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    Home » Mains & Entrees

    Meaty TVP Tacos

    Published: Jul 8, 2022 by Jim Mee Sha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    TVP taco meat in a black pan with wooden spatula with text overlay.
    2 images with text in the middle, with the top showing tacos and bottom showing taco meat.

    Meaty, flavorful, and hearty, these vegan TVP tacos will please even meat-eaters! They are packed with protein and are incredibly satisfying to have. The TVP taco meat is also easy to make, and is ready in 20 minutes!

    Tacos arranged on white plate with TVP taco meat, chopped cilantro and tomatoes in the background.

    TVP is easily one of the best meat alternatives out there! Thanks to its chewy, meat-like texture, it can be used in almost every recipe that calls for ground meat, like vegan meatballs, burger patties, and even vegan breakfast sausages.

    Jump to:
    • 💚Why you will love this recipe
    • 🥓What is TVP
    • 🌮What you will need
    • 📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
    • 🔪How to make
    • ✔Helpful tips
    • 🥗Taco topping ideas
    • ❔Commonly asked questions
    • 🍽More hearty vegan mains
    • 📖 Recipe

    💚Why you will love this recipe

    • Has the perfect meaty texture that is meat-eaters approved 
    • Bursting with flavors and is perfectly spiced 
    • High in protein - a serving contains around 14g of protein!
    • Simple to prepare and is ready in no time 

    🥓What is TVP

    Textured vegetable protein, or TVP, is an inexpensive ingredient that has been gaining popularity as a meat substitute due to its meaty texture. It is used in many store-bought meat alternatives and is sometimes even added to ground meat to cut costs! 

    TVP is made from defatted soy flour (aka soy protein isolate), which is the by-product of soybean oil production. The soy flour is then cooked under pressure and shaped into various shapes like granules, flakes, and chunks. In this recipe, the granules or ‘minced’ form are preferred to perfectly imitate the look and texture of ground beef!

    🌮What you will need

    Ingredients needed to make this recipe like TVP, onion, garlic, tomato paste and spices.

    📃Ingredients notes and substitutions

    • TVP - Make sure to use the granular or minced form. You can find it in some groceries or health food stores, but I usually purchase my TVP online through Amazon. 
    • Chili powder - An optional ingredient; omit it to make this recipe spice-free. 
    • Tacos - I am a fan of hard taco shells, but you do you! For a higher protein alternative, you can even opt for chickpea flour tortilla or red lentils tortilla. 

    🔪How to make

    Start by rehydrating your TVP with a cup of boiling hot vegetable broth. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.

    Heat some oil in a pan, then saute onion for a few minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. 

    Rehydrating TVP with broth in a white bowl with a spoon beside.
    Cooked onion and garlic in a pan on a white checkered teacloth.

    Add rehydrated TVP and spices to the pan. Toss until everything is well combined. 

    Adding seasonings to rehydrated TVP in a black pan.
    TVP taco meat in a black pan with a wooden spatula beside on a white checkered teacloth.

    Serve it in some taco shells and top with whatever toppings you fancy. Your TVP tacos are ready to be served! 

    ✔Helpful tips

    • Soak TVP preferably in vegetable broth, not water, to maximize the flavor of TVP tacos. Or, you can mix in ½ cube of bouillon or ½ teaspoon of vegetable stock powder with 1 cup of boiling water before soaking them in.
    • Use TVP crumbles as opposed to chunks. It resembles the texture of ground meat and soaks up seasonings better.
    • Make it your own by adjusting the amount of spices used. You can also add other herbs and spices that sound good to you!
    • Enjoy TVP tacos immediately after assembling them. Soggy tacos are unpleasant to have! 
    • TVP taco meat stores well in the fridge for 4-5 days. Hence, you can prep it ahead of time, so all you have to do is assemble the tacos when ready to enjoy!

