These easy vegan TVP tacos are made with a few simple ingredients in just minutes.  Simply rehydrate textured vegetable protein with some spices, then saute it in a skillet until heated – instant vegan taco meat!

A red iron skillet filled with homemade vegan taco meat.

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❤️ This recipe is

  • quick and easy to make.
  • cheaper to make your own than purchase pre-made.
  • less process than store-bought vegan meat products.
  • gluten-free and nut-free!

We love tacos in my house and make a variety of fillings like cauliflower tacos, jackfruit tacos, and tempeh tacos, but these TVP tacos are a classic meaty tasting taco filling that the whole family will love.

Two vegan tacos with TVP taco meat, lettuce, vegan nacho cheese, and tomatoes on a white plate.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

Taco Shells – you can use hard shells, tostadas, or soft corn tortillas.

  • TVP – (textured vegetable protein) is a dehydrated soy protein that comes in little pieces.  They will soak up the flavor of the broth that you rehydrate them in.  I use TVP because it has the most similar texture to meat and a great flavor when seasoned correctly.  I find TVP in the bulk sections at natural food stores or in regular grocery stores with the Bob’s Red Mill brand items.  You can also easily order TVP on Amazon. If you want to learn more about it, check out my guide to TVP.
    • You can also use these as a meat alternative instead if you prefer:
  • Soy Sauce – for a “beefy” flavor and saltiness.  Use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Tamari to make it gluten-free.
  • Taco Seasoning – for the taco flavor.  You can use a store-bought mix or easily make your own by using a combination of chili powder and cumin or use an official taco seasoning recipe like this one from The Country Cook.
  • Water – to rehydrate the TVP.  *If you are using an alternative to TVP leave out the water.
  • Oil – to mix in with the TVP and put in the skillet for frying your taco meat mixture. You can use olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or any cooking oil that you want.
  • Cayenne and/or Chipolte Pepper flakes – for additional spiciness and flavor. (optional)

🌮 Toppings

🥄 How to make TVP tacos

Step 1 – Pour boiling water, soy sauce, taco seasoning, and oil into a bowl and stir.

A bowl of broth to soak the tvp taco meat in.

Step 2 – Add TVP and give it another stir.

TVP soaking and re-hydrating in a spicy taco flavored broth.

Step 3 – Let the TVP sit for 5 minutes and absorb the broth.

TVP in a bowl after it has soaked up the taco flavored broth to make vegan tacos.

Step 4 – Put oil in the bottom of a skillet and pour in the taco meat mixture.  (You can also saute an onion or garlic in oil for about 5 minutes before adding the TVP meat if you desire).

Step 5 – Fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes until heated and slightly browned.

Step 6 – Serve as you would taco meat in tacos, on vegan nachos, or on vegan tostadas.

A red skillet filled with vegan taco meat made with TVP.

I like to make my vegan taco meat with TVP (textured vegetable protein) as the base, but you can also swap it out for lentils, tofu, beans, walnuts, or vegan “meat” crumbles. 

You can also add cauliflower, mushrooms, or chopped veggies to make it healthier too.  Fill your taco shells with this “meat” and your favorite toppings like vegan cheese or sour cream, and you’ll have homemade vegan tacos in minutes.

📖 Other meat alternatives for tacos

Lentils – Boil 1 cup of green lentils for 18 minutes, then drain and rinse.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and taco seasoning and mix well.  Follow steps 4-6 above.

Tofu – Drain and press an extra firm or high-protein block of tofu.  Crumble it with your hands into a mixing bowl until it’s in small pieces.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and taco seasoning and mix well.  Follow steps 4-6 above.

Beans – Drain and rinse 2 cans of black or pinto beans.  (or use 2 cups of cooked beans). Mash them up slightly so some are broken up, but not too much. Sprinkle with soy sauce and taco seasoning and mix well.  Follow steps 4-6 above.

Walnuts – Chop 2 cups of raw walnuts in a food processor.  Season with soy sauce and taco seasoning and saute for about 5 minutes in a skillet.  Walnuts work well combined with tofu, mushrooms, or other veggies too.

“Beef” Crumbles –  Add a package of beef crumbles to a skillet with a little oil at the bottom.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning and fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  (You will not need soy sauce because it will already have a salty beefy flavor).

Cauliflower – Chop cauliflower very small or use a bag of riced cauliflower.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and taco seasoning and saute the cauliflower in oil over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until tender.

Veggie tacos made with TVP taco meat on a white plate with tomatoes on the side.

