Turn your Taco Tuesday plant-based with these easy vegan quinoa tacos. Fill and finish with your favorite toppings from guacamole to black bean and corn salsa!
Equipment
- Pot with lid
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Big spoon (for stirring)
- Large baking tray
- Foil
- Blender
- Spatula
- Mixing Bowls
- Can opener
- Strainer
- Mortar + Pestle (or mini food processor)
Ingredients
QUINOA TACO “MEAT”
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 2 cups water can substitute in veggie broth for extra flavor
- 1 tomato chopped chunky
- ¼ red onion diced
- ½ bell pepper diced
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ black pepper
- ⅓ cup salsa juice*
- 2 tbsp olive oil
CASHEW SOUR “CREAM”
- Vegan Sour Cream recipe see notes for link
BLACK BEAN + CORN SALSA
- 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups corn frozen or fresh is fine
- 2 tbsp red onion diced
- 1 tsp garlic finely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ lime juiced
GUACAMOLE
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp onion purple or yellow, diced
- Cilantro optional
- ⅓ jalapeno diced
- ½ tbsp onion purple or yellow, diced
- 2-3 tbsp tomato diced chunky
- 1 avocado
- ⅓ jalapeno
- Taco shells or tortilla chips
Instructions
QUINOA TACOS
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Combine your rinsed quinoa and two cups of water (or veggie broth) in a small saucepan and cook according to package instructions.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa with the remaining ingredients - tomato, red onion, bell pepper, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, salsa juice, and olive oil. Stir to combine.
- Line a large baking tray with foil and dump the quinoa mixture onto it, spreading it evenly (and flat) across the pan
- Bake for 30 minutes, removing the tray halfway and “flipping” the quinoa, as possible, before returning to the oven for the remaining 15 minutes. Should be nicely crispy on the top once removed from the oven.
CASHEW SOUR “CREAM”
- I would have had zero ideas on how to make a vegan sour cream so all credit (and directions) goes to Cookie + Kate.
BLACK BEAN + CORN SALSA
- In a strainer, drain and rinse your black beans. Run hot water over them for a minute to bring them to a warm temperature.
- If using frozen corn, add that to the strainer with the black beans and run hot water over it for a minute to warm through. No need to cook either of these in a pan!
- Add to a bowl with remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- If you have time, place covered in the refrigerator to allow the flavors time to mingle
GUACAMOLE
- In a mortar and pestle*, grind together the first four ingredients - ½ teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of onion, cilantro (if using, I refuse though), and jalapeno - until nice and pulpy.
- Add in your remaining ingredients - onion, tomato, avocado, and jalapeno - and use a spoon to cut through and combine both mixtures together. I like my guacamole chunky, so once it seems fairly combined, I stop mixing to avoid a more mushy guac.
- Once all of your elements are prepared, you’re ready to EAT! Personally, I prefer layering the quinoa, then the bean/corn salsa, then the sour “cream”, and topping it all with guac before I dip in repeatedly with tortilla chips, but you do you, my friend!
Notes
*Love this recipe for cashew sour cream!
*For the quinoa “meat,” salsa “juice” is literally taking your measuring cup and pouring out some of the liquid from your favorite salsa container into your cup. I’m more of a restaurant style salsa girly to begin with so I like mine a little more juicy. My go-to/preferred salsa is the Tostitos Restaurant Salsa
*For the guacamole, if you don’t have a mortar and pestle don’t fret. You can easily mush up those first ingredients in a mini-food processor/chopper.
*I adapted the quinoa taco “meat” portion of this recipe from this minimalist baker version. I preferred a version with more fresh produce, my favorite taco seasoning, and a little extra olive oil for a more varying texture.