    🥗Taco topping ideas

    • Salsa like this copycat Chipotle fresh tomato salsa
    • Avocado chunks, slices, or guacamole 
    • Freshly chopped veggies -  shredded lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, or bell peppers 
    • Vegan sour cream or sriracha mayo 
    • Chopped herbs - cilantro, parsley, green onion 
    • Vegan cheese - Shredded cheese, parmesan cheese, or even tofu cashew ricotta
    TVP taco meat in a black pan with a wooden stirrer with taco shells, shredded lettuce, and tomatoes beside.

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    How do I store TVP tacos, and can they be frozen?

    To make this ahead of time, you can make TVP taco meat and chop up the veggies first. Store them in separate containers, and only assembly them when ready to enjoy. 
    TVP taco meat can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days and frozen for up to 2 months in a sealed container. To reheat, heat it in the microwave or on the stove until thoroughly heated. Let the frozen ones thaw in the fridge or countertop before reheating.

    How to rehydrate TVP, and what is the water ratio?

    Rehydrate TVP in either hot boiling broth or water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The general ratio of TVP to water is 1:1, meaning 1 cup of liquid is needed to rehydrate every cup of TVP.

    Where can I find TVP?

    TVP can be found in most well-stocked groceries, usually in the baking or health food aisle. It can also be found at your local health or bulk food stores or online through Amazon. (I am using Bob's Red Mill brand.)

    TVP tacos arranged on a plate. There is a bowl of taco meat and glass of water behind.

    🍽More hearty vegan mains

    • A bowl of tomato chickpeas with spoon and toasted bread beside.
      Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce
    • Seitan ribs on a wooden board with newspaper beneath topped with chopped cilantro.
      Vegan BBQ Seitan Ribs
    • Carved vegan meat in a bowl topped with lemon slices and parsley with onion, a fork and flatbreads beside.
      Vegan Seitan Doner Kebab Meat
    • Mexican rice in a plate topped with lemon slices served with a spoon on a blue tablecloth.
      Spicy Vegan Mexican Rice and Black Beans

    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    5 tacos arranged on a white oval plate.

    Healthy Vegan TVP taco meat

    Meesha
    This meaty vegan TVP taco meat is healthy and high in protein ! It is super flavorful and delicious, yet easy to make and only requires 7 ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 210 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    Taco filling

    • 1 cup TVP granules *
    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • 1 small yellow onion diced ( about 4 oz / 115g )
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder ( optional )
    • salt to taste

    To serve

    • 8 corn taco shells to serve ( or any other kinds of tortilla )
    • fresh tomato salsa ( optional )
    • shredded lettuce ( optional )
    • diced avocado or guacamole ( optional )
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • In a pot or saucepan, heat up vegetable broth to a boil. Turn off heat and pour boiling broth over TVP in a bowl. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
    • In the meantime, heat up around ½-1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Place in onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
    • Next, stir in garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
    • Place in rehydrated TVP, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder and salt into the pan. Toss until everything is well incorporated and saute for 3-4 minutes. Give it a taste and add more salt, if needed.
    • To serve, toast up some taco shells or tortillas and fill them with TVP taco meat and toppings of choice. Serve and enjoy !

    Notes

    *TVP - Make sure to use the granular or minced form. You can find it in some groceries or health food stores, but I usually purchase my TVP online through Amazon. 
    Oil-free - Simply use ¼ cup of water in place of oil when sauteing.
     
    Helpful tips
    • Soak TVP preferably in vegetable broth, not water, to maximize the flavor of TVP tacos. Or, you can mix in ½ cube of bouillon or ½ teaspoon of vegetable stock powder with 1 cup of boiling water before soaking them in.
    • Make it your own by adjusting the amount of spices used. You can also add other herbs and spices that sound good to you!
    • Enjoy TVP tacos immediately after assembling them. Soggy tacos are unpleasant to have! 
    • TVP taco meat stores well in the fridge for 4-5 days. Hence, you can prep it ahead of time, so all you have to do is assemble the tacos when ready to enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 14gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 364mgPotassium: 181mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 329IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 3mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

    Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !

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