So we have a close friend who love his meat. (Each to their own, we totally respect his choices and he’s great at respecting ours – we love that). We had a bit of a gathering with all of our close friends and he was in attendance, we catered for everyone and Walnut Mince Tacos was what was on the menu. We figured big group, everyone can DIY taco and everyone’s happy!
Said friend brough his own meat to fry up for dinner, again no worries. While he was BBQing off the steaks he gave some of this walnut mince a try.
“What’s in this!!” I remember him saying. “This stuff is incredible!”
We reeled off to him the list of the ingredients.
“Honestly, I could eat this stuff everyday!” He exclaimed.
Much to our surprise he proceeded to eat a whole plate of tacos loaded to the brim with walnut meat. We loved that he enjoyed the meal even without the presence of meat. Obviously a small win in the grand scheme of things but a big win for us!
Since then this has been one of our go to recipes for gatherings, birthdays and just get-togethers. It’s a massive crowd pleaser, meat eater or herbivores alike!
For me, having a massive love affair with Mexican food, it’s got all the goods. A good amount of crunch, a kick of spice, zesty tangy salsa, smooth creamy avocado dressing and the option to go with a warm soft tortilla or fresh baby cos lettuce leaf. They’re filling, satisfying and incredibly morish!
There’s so much extra you can do with this meal, from just serving as per below or going all out with a full Mexican spread for a gathering – think warm tortilla chips, variety of different salsas, maybe a good chipotle sauce, jalapeños, splash of lime, even some roasted spicey cauliflower … ahhhh I’m drooling!!
Delicious and nutritious!
If I stop talking how delicious these tacos are for just a hot second, we can reshift the focus a bit on just how nutritious they are.
Walnuts are a great source of plant based protein, as well as jam packed with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which can reduce the risk of heart disease and help with brain and immune health. Walnuts are also high in B vitamins, as well as a rich source of minerals, including magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and copper.
We have tomatoes which are a great source of phytochemicals and nutrients such as lycopene, potassium, iron, folate, and vitamin C. Tahini, which is a great source of protein, phosphorus and manganese, both of which play vital roles in bone health. It’s also high in thiamine (vitamin B1) and vitamin B6, which are important for energy production.
Sunflower seeds are especially high in vitamin E and selenium. These function as antioxidants to protect your body’s cells against free radical damage which plays a role in several chronic diseases.
Sustainability
From a sustainability standpoint, our walnut friends can use a bit of water depending on where you source yours from, however will still consume significantly less water and produce less emissions than an animal based alternative to your taco.
Sunflower seeds are our real hero here, with sunflowers been grown on large scales, requiring less water and the plant being what’s called a ‘carbon sink’ helping to absorb the excess Co2 in our atmosphere.
So without further ado, please enjoy this INCREDIBLY delicious recipe with as many people as you please! Trust me! It’s a good one!
Vegan Walnut Mince Tacos
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 blender
- 1 Knife
- 1 Mixing spoon
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Food processor optional
Ingredients
Nutmeat
- 2 cup unsalted walnuts (soaked in lukewarm water for 20 minutes)
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves (finely minced)
- 200 g mushrooms (washed)
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1-2 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional but recommended)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Salsa
- 1 diced red onion
- 2 x diced tomatoes
- 1 chopped bunch parsley
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt/pepper to taste
Avocado Tahini Dressing
- 1 large avocado (about 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup tahini
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon (1 tablespoon)
- 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups water*
- 1 teaspoon cilantro/parsley
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic (optional)
Tacos
- 1 Packet Corn tortillas OR use baby cos lettuce leaves for alterative healthy option
Optional
- 1 cup thinly chopped red cabbage
- parsley/coriander to garnish
Instructions
- Soak walnuts in lukewarm water for 20 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
- Make Tahini/Avo dressing – place all ingredients in a blender and blend. Put in a bowl and leave in the fridge while cooking the rest.
- In a medium nonstick pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic along with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add 2-3 more tablespoons of water as needed to prevent burning. You can also use oil instead if you would like.
- Add the walnuts to a food processor (if you don't have a food processer that's fine, you can do this manually by chopping the walnuts instead) and pulse until they have broken down into a “meat crumble”-like texture – place in a separate bowl.
- Add mushrooms to food processor (or chop instead) and lightly pulse until broken down to meat like texture (Important – don’t blend and puree, this will make your mix too watery and it won't cook !) Place in bowl with walnuts.
- Heat up a pan on medium heat with a dash of oil. Add in your walnut/mushroom mix as well as your sunflower seeds and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add your flavourings to the pan (cumin, chili powder, tomato paste, soy sauce/tamari, oregano and liquid smoke). Mix everything together until well combined. Cook the mixture for 8 minutes, or until it begins to brown and the mushrooms soften. If you would like it more moist, add a few additional tablespoons of water as desired. I like to cook mine so it has a ‘charred’ taste.
- Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Assemble your tacos as desired and enjoy!
