Easy Vegan Walnut Meat, ready in 15 minutes, and made with 7 budget-friendly ingredients. This vegan recipe is packed with protein, fiber, and heart-healthy omega-3s. It's a lighter version of pure walnut meat. It includes lentils for more fiber and protein and a reduction in calories. (Nut-free option)
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Walnut Meat is versatile, tasty, and the perfect addition to vegan tacos, spaghetti bolognese, stir-fries, stuffed peppers, chili, burritos, wraps, sloppy joes, and lasagna. Make it in summer, the holidays, or any time of year.
While walnuts offer numerous health benefits, they are also calorie-dense and not especially high in protein. That's why I created a walnut taco meat recipe that combines lentils and walnuts. Lentils are high in plant-based protein and relatively low in calories. This combination of crunchy walnuts with chewy lentils is the ideal texture for a vegan meat substitute.
Evidence-based research suggests that NOT incorporating walnuts into our diet could potentially double the risk of dying from heart disease compared to consuming them at least once a week. This heightened risk may be attributed to the beneficial impact of nuts on endothelial function, which helps our arteries relax properly.
This walnut taco meat was inspired by my Crispy Tofu Taco Meat, Smash Tofu Tacos, and the Best Vegan Meatloaf on this site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Walnuts contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is an essential fatty acid, meaning that you must get it from foods because your body can't produce it. Walnuts have more ALA than any other nut. They are also rich in antioxidants, including vitamin E and polyphenols. Walnuts can be a helpful addition to a weight management plan. Their combination of healthy fats, protein, and fiber can help keep you feeling fuller for longer, potentially reducing overall calorie intake. Walnuts contain fiber, which is essential for promoting a healthy gut. Their slightly crunchy texture is ideal for making walnut meat.
- Use Puy, French, green, or brown lentils for this vegan taco meat recipe. You can cook your own, or use canned lentils to save time. Lentils are high in protein and fiber and packed with iron.
- Optional ingredients: Add fresh lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro for serving to pack in even more flavor.
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
🥑 Substitutions
- Nut-free - Use roughly chopped sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead.
- Tamari - use an equal amount of soy sauce, or substitute with 3 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce instead
- Nutritional yeast - add some for a deep savory and almost cheesy flavor
- Spices and herbs - experiment with various fresh or dried herbs and spices (basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, taco seasoning)
- Lentils - use quinoa instead of lentils
- For serving - Add fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro for even more flavor. Serve with sliced avocado and pita, flatbread, or tortillas.
- Avocado cream sauce - Make Vegan Tacos and serve them with my Avocado Crema.
See my Vegan Lentil Recipes page for more easy, high-protein dinner ideas.
📖 How to Make Walnut Meat
This is an overview. The full recipe is at the bottom of the post.
If cooking your lentils, use ⅔ cup dry. Simmer them in a medium saucepan over low heat with enough water to cover by about 2 inches high. Cook until al dente. Strain using a large sieve, and set aside to drain.
- Heat the broth or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, and walnuts and cook for 1 minute more. (Note: adding the walnuts at the end preserves more of their omega 3s but will taste more nutty!)
- Add the spices, and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the tamari, and vegetable broth. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the mixture thickens, adding more broth as desired. Season with fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper. Garnish with cilantro or parsley.
🌮 How to Make Walnut Meat Tacos
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF, or use a large nonstick skillet. Brush one side of the tortillas with oil. Flip them over, oil-side down onto a nonstick baking sheet.
- Place the walnut taco meat on one-half side of the tortillas. Fold the other side over to cover the filling.
- Place a second baking sheet on top of the folded tacos for the first 5 to 10 minutes of baking. Remove the top baking sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes more, or until the desired crispiness.
🥑 For the Avocado Crema: Blend 1 avocado, 1 clove garlic, ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro, ½ cup vegan yogurt, 1 small seeded and chopped jalapeño, and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Add water or olive oil for blending. Season it with salt and pepper, and more lime juice to taste. Or serve Walnut Taco Meat with my Oil-Free Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing.
✔️ Expert Tips
- Chop the walnuts in a food processor to save time. Pulse until large crumbs form. Do not over-process into flour.
- Do not overcook the lentils or they will become mushy. Use a large skillet to cook the walnut taco meat so it browns readily.
- For maximum health benefits, add the chopped walnuts at the end. It will taste a bit more walnut-like but preserve more of the omega-3s.
- Storage: Walnut meat is great for batch-cooking and meal prep because you can easily make a lot at once and leftovers freeze well. It lasts up to 5 days in the refrigerator, stored in an air-tight container. Or freeze walnut meat in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- For serving: Reheat walnut meat in the microwave, oven (380ºF), or stovetop until warmed through. If it becomes too dry, add vegetable broth.
- Serve with my Avocado Crema, Oil-Free Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing, Everything Cashew Sauce, or this Lemon Herb Tahini on my site.
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🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Brush one side of the soft tortillas with olive oil. Place the tortillas oil-side down onto a nonstick baking sheet. Top one-half side with refrigerated walnut meat. Place a second sheet on top to press the tacos down. Bake for about 20 minutes, removing the top baking sheet halfway through.
For the Avocado Cream Sauce: Blend 1 avocado, 1 clove garlic, ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro, ¼ cup vegan yogurt, 1 small seeded and chopped jalapeño, and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Add water or olive oil for blending. Season with salt and pepper, and more lime juice to taste.
This Vegan Walnut Meat has 16 grams of protein per serving.
Soaking nuts does not improve nutrient absorption. You do not need to soak the walnuts for this Walnut Meat recipe. They do not impart a bitter taste. You can hardly taste them at all. Their purpose is to provide this vegan meat with a subtle crunchiness and enhance the nutritional profile of the recipe.
Walnuts, shelled or unshelled, require refrigeration if you want them to last longer. Exposure to warm temperatures for long periods will cause the fat in walnuts to change and turn rancid. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer, depending on your intended usage timeframe. For short-term use within a month, refrigeration is recommended.
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Walnut Meat
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable broth or olive oil, or water
- ½ medium yellow onion small dice
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils French, Puy, brown or green (1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- ¼ cup vegetable broth plus more as needed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
- Fresh lime juice to taste (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Cook aromatics: Heat the broth or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, and walnuts and cook for 1 minute more. (See notes.)
- Add the spices (cumin, paprika, oregano, and chili powder), and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the tamari, and vegetable broth. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the mixture thickens, adding more broth as desired.
- Season: Add fresh lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if using.
Notes
- Nut-free - Use roughly chopped sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead. Pulse them briefly in a food processor.
- To cook your lentils, use ⅔ cup dry. Simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat with enough water to cover by about 2 inches high. Cook until al dente. Strain using a large sieve, and set aside.
- Do not overcook the lentils or they will become mushy. Use a large skillet to cook the walnut taco meat so it browns readily.
- Chop the walnuts in a food processor to save time. Pulse until large crumbs form. Do not over-process into flour.
- For maximum health benefits, add the chopped walnuts at the end. It will taste a bit more walnut-like but preserve more of the omega-3s.
- For serving: Reheat walnut meat in the microwave, oven (380ºF), or stovetop until warmed through. If it is too dry, add some vegetable broth.
- Serve with my Avocado Crema, Oil-Free Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing, Everything Cashew Sauce, or this Lemon Herb Tahini on my site.
- Storage: Walnut meat will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator, stored in an air-tight container. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
Ayala Raz says
Amazing recipe and a go to in my house
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad to hear. Thank you.