The Best Plant-Based Taco Meat

You can stop your search. This really is the best plant-based taco meat. It has all the flavor, smokiness and spice you hope for in a taco. It’s also insanely easy to make. I always say: if it’s easy, tasty AND healthy, it’s perfect. What more could you possibly want? Also, all the recipe inspiration cred goes to Pinch of Yum! This version has some add-ins, but it is all her genius that came up with using cauliflower and walnuts as taco meat. Check out Pinch of Yum for great recipe inspo. We make her recipes all the time!

Where does all the flavor come from? Pantry staples: chili and cumin powder and chipotle chili peppers canned in adobo. The spice level is easily modifiable to make this recipe mild for those that don’t like too much heat or more kid-friendly. Wondering what to do with the leftover chipotle chilis? Add it to vegetarian chili, make enchiladas, or even put a little of the adobo sauce in a tofu scramble. Lots of options to get creative here.

How To Use Plant-Based Taco Meat

I love how many things you can do with this plant-based taco meat. Here are a few non-taco ideas:

1. Use it as a plant-based nacho topping

2. Make vegan burrito bowls

3. Roll it up in a vegan breakfast burrito

4. Top tostadas with it

5. Slap together some plant-based quesadillas

Is Plant-based Taco Meat Good For You?

YES! This plant-based taco meat is full of health-boosting ingredients:

• Cauliflower is rich in fiber and antioxidants.

• Walnuts boast an impressive omega-3 and polyphenol content making them an anti-inflammatory food.

• Fresh herbs and spices possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumorigenic, anticarcinogenic, and glucose- and cholesterol-lowering activities as well as properties that affect cognition and mood (source).

I love the simplicity of this recipe and the fact that you can dress it up in so many different ways. It’s a great weeknight dinner recipe that can easily be doubled and made into meal-prepped lunches for the week. It’s one of those recipes that you’ll be excited to eat the next day, which is priceless!

Other Plant-Based Recipes You'll Love:

Thai Coconut Beet Soup with Crispy Chickpeas

Kale Caesar Salad

Almond Chia Overnight Oats

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The Best Plant-Based Taco Meat

Servings: 2

Prep time: 10 min, Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cauliflower florets

• 2 cups shelled whole walnuts

• 1 tbsp chili powder

• 2 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp coriander powder optional

• 2 individual chipotle chilies canned in adobo sauce (omit if you do not like spicy)

• 1 tsp sea salt

• juice from one lime

• 1-2 tsp garlic or onion powder optional

Taco Accoutrements (4 servings)

• 8 tortillas (we like Siete brand grain-free tortillas)

• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped

• 2 avocados mashed with juice of 1 lime and a big pinch of sea salt

• ¼ cup pickled red onions or white onions, minced, optional

• lime wedges for serving

• sour cream or cashew cream, cheese, hot sauce, slaw, jalapeños, optional

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.

• Pulse all taco meat ingredients in a food processor until it's evenly ground and the texture of ground beef or a bit bigger than cauliflower rice.

• Transfer the mixture to a greased baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through so it doesn't get over-browned.

• Heat up tortillas and spread avocado mixture on the bottom. Then add the taco filling and your favorite toppings!

Notes:

Serve this with a black bean & corn salad for an additional 10 grams of protein (1/2 cup black beans & 1/2 cup canned corn).

Approximate nutrition for 2 tacos: Calories: 521 Protein: 10g Fat: 40g Carbohydrates: 38g Fiber: 12g

Low Carb Philly Cheesesteak Skillet

Philly Cheesesteak: but make it low carb and from whole foods. It’s all the flavor, PLUS the confidence that you’re eating something that meets your macro goals. This low carb Philly Cheesesteak recipe is keto friendly, low carb and protein rich. It’s also an excellent weeknight meal because it only takes about 20 minutes to throw together. 