🥦 Healthy add-ins 

You can easily chop up mushrooms or other veggies of choice very small in a food processor for added color, texture, and flavor.  Riced cauliflower or broccoli also works well to hide some extra veggies in your tacos.

✨ Baking mock taco meat 

If you don’t want to fry the “meat” in a skillet, you can bake it instead. Simply put your seasoned taco “meat” on an oiled or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 375° F for about 15 minutes until it heats through.

Tofu taco meat will need to be baked at 400°F for about 25 minutes stirring the tofu crumbles every 10 minutes. You can also check out my post on how to bake tofu for full instructions on how to make baked tofu taco crumbles!!

A tray of baked tofu taco meat crumbles.

🍞 How to make it gluten-free  

TVP, lentils, tofu, beans, and walnuts are naturally gluten-free.  If you are using crumbles, be sure to purchase a gluten-free brand like Beyond Beef or equivalent.  Be sure to use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Tamari instead of traditional soy sauce.  Also, note that many packaged taco seasonings are not gluten-free.  Make sure to read the package or simply make your own blend.

🍲 How to serve 

Put it in a taco of course – filled with my homemade vegan nacho cheese sauce and your choice of veggies like lettuce and tomatoes!  I also love to use it to sprinkle on vegan nachos, and vegan tostadas, or add it to my vegan taco soup!

🌟 More TVP recipes 

I use TVP as a meat alternative in a ton of recipes and it’s one of my family’s most preferred meat alternatives.  You can use it to make vegan ground beef, vegan meatballs, vegan sausage crumbles, vegan bacon bits, vegan bolognese, and soy chorizo.

Two tacos on a white plate filled with homemade vegan taco meat.

✨ More meaty vegan recipes

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋 TVP taco recipe

Two vegan tacos filled with tvp taco meat and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and vegan nacho cheese sauce.
5 from 9 rating

TVP Tacos

Yield: 12 tacos
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A quick and easy way to make vegan taco meat from TVP or any other plant-based protein.
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Ingredients

  • 12 taco shells

TVP Taco "Meat"

  • 1/2 cup water, (very hot)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, (or 1 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 1/2 tsp cumin)
  • 2 tablespoons oil, (any neutral oil will work or omit for lower fat option).
  • 1 dash cayenne and/or chipotle pepper flakes
  • 1 cup TVP
  • 1 tablespoon oil, for frying the taco meat.

Toppings

  • 1 cup vegan cheese, (optional)
  • 1/2 cup vegan sour cream, (optional)
  • 1 cup lettuce, (optional)
  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, (optional)
  • 1/2 cup guacamole, or avocado (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Pour 1/2 cup boiling water, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp taco seasoning, and 2 tbsp oil into a bowl and stir.
  • Add 1 cup of TVP and give it another stir.
  • Let the TVP sit for 5 minutes and absorb the broth.
  • Put 1 tbsp oil in the bottom of a skillet and pour in the taco meat mixture.  (You can also saute an onion or garlic in oil for about 5 minutes before adding the TVP meat if you desire).
  • Fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes until heated and slightly browned.
  • Fill the taco shells with the taco meat and choice of toppings (or set up a taco bar and let everyone build their own).

Notes

How to make vegan taco meat with other meat alternatives:
  • Lentils – Boil 1 cup of green lentils for 18 minutes, then drain and rinse.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and taco seasoning and mix well.  Follow steps 4-6 above.
  • Tofu – Drain and press an extra firm or high protein block of tofu.  Crumble it with your hands into a mixing bowl until it’s in small pieces.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and taco seasoning and mix well.  Follow steps 4-6 above.
  • Beans – Drain and rinse 2 cans of black or pinto beans.  (or use 2 cups cooked beans). Mash them up slightly so some are broken up, but not too much. Sprinkle with soy sauce and taco seasoning and mix well.  Follow steps 4-6 above.
  • Walnuts – Chop 2 cups of raw walnuts in a food processor.  Season with soy sauce and taco seasoning and saute for about 5 minutes in a skillet.  Walnuts work well combined with tofu, mushrooms, or other veggies too.
  • “Beef” Crumbles –  Add a package of beef crumbles to a skillet with a little oil at the bottom.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning and fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  (You will not need soy sauce because it will already have a salty beefy flavor).
  • Cauliflower – Chop cauliflower very small or use a bag of riced cauliflower.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and taco seasoning and saute the cauliflower in oil over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until tender.
Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 87kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 278mg, Potassium: 10mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 29IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 1mg
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