TVP Tacos Recipe (Vegan and Vegetarian) (2024)

This high protein TVP tacos recipe is ready in 20 minutes, an easy vegan taco filling to use instead of meat. A Taco Tuesday favorite, these plant-based tacos are a hearty and simple dinner you can make any night of the week.

The vegan taco filling is made with textured vegetable protein (TVP), spices, and topped with your favorite vegetables and hot sauce. Enjoy these tacos with a side of Mexican rice, guacamole, and a tall mango margarita!

Taco Tuesday happens regularly on our homestead, and these TVP tacos are our go-to fiesta dinner! I love these high-protein plant-based tacos, which come together quickly. I load on any produce we have on hand, we love topping our tacos with tomatoes, diced onion, and hot sauce (Tapatio is my all-time favorite!).

You can enjoy this vegan taco filling on soft shell tacos, hard shells, lettuce wraps, or just as a taco salad. Spice up your next Taco Tuesday with this easy vegetarian taco meat filling!

These TVP Tacos Are

• Hearty
• Satisfying
• Bright
• Spicy
• Pantry-Staple Friendly
• High Protein
• Vegan, Vegetarian, and SO good!

What Is TVP?

TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) is a high-protein no-fat meat alternative made from soy flour. Ithas a very similar texture as ground beef. Because of this, TVP is really versatile to use in place of real meat. We use TVP in soups and stews, for taco filling, and in lasagnas.

TVP is a great pantry-staple protein, and it lasts a long time. We always keep a few bags of this stuff on hand.

What’s In This TVP Vegan Taco Filling Recipe?

I get fresh produce from my garden and from Misfits Market– they sell fantastic fruit, vegetables, & pantry staples at a discounted price. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out favorite produce for delivery. Get $10 off your first box here!

• TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein): I love stocking my pantry with TVP! TVP is made from soy protein and has the exact same texture as ground beef… making it really versatile to use in place of real meat. We use TVP in soups and stews, for taco filling, and in lasagnas. TVP is a great pantry-staple protein, and it lasts a long time.
• Water
• Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s really inexpensive online here, so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry.
• Diced Tomatoes: I only use no salt added diced tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! I like boxed tomatoes better because they are BPA free and more eco-friendly than aluminum cans. If you haven’t read about the dangers of consuming foods stored in BPA cans, head over to Nutrition Facts to read more.
• No Sodium Taco Seasoning – normal taco seasonings can max out your sodium content for the DAY in just one teaspoon. That’s why we only use no sodium taco spice mixes… and then add salt and pepper as desired.

How Do I Make Tacos Vegan?

1. In a small sauce pan, bring the water to a boil. Add the dried TVP, turn off the burner, cover the pan, and allow the TVP to soak up the water for about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil on low heat. Add the red onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the veggies begin to soften. Add the tomatoes with their juice and continue to cook on low for 5 more minutes.
3. Add the TVP mixture and the taco seasoning to the onions, garlic, and tomato, and stir to combine.
4. Taste to season – depending on the taco spice you use you may want more heat, salt, or cumin.
5. Serve the TVP Taco Mix in warmed corn tortillas, adding plenty of fresh toppings such as tomatoes, radishes, cilantro, red onion, or guac.

One of the BEST Pantry Taco Recipes

This vegan taco meat recipe is a fantastic pantry-staple meal! It uses almost all ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards – most of which you probably have on hand. Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious meals using a few staples you can rotate. I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep stocked. And you can check out all my favorite pantry staple ingredients in my Amazon shop here. By stocking up on whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!

This TVP Taco Filling makes the perfect Easy Weeknight Meal. I can make these TVP Tacos with a side of rice and refried beans within a half hour… so this recipe is a lifesaver during busy work weeks. And usually I will double it so we can have leftovers again the next day. Another plus is that this keeps well in the fridge.

More Plant Based Taco Recipes You’ll Love!

Sheet Pan Fajitas Veggies w/ Avocado Lime Crema (Vegan, Paleo, Whole30, GF)

Vegan Queso Soup Recipe

Pumpkin Black Bean Quesadilla Recipe (Vegan, Dairy Free)

Cilantro Lime Chimichurri Sauce (Vegan, Whole30, Low Sodium)

Vegan 7 Layer Dip Recipe (High Protein, Dairy Free, Vegan)

As always, if you make this vegan and dairy free TVP tacos recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipes!

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About the Author: Kelly Jensen