How to Serve Low Carb Philly Cheesesteak Skillet

Classic Philly Cheesesteak is served on a hoagie roll or other type of bread that’s typically made from refined flour. Omit the bread, and you’re working with a low-carb version of an old favorite. This recipe is great on its own, but can be served with brown rice or even cauliflower rice to make it a little more filling or to fit a more carbohydrate dense nutrition plan. To switch it up, serve leftovers in corn tortillas.

How to Make a Nutrient Dense Low-Carb Meal

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the numbers when you’re following a lower carbohydrate diet. The truth is, the QUALITY of your diet matters even more than the quantity of macronutrients. I’ve seen so many folks attempting to follow a “low carb” diet that are filling their plates with poor quality processed foods. Here are some things to keep in mind when putting together a low-carbohydrate, nutrient dense meal:

1. Pile on the plants. It’s a given that most plant foods are nutrition powerhouses. To get a balanced array of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, eating several servings of vegetables and at least one serving of fruit per day is recommended.

2. Nuts and seeds are your friend. Nuts and seeds are packed with healthy, anti-inflammatory fats, and protein. They’re a great snack or recipe topper that add practically zero carbs to your day.

3. Healthy fats FTW. Try not to target only animal fats when following a lower carbohydrate diet. Incorporating healthy plant-based fats into your daily diet has been linked to a lower risk of all kinds of chronic diseases. Consider swapping butter for olive oil or avocado oil, adding nuts and seeds to dishes and filling your plate with fatty fish.

4. Fiber is a must. It’s true! Women need about 25 grams of fiber per day and men need about 38 grams per day. It can be a challenge to meet this need when eating a low carb diet, so pack in the fibrous veggies along with fiber rich seeds such as chia and ground flax.

5. Color matters. Plants contain different pigments, or phytonutrients, which give them their color. Consuming a variety of different colored plants is linked to higher levels of specific nutrients and health benefits.

6. Boost the benefits with fresh herbs and spices. Herbs and spices are densely packed with antioxidants. They also take recipes to the next level when it comes to flavor and many of them have nutraceutical properties.

7. Go with quality protein: Eggs from pasture raised hens and dairy and meat from pasture raised animals are more nutrient dense. Go for unprocessed meat as much as possible.

More low carb recipes we think you’ll love

Low Carb Avocado Egg Bake

Sriracha Lime Salmon and Miso Almond Broccoli

Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs

No Mayo Tuna Salad

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Low Carb Philly Cheesesteak Skillet

Yield: 4

Author: Marissa Mather

Cook time: 20 MinTotal time: 20 Min

This easy weeknight Low Carb Philly Cheesesteak Skillet is a quick way to get in a more nutrient dense version of an old favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 ½ pounds top sirloin, ribeye or skirt steak sliced thinly against the grain
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 large white onion, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear steak on both sides, remove and set aside.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the mushrooms to the skillet. Cook until all the moisture has evaporated, about 6 minutes.
3. Add peppers, onions, salt, pepper, garlic powder and water. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Add steak back into the skillet and cook until heated through.
5. Top everything with cheese and cover the skillet until the cheese is melted.
6. Serve immediately as is or with rice or cauliflower rice

Nutrition Facts

Calories

421.54

Fat (grams)

22.79

Sat. Fat (grams)

8.89

Carbs (grams)

10.26

Fiber (grams)

2.67

Net carbs

7.6

Sugar (grams)

5.01

Protein (grams)

45.98

Sodium (milligrams)

879.02

Cholesterol (grams)

129.28

Nutrition information is generated automatically by an outside source and may not be perfectly accurate.

Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs

This Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs recipe is from Michelle Tam at nom nom paleo. I just adjusted cooking times to account for a freezer meal portion of it. Her blog has some amazing paleo style healthy recipes and she also has some great cookbooks that I often refer clients to!  I especially love her Instant Pot recipes.

These tender, melt in your mouth, short ribs, braised in a delicious sweet and spicy sauce are a dinner dream! 

