Vegan Tacos with Pickled Onion and Cashew Queso
Turn up your taco night with this homemade vegan recipe that features cashew queso, pickled onions, a variety of different spices, and fresh herbs – Here's how to make them.
Each taco is a colorful work of art topped with crunchy fresh vegetables and drizzled with creamy cashew queso. The 'meat' in this vegan recipe is your choice of a favorite plant-based meat alternative, lentils, or extra firm tofu. You'll surprise yourself and your guests by how similar the alternatives taste to the real thing, even lentils make for a hearty meat-like protein.
These tacos are the perfect recipe to serve at your fiesta or make for your carnivore friend who claims they can't give up meat-filled tacos because this recipe proves plant-based food to be just as, if not more delicious than the non-vegan version.
Recipe Developer: Hannah Sunderani, @twospoons.ca
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Vegan Tacos with Pickled Onion and Cashew Queso
Serves 4 people
Ingredients
Vegan Taco Meat:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 12 oz plant-based ground or lentils (green or black), or extra-firm tofu (cut into small chunks)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- pinch sea salt
Toppings:
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 cup Vegan Queso
- 1/2 cup pickled onions (see notes)
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 2 spring onions finely chopped
- 1 lime
Instructions
- In a large skillet, combine coconut oil and plant-based ground. Cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the plant-based ground starts to brown.
- Then add spices: onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, chili flakes, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, soy sauce, maple syrup, and a pinch of sea salt. Mix together to combine until warmed and lightly browned. (5-10 mins)
- Scoop vegan taco meat into corn tortillas and top with dollops of Vegan Queso.
- Sprinkle with pickled onions, cilantro, green onions, and a squeeze of lime.
Nutritional
Calories 345 | Total Fat 15.7g | Saturated Fat 6.2g | Sodium 952mg | Total Carbohydrates 32.8g | Dietary Fiber 5g | Total Sugars 4.2g | Protein 22.4g | Calcium 188mg | Iron 3mg | Potassium 335mg |