This TVP Taco Meat recipe has the texture of ground beef and is easy to make! Use it to make street tacos, a satisfying vegan taco bowl, or top your favorite salad. Delicious, healthy, cheap, and plant-based!
Everyone loves taco night. It’s easy, everyone gets to add their favorite toppings, and it’s one less night of family drama around the dinner table. But I have to admit I never enjoyed tacos as much since making this recipe. As a matter of fact, we’ve had taco night two nights in a row this week 😁 (not apologizing)
Inspired by my Easy Vegan Sausage Crumbles, this TVP taco meat recipe quickly came together. It involved changing the spices, adding a little tomato paste, and letting it simmer for a few minutes.
And while it may sound simple, the results surprised even me. Not to toot my own horn, but I think this is one of the most delicious vegan taco recipes out there.
Serve it alongside my Easy Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad for a delicious meal that will have everyone talking! This vegan taco meat recipe is a great addition to your plant-based diet.
What is TVP?
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) is a soy-based product made from defatted soy flour, processed to create a meat-like texture. It’s widely used as a meat alternative due to its versatility and ability to mimic ground meat in dishes like chili, tacos, and burgers.
TVP is low in fat and high in protein and fiber, making it a nutritious choice for those looking to reduce meat consumption. It’s also a complete protein source, containing essential amino acids necessary for a balanced diet.
TVP‘s neutral flavor allows it to absorb the flavors of other ingredients, making it adaptable for various culinary uses while offering a healthy alternative to traditional meat products.
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Ingredients and substitutions
TVP taco meat is a simple and delicious plant-based alternative to traditional ground beef. Made with wholesome ingredients like yellow onion, textured vegetable protein, nutritional yeast, and a blend of spices, including chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic powder, this protein-packed filling is both flavorful and nutritious.
- Yellow onion: You could also use Vidalia, sweet onion, or red onion.
- TVP (textured vegetable protein)
- Nutritional yeast: this is optional, but I like the earthy essence it adds to the recipe.
- Chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic powder are essential for flavor.
- Adding low-sodium vegetable broth, soy sauce, and tomato paste creates a rich depth of flavor while keeping the dish heart-healthy. Use low-sodium tamari sauce to make this dish completely gluten-free.
See the recipe card below for quantities and specific instructions.
How to make TVP taco meat
This TVP taco meat recipe is incredibly simple to prepare, requiring just a handful of ingredients and minimal cooking time. The result is a deliciously savory and satisfying plant-based filling that rivals traditional ground beef in taste and texture, perfect for tacos, burritos, or any Mexican-inspired dish.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 1-2 minutes. Add 1-2 Tbsp. of water or veggie broth to prevent sticking.
Stir in the TVP, nutritional yeast, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic powder. Cook for 30-45 seconds until the spices become fragrant.
Add vegetable broth, soy sauce, and tomato paste. Stir until everything is well combined.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. All of the liquid should be absorbed, and the mixture should resemble ground beef.
Hint: Taste and season with a squeeze of lime juice, then top with fresh cilantro or chopped green onion!
Build the best vegan tacos
This recipe lets you make delicious vegan tacos while keeping them healthy. Don’t use fried taco shells. Instead, try these healthier options:
- Corn Tortillas
- Crunchy Baked Taco Shells (You get a hard shell without all the oil!)
- Whole Wheat Flour Tortilla
- Red Lentil Flatbread
- 2-Ingredient Grain-Free Vegan Tortilla
Ditch the tacos and make some killer nachos with TVP taco meat! All you need are a batch of my Healthy Homemade Tortilla Chips and this incredible Vegan Queso.
My favorite taco toppings
Here are just a few of my favorite toppings to use when I’m making easy tvp tacos:
- Vegan Sour Cream
- Homemade Taco Sauce
- Vegan Cheese
- Hot Sauce (I like Frank’s or Tobassco)
- Fresh cilantro or chopped green onion
- Sliced avocado
- Homemade or Store-bought Salsa
- Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Enchilada Sauce
How do you store leftover TVP taco meat?
Leftover vegan taco meat will last in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. It can be used for taco salad, soup, or any other favorite recipes.
FAQs
Here are a few of the most common questions about making this recipe.
TVP, or textured vegetable protein, is a great meat substitute made from defatted soy flour and dehydrated soybeans. Also known as dehydrated soy protein, it has a neutral flavor and meaty texture similar to tofu and is often used in plant-based dishes like chili, lasagna, and burgers. It’s an excellent vegan ground beef substitute!
Yes, because it is made only from soybeans.
Like tofu and soy curls, TVP has no real flavors. But it will absorb and take on the flavor profiles of your favorite seasonings and marinades.
Yes, absolutely! Be sure to eliminate all of the seasoning listed in the recipe and replace them with 2-3 tablespoons of the pre-made seasoning.
TVP offers several health benefits over meat and is one of the healthier meat alternatives. It’s much lower in fat and calorie content, has no cholesterol, and contains dietary fiber. It also has a smaller environmental footprint.
Textured vegetable protein can be purchased online or found in most health food stores like Earth Fare, Whole Foods, and others. Bob’s Red Mill brand is my favorite.
More vegan Mexican recipes!
Looking for more savory and spicy recipes like this? Try these:
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Easy TVP Taco Meat (Vegan, 10 Minutes)
This TVP Taco Meat recipe has the texture of ground beef and is easy to make! Use it to make street tacos, a satisfying vegan taco bowl, or top your favorite salad. Delicious, healthy, cheap, and plant-based!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 tacos 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups of TVP (texture vegetable protein)
- ¼ cup of nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 3 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup of low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup of tomato paste
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion for 1-2 minutes. Add 1-2 Tbsp. of water or veggie broth to prevent sticking.
- Stir in the TVP, nutritional yeast, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic powder. Cook for 30-45 seconds until the spices become fragrant.
- Add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and tomato paste. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. All of the liquid should be absorbed, and the mixture should resemble ground beef.
- Taste and season as desired or add a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
Leftover vegan taco meat will last in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. It can be used for taco salad, soup, or any other favorite recipes.
May sub water in place of the vegetable broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Sodium: 326.2 mg
- Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.2 g
- Fiber: 4.2 g
- Protein: 10.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Does the TVP have to be rehydrated before adding to the pan, or is it dry, and absorbs the little bit of water in the pan?
No, you add it to the skillet dry then the remainder of the vegetable stock. If it seems to dry you can add a little more stock.
I’ve never heard of TVP and thought it sounded like something from a science fiction movie. Then I checked the package on the link you provided and it looks like it’s just dried soy. I’m in!
This TVP Taco Meat recipe has the texture of ground beef and is easy to make! Use it to make street tacos, a satisfying vegan taco bowl, or top your favorite salad. Delicious, healthy, cheap, and plant-based!