7 of Our FAVORITE Vegetarian and Vegan Tacos!
Oh, how I LOVE a good taco! We’re lucky to live in San Antonio, Texas, which is considered by many to be the taco capital of the United States (sorry not sorry, Austin).
When I became a vegetarian in 2013, I was initially concerned that I might have to give up some of my favorite foods. I’ve come to understand, however, that it’s not about “giving up” your favorite foods as much as it is about tweaking them.
Luckily, there’s no shortage of ideas for delicious vegetarian and vegan tacos. In fact, many ethnic foods lend themselves very well to a plant-based lifestyle.
While October 4 is National Taco Day, in our house it’s definitely taco day at least once a week! Being the “taco connoisseurs” that we are, we thought we’d share 7 of our favorite vegetarian and vegan tacos with you.
Building the BEST Vegetarian and/or Vegan Tacos
Before we share 7 of our most loved vegetarian and vegan tacos, we need to talk about a few of the ingredients that can make your tacos the BEST they can be!
It all starts with a great tortilla
It doesn’t matter what goes inside your taco if what’s on the outside isn’t good!
When I was growing up, my grandmother kept balls of flour tortilla dough in the refrigerator. She rolled out and cooked fresh tortillas to serve with every meal. Mmmmm, I can smell them now!
While I have yet to find a store-bought version that comes anywhere near hers, there are some we love that you can find at most stores.
They are:
Don't forget the seasoning!
Before we became vegetarians in 2013, I hadn’t thought too much about spices. I wasn’t very creative in the kitchen and boy did it reflect in our meals!
Since becoming vegetarian, I’ve experimented much more with seasonings and spices and I now understand how it can make or break any dish including tacos!
In addition to adding some fresh cilantro and onions to my tacos, I also love using our own homemade taco seasoning especially on those dishes that traditionally have meat. It adds just the right amount of kick to take your taco from drab to fab!
7 of Our Favorite Vegetarian and Vegan Tacos!
From Cookie and Kate, these Portobello and Poblano Fajitas are simple to make and taste simply incredible.
Portobello mushrooms, onion, and poblano peppers are soaked in a marinade of olive oil, lime juice, minced jalapeno, cumin, coriander, and chili powder and then sautéed until tender. Scoop into warmed flour or corn tortillas and top with avocado sauce or fresh avocado slices and pico de gallo and you’ll be saying, “Meat? What meat?”
Cauliflower is one vegetable I thought I didn’t like, but as it turns out I’d just never had it cooked in a way that I really liked!
This Beer Battered Cauliflower Taco recipe from Forks and Beans will not disappoint!
On many Saturday mornings during my childhood I woke to the smell of chorizo and eggs wafting through the house.
When I became plant-based, chorizo was one of the foods I thought I would have to give up. Then along came soyrizo! That’s right, chorizo made from soy!
I admit that the first time I tried it, I was skeptical but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that soyrizo tasted just like chorizo MINUS all of the grease that came from the pork.
This is a simple recipe for soyrizo and egg tacos from Cooksmarts.
The first time I tried jackfruit was at a BBQ cookoff in downtown San Antonio.
Needless to say, I had already resigned myself to eating only veggies or sides but then, like a shining beacon in the distance, I saw a sign that read, “Vegan BBQ.”
When I asked about ingredients, I was told that the barbecue was made from jackfruit.
I was skeptical, but I tried a BBQ jackfruit sandwich and LOVED it!
The texture of jackfruit lends itself very well to dishes traditionally made from meat, including tacos.
Migas tacos are pretty standard fare at most Mexican restaurants that serve breakfast tacos. “Migas” is essentially crispy corn tortilla strips added to scrambled egg.
This is a simple recipe for migas tacos from The New York Times Cooking. If you aren’t subscribed, you should seriously consider it; the cooking section consistently offers a nice variety of veg recipes. They even have a newsletter!
You can make these tacos vegan by using an egg substitute such as Just Egg or by whipping up a quick and easy tofu scramble.
This recipe from Minimalist Baker for Easy Vegan Breakfast Tacos is just what it claims to be…EASY!
The pomegranate arils add a nice touch of color along with natural sweetness.
I love beans in tacos because they make for a hearty, filling meal. This recipe for Vegan Black Bean Tacos from The Simple Veganista is sure to satisfy. Batch cook some beans on a Sunday night and use them throughout the week!
We hope this has given you some great ideas for celebrating National Taco day, Taco Tuesday, or anything you want to enjoy a good veggie taco!
Looking for Even MORE Taco Recipes?
We highly recommend checking out The Taco Cleanse cookbook for some deliciously creative taco recipes!
The Taco Cleanse is cheap, easy, and delicious. Its recipes are authentically Austin and are sometimes even inspired by Mexico, where the taco was first created. Everything tastes better folded (exactly once) into a tortilla.
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