These vegan chorizo tacos are stuffed with a spicy, smoky mix of crumbled tofu and chopped walnuts. They're positively loaded with flavor and super easy to make!
Full disclosure: I've never had actual chorizo. So I've never had non-vegan chorizo tacos. I discovered chorizo the way I'm thinking many of you guys also did — by purchasing the vegan version at Traders Joe's! And let me tell you, even though I'm not normally a big fan of fake meats, I totally fell in love with that stuff.
So I decided to use it as inspiration to create a homemade version of vegan chorizo for these tacos. To do that, I used a mix of crumbled tofu, because I already know that I LOVE tofu tacos, as well as finely chopped walnuts, which worked great for adding texture to this vegan meat sauce. I added a mix of seasonings including savory, hot and warming spices, for maximum flavor.
These tacos were absolutely scrumptious, and can be ready in about thirty minutes!
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Olive oil. You can use another high-heat oil, like canola, corn, or coconut oil, if preferred.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Chopped walnuts. Pecans would work as a substitute. If you have a nut allergy, chopped sunflower seeds would be worth a try. You can also simply leave them out. They add texture, but aren't strictly necessary.
- Spices. You'll need sweet paprika, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ancho chile powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Tofu. The recipe calls for super-firm tofu, but extra-firm will also work — just make sure to drain it well!
- Tomato sauce.
- Soy sauce. Gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted if preferred.
- Red wine vinegar.
- Salt.
- Corn tortillas. Feel free to use small flour tortillas or hard shells if you'd like.
- Shredded cabbage. Red or green can be used. Cook's choice!
- Fresh cilantro. Skip this if you're not a fan of the stuff.
- Green olives. Also, skip these if you're an olive hater.
- Additional toppings. Use what you like! I've got some vegan sour cream and sliced avocado on my tacos. Other great options would be shredded vegan cheese or vegan queso, guacamole, hot sauce, salsa or pico de gallo.
How They're Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Start by heating your olive oil in a large skillet. Add diced onion. Cook the onion for a few minutes, stirring often, until it starts to soften.
Stir in the garlic, walnuts, and all of your spices. Cook everything for about a minute, stirring constantly to prevent the spices from burning.
Stir in crumbled tofu, tomato sauce, soy sauce, and red wine vinegar.
Cook the mixture for about ten minutes, stirring it often, until it's dried up a bit and the tofu even has some crispy spots.
Warm your tortillas briefly in a clean, hot skillet, then stuff them with some shredded cabbage and vegan chorizo filling. Top your tacos with finely chopped fresh cilantro, green olives, and any additional toppings of your choice.
Your vegan chorizo tacos are ready to enjoy!
Leftovers & Storage
If possible, store the vegan chorizo taco filling on it's own, rather than stuffed in tacos. It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about three days, or in the freezer for about three months.
More Vegan Taco Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Chorizo Tacos
Ingredients
For the Vegan Chorizo Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup shelled walnuts, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (Note 1)
- ½ teaaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package super-firm tofu, crumbled
- 1 (8 ounce/227 gram) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt, to taste
For the Tacos
- 12 corn tortillas, warmed in a hot skillet (Note 2)
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup green olives, sliced
- Additional toppings of choice (Note 3)
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion. Sweat the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic, walnuts, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, ancho chile powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. Cook the mixture for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Stir in the crumbled tofu, tomato sauce, soy sauce, and red wine vinegar. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Let the mixture cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has dried up a bit.
- Remove the skillet from heat and season the mixture with salt to taste.
- Stuff each tortilla with shredded cabbage and the tofu mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro, and top with sliced green olives and toppings of choice.
- Serve.
Notes
- If you're not sure how much cayenne pepper to use, skip adding it until the chorizo is almost done cooking, then add a bit at a time until you find the heat level that's right for you.
- To warm your tortillas, place a large skillet over medium heat. Optionally, lightly spritz the tortillas with oil and sprinkle them with salt. Place a few tortillas in the skillet at a time, heating them for a few minutes on each side until they begin to crisp in spots.
- Some good topping options include vegan sour cream, sliced avocado, guacamole, shredded vegan cheese, vegan queso, salsa, hot sauce, or pico de gallo.
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Chorizo is easy and delicious.
We used it on tostados.
I can attest that leftover chorizo is a wonderful addition to an eggplant cutlet sandwich.
I’m definitely making a batch to serve with tortilla chips for our next party.
Thank you Alissa!