How to Make Vegan Tacos

Tacos are a popular Mexican treat and most are served with vegetables and meats such as ground beef or chicken. If you're vegan, you can enjoy tacos, too, by making them vegan using plenty of fresh vegetables. There are a variety of way to make vegan tacos, and any of the recipes provided below can be switched up to suit your desired ingredients.

EditIngredients

EditBlack Bean Vegan Tacos ^[1]

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ¾ - 1½ teaspoon salt
• 2½ cups canned black beans, with the liquid
• 2 limes
• 3-4 teaspoons smoky hot sauce
• 2-3 ripe avocados
• Chipotle or tomatillo salsa
• 10-12 mini corn tortillas
• Shaved onion and/or chopped cilantro (optional)

EditTofu Vegan Tacos ^[2]

• 12 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into 8 slices
• 4 cups shredded coleslaw mix
• 1 small bunch radishes, thinly sliced
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 limes, one zested and juiced, one cut into wedges
• ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 8 corn tortillas
• ¼ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella or pepper jack cheese
• ¼ cup jarred salsa verde

EditGrilled Vegetable Vegan Tacos ^[3]

• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 small summer squash, diced
• ½ medium red onion, diced
• 1 ear sweet corn, removed from cob
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 medium red pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ripe avocado
• ⅓ cup full fat, plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup minced cilantro + extra for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 6-8 corn tortillas

EditBuffalo Vegan Tacos ^[4]

• ½ cup brown rice flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, divided
• 1½ teaspoons onion powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 medium head of cauliflower
• ½ cup vegan mild buffalo sauce
• ½ ripe avocado
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ lime, juiced
• ½ teaspoon garlic, minced (about 1 clove)
• 6-8 corn tortillas
• Taco toppings (red cabbage, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, jalapeno slices, etc.)

EditLentil Vegan Tacos ^[5]

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ cup red onion finely diced + additional ⅛ cup
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
• ¾ cup dried brown lentils
• 2 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
• ⅓ cup bulgur wheat
• ⅔ cup water
• 2 medium avocados, halved and pitted
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 10 taco shells

EditSteps

EditBlack Bean Vegan Tacos

1. Drizzle the oil over a medium-sized skillet on medium heat.
   
2. Add the onion and only a pinch of salt. Stir for about 10-15 minutes. The onions should be brown and soft.
   
3. Add in the garlic and mix again for about a minute.
   
4. Stir in the cumin, cocoa powder, and the rest of the salt. Mix for about thirty seconds with a wooden spoon.
   
5. Add the hot sauce, juice of one lime, and beans. Mix again and bring the mixture to a simmer.
   
6. Simmer the mixture for about 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add additional salt or hot sauce if desired. The mixture will begin to thicken but there will be some liquid left. Set aside.
   
7. Preheat the oven to a broil.
   
8. Place the tortillas on a large baking sheet and spoon the bean mixture onto each one.
   
9. Toast the tacos in the oven for about 2-3 minutes. Lift the tacos every few seconds to avoid them from burning or crisping.
   
10. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Allow the tacos to cool off for about 10 minutes.
    
11. Serve. Garnish the tacos with shaved onions, chopped cilantro, salsa, or chipotle. Enjoy!
    

EditTofu Vegan Tacos

1. Remove any excess water from the tofu. Place the tofu slices on a stack of paper towels. Stack with more paper towels and place a heavy skillet on top of it. Allow all the tofu water to come out; it'll take about 10 minutes.
   
2. In a large bowl, mix the cilantro, radishes, coleslaw, a tablespoon of oil, lime zest, and half of the lime juice. Toss well until fully combined together.
   
3. In a small bowl, beat the yogurt and the rest of the lime juice together. Season with a desired amount of salt and pepper.
   
4. Brush the rest of the olive oil over the tofu strips and sprinkle over the taco seasoning.
   
5. Cook the tofu strip on an iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for about 7 minutes, flipping after 2 minutes, to allow the tofu to crisp slightly.
   
6. Remove the tofu from the heat and slice it into strips.
   
7. Toast the tortillas on the stovetop and heat until warm.
   
8. Serve. Stuff the tacos with the tofu, coleslaw mixture, and cheese. Drizzle over the yogurt mixture and salsa. Enjoy!
   

EditGrilled Vegetable Vegan Tacos

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ Fahrenheit or 204˚ Celsius.
   
2. Toss all the vegetables, except the avocado, with the oil, garlic, cumin, and salt.
   
3. Roast the vegetables in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. The vegetables should be brown.
   
4. Beat the yogurt, avocado, lime juice, and cilantro together in a separate bowl. Blend well until well-combined and the mixture is creamy.
   
5. Toast the tortillas on the stovetop and heat until warm.
   
6. Serve. Stuff the tacos with the roasted vegetables and avocado cream sauce. Enjoy!
   

EditBuffalo Vegan Tacos

1. Preheat oven to 425˚ Fahrenheit or 218˚ Celsius.
   
2. Grease a baking tray with non-stick greasing spray.
   
3. Whisk the dry ingredients and milk. In a large bowl, combine the flour, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon onion powder, garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix until fully combined.
   
4. Remove the leaves and stems off the cauliflower. Break into pieces.
   
5. Add the cauliflower into the flour mixture and toss well.
   
6. Place the coated cauliflower on the baking tray and spread around.
   
7. Bake for about 30 minutes until slightly roasted and remove from heat.
   
8. Pour the buffalo sauce all over the cauliflower. Toss well until fully coated.
   
9. Bake the cauliflower for an additional 10 minutes.
   
10. Make the sauce. Blend the avocado, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, ¼ cup milk, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a food processor. Blend until well-combined.
    
11. Toast the tortillas on the stovetop and heat until warm.
    
12. Serve. Stuff the tacos with the buffalo cauliflower and the rest of the taco toppings. Enjoy!
    

EditLentil Vegan Tacos

1. Drizzle the oil over a large skillet on medium-high heat.
   
2. Add only a half cup of the red onion and saute for 5 minutes. Cook until the onions are soft.
   
3. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, taco seasoning, and dried lentils. Saute for an additional 30 seconds.
   
4. Pour in the broth and allow the mixture to boil over the medium heat. Let it boil uncovered for about 10 minutes.
   
5. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Let the lentils simmer for about 5 minutes until tender.
   
6. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the bulgur.
   
7. Turn down the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Allow it to simmer for about 12-15 minutes until it's tender.
   
8. Pour the cooked bulgur into the lentils. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
   
9. In a separate bowl, make the avocado sauce. Mash the avocados with the rest of the red onion, cherry tomatoes, lime juice, and cilantro leaves. Mash until fully combined.
   
10. Serve. Stuff the tacos with the lentil mixture and top it off with avocado sauce. Enjoy!
    

EditTips

• For a Mexican twist to these vegan tacos, garnish them with a dollop of guacamole.
• Instead of corn tortillas, you can use hard tacos for a crunchy taste.
• You can also heat up the tortillas in the microwave instead of on the stove for a faster option.

EditWarnings

• Take caution not to over-cook the vegetables for too long or they will end up burning and blackening.

EditThings You'll Need

• Mixing tool
• Stovetop or oven
• Iron skillet
• Baking tray
• Serving plate

EditRelated wikiHows

• Make Roasted Vegetable Tacos
• Make Hard Corn Taco Shells
• Make Grilled Chicken Tacos with Salsa
• Make Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa Verde

EditSources and Citations

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