Make Ahead TVP Taco Meat

Enjoy all the flavour and texture of ground beef with this make-ahead TVP taco meat. Prepare it in advance, then have dinner on the table in just 5 minutes!

A note on some of the ingredients:

Textured vegetable protein (TVP): TVP or textured vegetable protein is dehydrated soy and is a great substitute for meat. It has a neutral flavour and absorbs any flavour added to it. Find it in the natural section of most grocery stores.

Walnuts: I like the texture that chopped walnuts add to the sauce. I buy walnut pieces instead of whole walnuts because their smaller size reduces the amount of chopping needed. If you have a nut allergy you can substitute chopped sunflower seeds or more TVP.

Vegetable bouillon: I use McCormick All Vegetable Beef flavoured bouillon cubes in this recipe. Because the recipe only calls for one cup of bouillon or broth I cut a bouillon cube in half and store the other half in the fridge in an air tight container for the next time I make this recipe. The bouillon adds a lot of flavour to the TVP but feel free to use any vegan, gluten free bouillon in this recipe. You can also substitute vegetable broth for the bouillon.

Tamari: I use light tamari sauce as it has a mild flavour and less sodium than regular tamari. Tamari helps to add umami flavour to the “meat” mixture. Gluten free soy sauce would be a good substitute.

Chili powder: Chili powder is a blend of different spices with dried and ground chili peppers. There are many different brands of chili powder, use your preferred brand and make sure that it is gluten free if needed.

How the make ahead TVP taco meat is made:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pour 1 cup of boiling water into a measuring cup and add in the bouillon cube if using. Stir until the cube has dissolved.

In a medium sized bowl add in the dry TVP. Pour the bouillon over and let sit while you prepare the walnuts. Roughly chop the walnut pieces with a large knife until they are finely chopped. Leaving some walnut pieces larger will help to add texture to the TVP taco meat.

Family-friendly vegan gluten-free Make ahead taco meat by Tofu and Beans

Add the chopped walnuts to the bowl with the rehydrated TVP. Add in the spices and tamari sauce and mix everything together well. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet making sure not to flatten it.

Bake the TVP taco meat for 20 minutes, tossing half way through. Keep an eye on it for the last few minutes to ensure it does not burn. Let it cool completely on the pan.

At this point the TVP taco meat can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to make dinner, mix all of the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the TVP taco meat, no need to defrost if it has been frozen. Pour the sauce over and mix everything together well. Heat the sauce and TVP taco meat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring every so often, until all of the sauce has been absorbed. Serve the TVP taco meat with all of your favourite taco fixings.

This TVP taco meat can also be added to gluten free tortillas with plant based or regular cheese to make quesadillas. It also works perfectly in my burrito bowls!

Enjoy!