• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
It's a Veg World After All®
  • Subscribe
  • Cookbook
  • Recipes
    • By Type
    • By Vegetable
  • Tips
  • About
    • Privacy and Terms
    • Services
      • Twin Cities Cooking Classes
      • Writing & Recipes
    • Contact
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • By Veggie
  • Cooking Tips
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Books
  • Work with Lizzie
  • Contact
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • By Veggie
    • Cooking Tips
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Books
    • Work with Lizzie
    • Contact
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Lentil Walnut Taco Meat

    Published: Mar 16, 2022 / Modified: Mar 15, 2022 by Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN / This post may contain affiliate links / 4 Comments

    • 7
    Jump to Recipe Print
    vegan taco meat in a serving bowl and corn tortillas separated by a text box with recipe title
    two corn tortillas filled with lentil walnut taco meat in a taco holder
    lentil taco meat in corn tortillas and a serving bowl separated by text box with recipe title

    Lentil walnut taco “meat” is a vegan take on taco filling. It’s packed with tons of veggies alongside finely chopped walnuts, smashed lentils, and plenty of seasonings. This plant-based recipe comes together quickly and makes enough for leftovers that can even be frozen for later use.

    vegan lentil walnut taco meat in a serving dish next to a spoon and napkin

    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my affiliate disclosure.

    We love tacos in the Streit house. Seriously…we have some version of them at least once a week. One of our favorite taco recipes comes from Will’s great great aunt Wilma. Made with finely chopped veggies and herbs, it’s some of the best taco meat out there!

    I used Wilma’s recipe as base for this plant-based lentil walnut taco meat. It features the same veggies that Wilma uses — onion, garlic, bell pepper, carrot, and parsley — but I added cooked lentils and chopped walnuts in place of the ground beef. The lentils and walnuts combined yield a meat-like texture.

    I’m happy to report that my experimentation turned out really well! Vegan taco “meat” with lentils is super flavorful. But that’s not to say I won’t be enjoying Wilma’s meat anymore. I’ll be making her recipe in addition to this one. I told you we like tacos!

    carrot, bell pepper, onion, garlic cloves, walnuts, lentils, seasonings, and parsley on a counter

    How to Make Lentil Walnut Taco Meat

    The full recipe card, with the ingredients list and instructions, is available at the end of the post. Scroll down or use the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post to see it. Here’s a preview of the steps, followed by my expert tips.

    1. Pulse the walnuts in the food processor.
    2. Add the veggies and pulse.
    3. Cook the walnut, veggie mixture, and seasonings in oil in a skillet.
    4. Add the cooked lentils. Cook until warmed through.
    finely chopped walnuts in a food processor with the S blade on a counter
    finely chopped vegetables and herbs in a food processor on a counter
    vegetables and walnuts cooking with seasonings and oil in a nonstick skillet
    lentil walnut taco meat cooking in a nonstick skillet with a bamboo spoon

    Expert Tips

    • Food processor: This is the food processor that I use. If you have one, it’s definitely worth using to get the walnuts and veggies into finely chopped pieces. But if you don’t have a food processor, you can still make lentil walnut taco meat! Just chop the veggies and walnuts by hand as best you can.
    • Prep ahead tips: Cook the lentils in advance to cut back on prep time. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to make the recipe. You can also use pre-cooked lentils, like the kind available at Trader Joe’s and other stores.
    • Topping ideas: Vegan toppings include shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado, chopped parsley, hot sauce, or salsa. My Garlic Avocado Spread or Healthy Creamy Jalapeno Sauce would be especially delicious on top of tacos using this meat. If you don’t need your meal to be vegan, feel free to add shredded cheese and sour cream.
    • Storage and freezing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet with a little oil until warmed through. You can also freeze the taco meat in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a skillet.
    two corn tortillas filled with lentil walnut taco meat in a taco holder

    More Taco Recipes

    Love this lentil walnut taco meat? Check out the Ancho Chile Black Bean Sweet Potato Tacos, Radish and Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Crema, and Vegetarian Taco Casserole with Quinoa.

    I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.

    vegan lentil walnut taco meat in a serving dish next to a spoon and napkin

    Lentil Walnut Taco Meat

    This vegan taco "meat" with lentils is packed with finely chopped walnuts and vegetables.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 35 mins
    Total Time: 50 mins
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 249kcal
    Author: Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups cooked brown lentils
    • 1 cup walnuts
    • 1 white onion - cut into quarters
    • 1 bell pepper - seeds and stem removed, cut into chunks
    • 1 carrot - peeled and cut into chunks
    • ½ cup parsley leaves - loosely packed
    • 4 cloves garlic - smashed
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Cook the lentils according to package instructions to yield 2 cups. You can do this up to several days in advance (just keep them in the fridge) or use pre-cooked lentils available at some grocery stores.
    • Add the walnuts to a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add the onion, bell pepper, carrot, parsley leaves, and smashed garlic cloves to the food processor with the walnuts. Pulse until everything is finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
    • In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the walnut and vegetable mixture to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the veggies are tender and most of the water from the mixture has steamed off.
    • Add the cooked lentils to the skillet along with the chili powder, oregano, garlic salt, and salt. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, smashing some of the lentils with your spoon, until everything is warmed through.
    • Remove from heat and serve as desired!
    • Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post).

    Notes

    • Serve in taco shells or tortillas with lettuce, tomato, avocado, salsa, or hot sauce. If you don’t need the recipe to be vegan, consider serving with shredded cheese and sour cream.
    • You can also use this “meat” in burrito bowls or taco salads.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet with a little oil until warmed through.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 484mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2954IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @its_a_vegworld_afterall and follow me today!

    Happy taco eating! – Lizzie

    More Main Dish Recipes

    • Chicken and Leek Risotto
    • Mushrooms on Toast with Ricotta
    • Mushroom Gratin
    • Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese
    • 7

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Catherine

      January 02, 2023 at 7:11 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious

      Reply
      • Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

        January 03, 2023 at 12:02 pm

        Hi Catherine, I’m thrilled you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your 5-star review!

        Reply
      • Denise

        February 06, 2023 at 7:49 pm

        5 stars
        Really tasty as is! Thanks for such a beautiful recipe 💗

        Reply
        • Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

          February 08, 2023 at 10:53 am

          Hi Denise, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for leaving a 5-star review!

    Primary Sidebar

    lizzie streit cutting carrots

    Welcome! I'm Lizzie, a Registered Dietitian and cookbook author who loves vegetables. And I'm here to help you love them too! My easy, veggie-forward recipes will help you get comfortable in the kitchen and celebrate the seasons.

    More about me →

    Meal Prep Recipes

    • Tofu Burrito Bowls
    • Greek Turkey Meatballs with Veggies (Meal Prep Bowls)
    • Buffalo Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    • Healthy Spinach Chicken Meatballs

    Soup Recipes

    • Broccoli Almond Soup with Feta
    • Kabocha Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Apple Cider
    • Swede Soup with Crispy Onions
    • Vegan Tomato Bisque with Cashews

    Footer

    About

    About Lizzie

    Privacy Policy and Terms

    Portfolio

    My Books

    Featured On

    logos from news publications and websites spread out on a white background

    Contact

    Contact

    Work with Lizzie

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2013-2023 It's a Veg World After All ® LLC