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Walnut-Mushroom Taco Meat

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time18 minutes
Servings: 2 to 4
Calories: 175kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 3/4 (85g) cup raw walnuts
  • 1 cup (75g) roughly chopped mushrooms (we used cremini)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari*
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice more for finishing
  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil
  • ½ cup 8g chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems (optional)

Homemade Taco Seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano or regular oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (use ⅛ for less heat)

Instructions

  • Toast the walnuts. Add walnuts to a dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they smell toasty and are darker in spots. Or, spread them out on a sheet pan and toast them in a preheated oven at 350ºF/175ºC for 7 minutes.
  • Add the toasted walnuts to a food processor. Perform a few long pulses until the walnuts are very finely chopped, but don’t over-process, or it'll start turning into walnut butter.
  • To the food processor, add the chopped mushrooms, heaping ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, several cracks of black pepper, Homemade Taco Seasoning, lime juice, and soy sauce.
    Blend for a few seconds, followed by several pulses until everything is very finely chopped but not smooth like a dip or patê. Taste, adding more lime juice or soy sauce, as needed.
  • Cook the taco meat. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium to medium-high heat with the avocado oil. Once hot, add the walnut-mushroom meat. Cook for 2 minutes, then use a wooden spoon or angled spatula to break up the meat into as small pieces as you can. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy.
  • To reheat, add taco meat to a frying pan over medium heat. Cook until warmed through and slightly crisp.

Notes

*Use tamari to keep gluten-free. If you're allergic to soy, omit the soy sauce; add an extra squeeze of lime juice and more salt to taste.