I don't use the word "best" lightly, but this vegan taco meat truly deserves the title! Protein-rich soy curls (or TVP) and walnuts combine to create an exceptionally meaty and satisfying alternative to beef. Soy curl taco meat is perfect for tacos and burritos and for topping salads and grain bowls. This recipe is gluten-free with oil-free and nut-free options.
Why You'll Love It
I really think you're going to love this combination of ground Butler soy curls and walnuts. It's textural, firm, filling, and generously spiced! Best of all it comes together in about 35 minutes. Pulsing the soy curls in a food processor creates amazing texture that perfectly mimics taco meat.
Speaking of soy curls, if you're not familiar with this awesome vegan meat substitute, check out this post, 19 Vegan Soy Curl Recipes + Soy Curl FAQs.
This vegan taco meat recipe was a happy accident. I was working on a breakfast sausage recipe and had trouble getting one of the test batches to hold together.
So I just tossed the crumbled soy curls into a pan and sautéed until golden. The result was so meaty, delicious, and versatile that I decided to put the sausage recipe on hold, switch up the spices, and create a flavorful vegan taco meat instead.
And guess what... it's now one of our favorite recipes on the blog!
RELATED: don't have soy curls? Try these TVP tacos (very similar to this recipe but nut-free and no food processor required) or this lentil taco meat!
Ingredient Notes
- Soy curls - made from just one ingredient, whole, non-GMO soybeans, Butler soy curls can be ordered directly from the Butler Foods website and from Amazon. Sometimes you'll find them in local stores, but unfortunately this product is not widely distributed to chain groceries. To learn more, be sure to check out this guide to soy curls.
Tip! Can't get soy curls where you live? No problem. Use textured vegetable protein (TVP) instead. - Walnuts - these add nice richness to the taco meat since soy curls are not very high in fat. If you follow a low-fat diet feel free to omit the walnuts. Raw sunflower seeds make a perfect nut-free option.
- Onion, jalapeno and garlic - these add so much flavor and depth to the taco meat, so I don't recommend skipping them!
- Salsa - any traditional-style salsa you like is fine here. It adds nice moisture and acidity to the dish.
- Spice blend - don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients in the recipe. It's mostly just spices! If you don't have smoked paprika, regular sweet paprika may be used instead. Oh, and chili powder refers to the blend commonly found in stores, not a specific chili.
See recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
How to Make Vegan Taco Meat
- First, rehydrate the soy curls in broth. While they soak, preheat a large sauté pan, and cook the onion, jalapeño, and garlic.
- After 15 minutes drain the soy curls in a colander. Then pick up large handfuls, and squeeze them over the sink to remove some of the moisture. Now they're rehydrated but should look fairly dry (see below).
- Toss the soy curls into the pan with the veggies, and cook until they develop a bit of color. Add salsa and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Set aside while you create the spice blend.
- Now it's time for the food processor. Process the walnuts until crumbled. Then add the spices, and pulse several times to blend.
- Add the soy curl mixture to the food processor and pulse until the soy curls are mostly chopped. Drizzle with tamari, and process until it until uniformly ground.
- Preheat the same sauté pan again over medium heat, and cook the vegan taco meat until hot and slightly browned. You may want to drizzle in a bit of water for moisture and to prevent sticking.
Serving Suggestions
Now you're ready to use this hearty vegan taco meat in your favorite Mexican dishes like tacos, taquitos, burritos, cabbage rolls, enchiladas, nachos, and tortilla casserole!
More Ways to Use Soy Curls
- Vegan Bacon Bits
- Air Fryer Soy Curls
- One-Skillet White Chili Casserole
- Vegan Ground Beef
- Slow Cooker BBQ Soy Curls
- Healthy Vegan Pot Pie
- Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry
- Instant Pot Millet With Vegetables
Substitutions
I've also made the recipe with ¼ cup almond flour instead of the walnuts. It adds nice richness, but if you have both on hand, I tend to prefer the flavor of walnuts.
For a nut-free option, either omit the walnuts or use ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds. They provide great nutrition, added crunch, and richness.
Storage
Store leftover vegan taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It's also freezer-friendly. Thaw and re-heat before serving.
You might like
I hope you enjoy this deliciously versatile Vegan Taco Meat! If you give it a try be sure to leave a comment and a star rating below to let us know.
The Best Vegan Taco Meat
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Butler soy curls (half of a bag) - or sub TVP, see Notes
- 2 to 3 cups salty vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional - Omit for oil-free.
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup salsa
Seasoning/Spice Blend:
- ½ cup raw walnut halves - Reduce or omit, if desired. See Notes for nut-free option.
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, optional
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
Instructions
- Place soy curls in a large bowl, and cover with broth to rehydrate. Add a bit of water to the bowl if needed so that the soy curls are mostly submerged. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes, then drain in a colander.
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat, and add the oil, if using. Stirring occasionally, cook the onion for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the jalapeno to the pan, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan, and cook for about 1 minute.
- One handful at a time, pick up the drained soy curls and squeeze them over the sink to remove some of the moisture. Add the soy curls to the pan, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until they begin to brown and are hot. Add salsa to the pan and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
- Place walnuts in a food processor, and pulse into coarse crumbs. Next, add the spices to the food processor: nutritional yeast, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Pulse to combine.
- Transfer the soy curl-onion mixture to the food processor and pulse a few times to chop the soy curls. Add the tamari, and process until uniformly ground.
- Preheat the saute over medium heat again, and transfer the ground mixture to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until hot and fragrant. Add up to ¼ cup water as needed for moisture and to prevent sticking. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
elizabeth stevens
This is without question the best Vegan mince recipe I’ve used. IIm Vegan for eight years but Husband isn’t but he was also completely convinced by this.
