Houston Raw Vegan Meet-Up Recipes:

Walnut Taco Meat

Meet us every other week at the Houston Raw Vegan Meet-Up in midtown at Nourish Juice Bar, 1000 W. Gray, HTX 77019 for fun, quick & tasty food!

Walnut Taco Meat

• 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not in oil)
• 3 cups raw walnuts
• 4 cloves garlic 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp coconut sugar (omit if avoiding sugar or sub 1 pitted and soaked date)
• 1/2 to 1 small habanero pepper (chopped- more or less to spice preference)
• 1/4 cup water as needed (add more as needed)

Instructions

1. Add sun-dried tomatoes to a small bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside and allow to soak for at least 5 minutes.
2. To the bowl of a food processor, add walnuts and pulse into a semi-fine meal (Texture should resemble that of ground beef; some larger chunks are okay. Be careful not to churn too long, otherwise, you end up with walnut butter). Transfer walnuts to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes (reserving the water in a small bowl to add back to the sauce later on) and add to the bowl of the food processor. Add garlic, sea salt, garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, coconut sugar and habaneros and blend until a smooth paste is formed. Add 1 Tbsp of reserved water at a time until a thick but pourable sauce is formed .
4. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, peppers for heat, cumin for smokiness, or coconut sugar to balance the heat.
5. Add mixture to walnuts and stir to combine. At this point, you can taste and adjust flavors as needed once more. I typically add a bit more of smoked paprika.
6. Enjoy in dishes in the place of ground beef: tacos, salad, nachos, burritos, and more. Leftovers can be stored for approx. 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.