Best Walnut Meat (vegan + gf)

This vegan walnut taco meat is ridiculously easy to make, super versatile, and incredibly delicious! If you like flavor (like BIG flavor), you're going to love it! Made with with only 8 ingredients and ready just 20 minutes, it's a quick and delicious vegan dinner idea the whole family will love!

Sometimes, you find a new recipe that's so good you can't stop thinking about it for days - this walnut taco meat is that recipe! There's the rich, spicy, umami flavor, incredible texture, and an irresistible char that will send your tastebuds straight to paradise. This mushroom walnut meat recipe is memorable in every way!

It goes without saying that this spicy, juicy, crumbly mushroom walnut meat makes a killer vegan taco. And just like my crispy black bean tacos and cauliflower chickpea tacos, these walnut mushroom tacos are a quick, easy, and wholesome plant based dinner.

Ingredients for Vegan Walnut Taco Meat

Like holy deliciousness, this savory, spicy walnut meat recipe is the best (seriously the BEST best), and it's easy to make with only a handful of whole food ingredients:

• Mushrooms: Cremini or button mushrooms work great.
• Walnuts: Raw, unsalted walnut halves or pieces. For the best price, buy at Costco or similar, in bulk or online.
• Onions & Garlic: White or yellow onions and fresh garlic.
• Olive Oil: Just a splash. Skip if following an oil free diet (sub water/broth in place of oil).
• Taco Seasonings: Cumin, chili powder, oregano, chipotle peppers in adobo.
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste has a super concentrated tomato flavor and is the perfect choice to stand up to this bold flavor profile. See my tip for storing leftover tomato paste below!
• Soy Sauce: There's no better flavor combination than mushrooms and soy sauce. Use gluten free soy sauce, tamari or low sodium soy sauce if preferred.
• Sweetener: Add just a hint of sweetness to balance out the savory spicy flavors. Maple syrup or coconut sugar are personal favorites, but any sweetener will do.
• Optional Taco Topping Ideas: If you're making tacos, add toppings like pico de gallo, avocado, pickled red onions, dairy-free cheese, and shredded romaine lettuce. Creamy chipotle sauce, vegan queso, cilantro cashew cream or some other rockstar sauce obviously incredible served on the side for dipping.

How to Make Walnut Meat

Honestly, busy humans, rejoice!!! This walnut taco meat is spectacular, comes together quickly, and disappears just as fast! Here's how to make it:

1. Saute the onions and garlic over medium while you prepare the mushrooms. Stir periodically to prevent sticking.

2. Make the mushroom walnut crumble: I recommend processing the walnuts and mushrooms in separate batches to ensure the perfect 'ground beef' texture.
3. First the mushrooms: Cut the mushrooms in half, add to the food processor, pulse 8-10 times. Tip: For the best texture, don't overfill the food processor (see photos). Sometimes I break the mushrooms into 2 batches (they're quick). Dump the mushrooms into the skillet with onions and garlic.

4. Then the walnuts: Pulse the walnuts with the chipotle peppers in the food processor until coarse and crumbly (see photo). Add them to the skillet. Cook for another ~7-10 minutes or until the veggies soften and start to take on color.

5. Add the seasoning: Season the walnut meat and cook for another 5-8 minutes so all the flavors marry together. Add more splashes of water as needed.
6. Secret Extra Step: For the final step, smooth out the walnut meat mixture in the skillet. Cook on medium-high for a couple minutes then flip it over in chunks - repeat on the other side. This creates the most craveable, juicy texture with a charred crust and irresistibly crispy edges (see photo below).
7. Ready to devour!: Make tacos or use in any recipe that calls for ground beef or veggie mince.

Tips & FAQ

• Do I have to soak the walnuts?: I know some recipes for walnut meat soak the walnuts, but I don't. I'm obsessed with the slightly crunchier texture without soaking.
• Texture: Don't over process the mushrooms - be sure to pulse to get the proper crumbly texture. Afterall, no one likes mushy tacos. I typically do the mushrooms in 2 batches!
• Play with the seasoning: Use store bought or homemade taco seasoning instead of the individual spices if you prefer. Sub in any spices your family enjoys like Italian, Indian or chili spices. There's lot of room to put your own twist on this recipe - have fun with it!
• Is it gluten free?: Yes, these walnut crumbles are gluten free provided you choose gluten free soy sauce or tamari.
• Can I prep ahead?: Yes, one of the fantastic things about this ground walnut meat is it can be made several days in advance. It's a great recipe for meal prep and quick weeknight meals.
• Can I freeze it?: Yes! Ground walnut meat freezes well. It's great to have a batch in the freezer for busy weeknight meals.
• How long will it last?: Once cooked, store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• How to reheat: To reheat the walnut meat, heat up some oil, add the ground walnut mixture and warm through over medium heat. You can also warm in microwave in short intervals until heated through. It's delicious at room temperature as well!
• MILLION DOLLAR TIP: How many times have you opened a can of tomato paste and had just a tablespoon or two leftover? This happens to me ALL THE TIME. Don't throw it out, freeze it in an ice cube tray in 1 tablespoon measures. Once frozen store in freezer bags. They thaw quickly, and are super convenient to have on hand for soups, pastas, sauces, and so much more.

How to Serve

Any time a recipe calls for ground beef, you can sub in this fabulous spicy veggie crumble. It's one of the easiest and best tasting vegan meat replacements I've ever tasted. Once you've cooked a batch, you'll find a million uses - here's just a few ideas:

• Vegan Tacos: Pile up your favorite tacos toppings, douse it with a delicious sauce trust me every juicy, saucy bite is guaranteed to be dripping down your face and arms! Or sub the mushroom walnut meat into these crispy black bean tacos.
• Veggie Burritos: Tuck all your favorite burrito fillings like beans, tomatoes, and cheese along with the walnut crumbles into a tortilla, fry on all sides until golden brown and delicious.
• Best Vegan Chili: A fantastic vegetarian mince in vegan chili!
• Ultimate Vegan Nachos: Nice topping addition to vegan nachos.