The fact that this can be made as a freezer meal with no cooking required, and then it can be cooked FROM FROZEN straight in the Instant Pot just takes it to the next level...Dinner Bliss.

How to Meal Prep Korean Short Ribs

What I like to do when I make this dish is double up on ingredients. I make one portion to cook and serve that day, and while I'm prepping that, I also prep a freezer meal portion. Work once, eat twice.  

Check out this video to see how Korean Short Rib meal prep is done.

Freezer meals are just such a great way to consistently eat healthy, delicious food.  

Even on the nights when you know you won't be able to cook. I can promise that you will not be disappointed to bust this out of your freezer after a long day with no dinner plans.  It's even a great meal for entertaining guests because all the work is done for you and you can just hang out with your guests and then serve them a delicious, impressive and healthy meal.

If you're not feeling red meat tonight, check out our Golden Healing Chicken Soup freezer meal recipe.

What pairs well with Korean Short Ribs:

• Rice or cauliflower rice (buy the frozen precooked version -you can get it at TJ,s and Whole Foods- if you really want to save time)

• Cilantro

• Kimchi (this is my favorite brand and I love the daikon radish one)

• Sliced Scallions

• Sesame seeds

• Pickled cucumbers or sliced cucumbers

• An Asian inspired slaw

• Sliced avocado

• Grated carrots tossed in lime juice and olive oil

• A green salad

• Roasted shitake mushrooms

• Sauteed spinach

Are Korean Short Ribs Healthy?

Short ribs are a higher fat cut of meat.

Ok, so we have established that these short ribs are delicious and easy.  But, let's talk a little bit about what they are doing for us. One thing to note is that they are a higher fat cut of meat which means higher calories.  However, it's important to keep your diet varied. This means eating a large variety of plant based foods but it also means keeping your protein sources varied. 

It's important to vary your protein sources.

We often see clients eating a lot of chicken breast, day after day because they know this is a lean protein. Eating the same thing every day is not only boring, but increases the likelihood that you are not giving your body the wide spectrum of nutrients that it needs to thrive! Each specific food contains different nutrients and an optimal diet includes a wide variety of foods. 

Short Ribs contain glycine and proline, which help your body build collagen.

Short ribs (as well as other cuts of meat that are typically braised) contain a high amount of glycine and proline, which are amino acids that help your body build collagen. This is great for muscle and tissue repair. Whether you are an athlete, recovering from an injury, or just had a baby, this is what you need! Also, because the ribs are attached to the bones and then braised in liquid (that delicious blended sauce), you are also getting all those amazing nutrients from the bone marrow and bones. This includes minerals like zinc, iron, selenium, potassium and magnesium.  

Lastly, short ribs and other tough cuts of meat require long but gentle cooking methods to make them more tender. The braising/slow cooking process gently breaks the meat down while still retaining much of the nutrients. One thing to note is that slow-cooking meats causes loss of some B vitamins into the cooking fluid. Use the fluid to make a sauce and this problem is solved.

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Instant Pot Korean Short Ribs

Yield: 6

Author: Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 1 H & 15 MTotal time: 1 H & 20 M

These Instant Pot Korean short ribs are tender, flavorful and super easy to make.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds short ribs

Marinade

• 1 apple or pear, peeled and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 green onions, roughly chopped
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos

Instructions

Meal Prep

1. Add all marinade ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Pat short ribs dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with 1 tbsp salt and some fresh cracked pepper. Place ribs in freezer safe container and pour marinade all over, making sure they are fully coated. Freeze!

Instant Pot Instructions

1. From frozen, add everything to Instant pot insert and add 1/2 cup broth of choice (I did beef broth). Cook on high pressure for 75 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
2. Remove the ribs from the sauce. Skim the fat from the top of the sauce using a turkey baster or big spoon. Discard fat.
3. Serve ribs with a nice spoonful of sauce over them along with garnishes and sides of your choosing. Here we served it with precooked frozen rice, chopped scallions, sesame seeds, kimchi, sliced cucumbers and shredded carrots.