This vegan taco meat is made with a flavorful combination of taco-seasoned walnuts, quinoa, and black beans. It's the perfect plant-based filling to use for tacos, burritos, or quesadillas! Make Taco Tuesday dinner a breeze with this easy and delicious 30-minute meal!
Cook the quinoa in a medium saucepan according to the package instructions. If you don’t use pre-rinsed quinoa, make sure you rinse it or it will taste bitter once cooked.
Put the walnuts in a food processor and pulse a few times until the nuts are crumbly.
In a large pan over medium heat, combine the cooked quinoa, chopped walnuts, taco seasonings, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili pepper flakes, rinsed and drained black beans, and ½ cup of water. Mix it all together and let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the pan gets too dry you may need to add more a little bit more water. Add salt to taste.
Spoon the filling into tacos and add toppings of choice. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or you can freeze it for a future meal.
Notes
If the quinoa isn't pre-rinsed, make sure you rinse it so the quinoa won't taste bitter once it's cooked.
A food processor is the quickest and easiest way to chop the walnuts into small pieces. However, if you don't have it you can also use a nut chopper or mince them by hand using a large knife.
Start with ¼ tsp chili pepper flakes and add more to taste. I usually use a total of ½ tsp chili pepper flakes because I like a little heat. You could also use cayenne pepper or hot sauce.