Chickpea-Walnut Taco Crumbles
Vegan taco crumbles made healthier with whole food chickpeas and walnuts! So easy to prepare and packed with plant-based protein.
Servings: 6 tacos
Ingredients
- 15 oz. can chickpeas
- 3/4 cup walnuts*
- 3 Tbsp. taco seasoning
- 1 Tbsp. water
- Optional: 2-3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast for cheesy version
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Rinse and drain chickpeas.
- In a food processor, add chickpeas, walnuts, taco seasoning, and 1 Tbsp. water. (Plus nutritional yeast if using.)
- Pulse a few times until small/medium crumbles are formed. Don't over-process to super-fine crumbles, unless that's what you desire. (See notes below on how to achieve various textures.)
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread out crumbles.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Stir, then return to oven and bake for 10-12 more minutes. (Or to desired crispiness.)
Notes
*Walnuts: I use raw, unsalted nuts for this recipe. But if you're using salted walnuts, you may want to reduce or omit the salt in the taco seasoning.
Yield: Recipe makes about 2 1/4 cup crumbles.
Texture notes: If you prefer your crumbles tiny & crispy, pulse them longer into a finer meal. Otherwise, to make them a bit "juicier" add an additional 1-2 Tbsp. water and pulse just a few times to form larger crumbles. The recipe above is a happy medium between the two, so play around to find the texture you love.
Pairing: These are fantastic paired with fresh pico de gallo and/or guacamole to add juiciness & creaminess.
Leftovers: When reheating leftovers, add a touch of water, stir, then microwave to heat through. They become dried out after refrigerating, but adding a little water re-hydrates them beautifully.
Usage: Enjoy them in tacos, burritos/burrito bowls, nachos, quesadillas, Mexican salads, etc.
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 172 kcal | Carbohydrates: 14 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g | Potassium: 234 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 1 g | Vitamin A: 943 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 57 mg | Iron: 2 mg