Jenny
Goodness and yumminess that's perfectly spiced!
I had a lonely nearly expired bag of soy curls and was searching for something to transform it into for tonight's dinner. That's how I found you. I needed easy and was initially suspicious of 2 rounds of the food processor. However, I made more than enough of this taco meat for tonight and to freeze for future meals so I jumped in and made your excellent recipe. That said, I seriously doubt this taco meat will make it to the freezer. Tomorrow any leftovers will likely be devoured.
The only change I made: I soaked for longer than recommended (1 hour vs 10 minutes, sorry I got a call.) I also I soaked in water vs broth. I sprinkled a little bit of vegan no-chicken bouillon on the curls as they sautéed to try and make up for this.
In the tacos to the "meat" I added guac, finely sliced red cabbage and white onion with a squeeze of lime with optional red salsa (I liked it as is). This was served alongside salad greens with a simple citrus vinaigrette, julienned raw beats and pieces of grapefruit. A healthy and satisfying meal.
Thank you for your inspired recipe that was the launchpad for our delicious dinner tonight. We love tacos and make them often. It was another Taco Tuesday for our family, however, your recipe for this vegan taco meat elevated it and made it so much more.
Kay
This soy curl taco meat is absolutely delicious. I make it and freeze it in my half cup silicone ice cube tray so I always have it on hand. I had it for dinner last night in a nacho bowl and used your queso recipe….sooo good. Can’t wait for dinner tonight. Thank you Lori, keep the delicious recipes coming!
Dorie
Oops, forget to rate it!
Dorie
Boy am I glad I found this recipe!! I had two bags of soycurls that I didn't want to toss. I could never get used to their spongy texture. I took a chance and made a quadruple batch. I didn't use oil but made it just as the recipe is written. I didn't brown it a final time after processing cause I'm going to freeze it in batches and figured I would do that when I get it out since it has to be warmed up anyway. I wasn't going to get soycurls anymore but now I will since they're healthier than TVP. Thank you so much for this recipe. A very happy mistake you made when it didn't work out as intended. Those mistakes end up being some of my best creations too. 😁
DougTee
You ain’t lying when you title this the Best Taco Meat, it certainly is that! I made it per your recipe omitting only the garlic and onion powders cuz we don’t love either and boy, is it delicious!
I made a batch of Pinto Beans and Rice and we had the best Vegan Burrito Bowls I’ve ever eaten. Being vegan in a smaller town has created issues which forces me to cook more. I am so grateful to you for sharing your knowledge and recipes - this one is definitely on rotation at our house!
Donna
Hi! This sounds amazing!! When you say serves 4 does that mean 1 taco is one serving? I am going to make for like 30 people and want to get measurements right. Thanks in advance ☺️
Lori
Hi Donna,
I’d say one serving will make 2 tacos, but of course it will vary a bit by person. Hope that helps!
Erika
I use this recipe as our standard for “Taco Tuesday” every week. I play with the spice mixture so it’s to our taste, but it’s a really solid recipe that’s easy to tweak.
Sarah
Holy Cow! I made this this morning for dinner tonight, but after tasting it, I kinda want to eat it for breakfast! This recipe is perfect! Super excited for tacos tonight!
Megan
We absolutely loved this recipe & my meat eating teenage daughter had no idea she wasn't eating meat. Thank you!
Fran
This taco “meat” is delicious. I double the recipe so there is a batch in the freezer for a quick meal. We like the curls a little chunky, I dice them after hydrating them.
Shelly L
We loved this recipe. A great way to use soy curls which I’m fairly new to. It will definitely go into my taco rotation! Easy and delicious. Thank you!
Cholena Humphrey
I made this recipe and it tastes just like a Beyond Burger but you get more burger for your money! I substituted hemp heart for walnuts, because I had no walnuts, and it tasted delicious. I didn't have a lot of the chili spices so it was a little mild, but it's OK. Oh and I forgot the salsa, better go put some in!
Susan
Just made this - will double my next batch for the freezer. This is so delicious and lovely for me to have an alternative to beans. Thanks so much!! Directions were easy to understand and follow.
Sue
What a creative use of soy curls! This is delicious. Thanks Lori.
Claudia
Made these tonight and they were delicious! Served them in soft corn tortillas topped with chopped tomato, lettuce, cilantro, “cheese” sauce and extra salsa. YUM.
Lori
Sounds delicious, Claudia. So happy you enjoyed the taco meat! 😀
Melody
I love this recipe! I tried soy curls once before in a chicken and dumplings recipe and did not care for the texture at all. But ground up, it’s great! I’m going to see if I can use it in a vegan chili as I have yet to find one I like. Thank you!
Lori
That's great, Melody! I'm so glad you enjoyed soy curls this way. 😀
Check out my "45-Minute Red Lentil Chili." It's my favorite chili, and I think the taco meat would be fantastic in it. You could use it in place of the bulgur and slightly reduce the spices in the chili since the taco meat is seasoned. Or reduce the seasoning on the soy curls since the chili is nicely seasoned.
Melody
Thank you I will! I also want to use ground soy curls in a spaghetti and meat sauce.
Ann Leenhouts-Shane
Hi Lori, what would be a good sub for the walnuts. We don't eat them due to heart issues. Thanks!
Lori
Hi Ann, in this case the easiest option is to simply omit them and have 100% soy curl taco meat. To keep the spices balanced, you could either slightly increase the amount of soy curls or use scant measurements of each of the seasonings. Another veggie-forward option is to add cauliflower rice in place of the walnuts. Just add it right to the pan during the final saute. Hope that helps!