meaty texture.

You could also use French du Puy lentils or black beluga lentils, but know that these lentils hold their shape very well, so you will have a super crumbly texture.

In any case, do not use red lentils or you will end up with an extra mushy texture. These work better for lentil soups or dhals.

How to make it

Cook the lentils and prep

You will need cooked lentils to make the filling. To cook them, add ¾ cup of dried lentils to a small pot and add water to cover up to 1-2 inches over the lentils. Cover and bring to a simmer. Then, turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 min or until the lentils are tender. Add more water as needed while cooking and then, drain the remaining water.

Transfer about half of the cooked lentils on a plate and mash using a fork or a potato masher.

While the lentils are cooking, chop the onion, tomatoes, garlic and prep the spices.

Roast the walnuts

In a large pan, add the walnuts and roast on medium-high heat for a few minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Do not add any oil to the pan.

Then, transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop them. Try to keep some pieces a little larger for best texture. Set aside.

Cook the filling

In the same pan you used to toast the walnuts, cook the onions for about 5 minutes or until browned. You can use a small amount of oil or water so they don't burn.

Then, add the garlic, chili powder, cumin powder, dried oregano and salt and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring often.

Once the spices are fragrant, add the toasted walnuts, both the whole and mashed lentils, tomatoes, maple syrup and veggie broth (or water). Stir to combine and let it cook for about 3-5 minutes or until desired consistency. It should be saucy, but not too watery. Remove from the heat when done so it does not dry out. Serve right away while still warm.

Watch how to make it

Cooking tips

• You can easily use an already-made taco seasoning if you have some. In this case, you will have to estimate how much you want to add, just taste as you go. Also, don't add any salt until after a taste test as these spice mixes can be quite salty.
• Add more veggies if you want! Finely chopped red pepper, zucchini, cauliflower or even mushrooms would all work well. Simply adjust liquids and spices accordingly.
• Play around with how much veggie broth you add to the pan to make it more or less saucy, depending on how you want to serve it. I like it dryer when used as a salad topping, but saucier when using in tacos.
• To make your meaty mixture feel fresher, add a generous amount of fresh cilantro or a good squeeze of lime juice (after done).

Serving suggestions

And here comes the fun part! Serving your tacos!

Try adding some color and layers of flavor + texture for best result. Also, if making tacos often, just rotate the toppings each time to keep things interesting.

I love making my tacos with a few of these:

• Homemade soft tortillas or red lentil tortillas
• Taco shells, we love the ones from Siete
• Chipotle sauce
• Avocado, guacamole or vegan avocado crema
• Lime cabbage slaw
• Vegan cheese sauce or vegan Rotel dip
• Fresh tomatoes
• Crunchy romaine
• Spicy peach salsa, roasted mango habanero salsa or pineapple pico de gallo
• Fresh, Mexican pickled red onion or balsamic pickled onions
• Corn (or vegan elote)
• Fresh jalapeño
• Vegan sour cream
• Squeeze of lime juice

You can also do a slight variation and serve this recipe in vegan taquitos or pair with sweet potato mushroom tacos. This makes for a fun change from regular tacos!

Also, you can use this lentil walnut taco meat and serve it in so many ways other than tacos. Try in burritos, taco salads, tostadas, Mexican style buddha bowls, over pan-sheet nachos, stuffed potatoes or even lettuce wraps using romaine. Or, serve with a side of vegan Mexican rice!

Storage tips

This is a great recipe to include in your weekly meal-prep. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and simply reheat using the microwave. This recipe is so versatile that you can make more and serve in 2 different ways throughout a busy week.

FAQ's

Other lentil recipes you might like

• Vegan lentil meatloaf
• Vegan American goulash
• Curried red lentil soup
• Vegan lentil shepherd's pie
• Vegan lentil baked ziti
• Vegan lentil curry
• Vegan lentil bechamel lasagna

I hope you like these lentil walnut tacos as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!

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