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    Home Β» Taco night

    Raw tacos with walnut filling (vegan)

    Published: Aug 8, 2019 Β· Modified: Oct 25, 2022 by Cadry's Kitchen
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Text: Raw tacos. Vegan & gluten-free. Platter of raw tacos with vegetables and walnut taco meat.

    Vibrant raw tacos use walnuts for the taco meat. They pop with flavor. Serve them on romaine lettuce leaves in lieu of a tortilla. Ready in less than 15 minutes. Vegan & gluten free.Β 

    Overhead raw vegan tacos with walnut taco meat, avocado, tomatoes, and bell pepper on plate.

    When I lived in Los Angeles, I had a standing solo date at SunCafé in Studio City.

    It’s a phenomenal raw restaurant where they serve up jicama nachos, raw supreme pizzas,Β cashew kale shakes, and raw tacos.

    You’ve got to love the wizardry of raw food that takes salad ingredients and turns them into comfort food.

    I’d tuck in for a meal. Then I’d trot over to Griffith Park for a hike.

    People sometimes complain that after a vegetable-based lunch they are hungry in no time. But when raw food doesn’t shy away from fat, it’s satiating, filling, and energizing – even for a hilly hike.

    Raw options where I live now are on the slim side. But luckily, it’s fast and easy to make raw tacos at home. It just takes some chopping, a few pulses in a food processor, and lunch is ready.

    Raw tacos on platter, walnut taco meat, and chopped vegetables.

    Raw tacos pop with all of the flavors you already know & love from traditional tacos.

    There’s cumin, ancho chili powder, and the bright taste of tomato. Then they’re finished with sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole.

    They’re like tacos meets salad. (Not to be confused with a taco salad. Different thing.)

    I especially love raw tacos in the summer months, because I don’t have to turn on the stove. They’re ready in about 15 minutes. And they feel nice & light when it’s muggy outside.

    The taco meat in these raw tacos is made with walnuts and an assortment of spices.

    Surprisingly, walnuts really work as a taco filling. They can stand up to bold spices. And the filling gets a sticky, tomato-y flavor from sun-dried tomatoes.

    What type of sun-dried tomatoes should I use?

    For the sun-dried tomatoes, you can use oil-packed, bagged, or the kind that you rehydrate first.

    I like the raw taco meat best with oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, because it makes the filling stickier and with a stronger punch of flavor. However, if you’re avoiding oil, rehydrated or bagged sun-dried tomatoes will also work.

    (At Trader Joe’s in addition to oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, they have oil-free sun-dried tomatoes that are fully hydrated in a re-sealable bag.)

    How to make them

    Bowl of walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and spices.

    Start by putting all of the following into a food processor:

    • Walnuts
    • Sun-dried tomatoes (re-hydrated in water first, if you are using dehydrated tomatoes)
    • Tamari
    • Ancho chili powder
    • Paprika
    • Onion Powder
    • Coriander
    • Cumin
    • Salt

    Walnuts in a food processor with sun-dried tomatoes and spices.

    Pulse or combine on low in the food processor until the walnut mixture has a crumbly, sticky texture. Stop & scrape down the sides while you combine, so that everything is evenly chopped.

    Be careful not to over blend. You don’t want to turn it into walnut butter.

    Walnut taco meat in a food processor.

    Now it’s time to make your tacos!

    For the shells, choose from any of the following:

    • Romaine leaves
    • Cabbage leaves
    • Collard leaves (with the hard center rib removed)

    Vegan raw taco on plate. Platter of raw tacos in background.

    Fill each taco with any of the following:

    • A smattering of walnut taco meat
    • Diced bell pepper
    • Sliced green onion
    • Diced tomato
    • Cilantro
    • Pickled jalapeΓ±o slices
    • Sliced olives
    • Avocado or easy guacamole
    • Cashew queso

    In addition to being great on raw tacos, add this walnut taco meat to your vegan nacho bar as well!

    Platter of romaine leaves with walnut meat, avocado, and vegetables.

    πŸ“– Recipe

    Overhead raw vegan tacos with walnut taco meat, avocado, tomatoes, and bell pepper on plate.

    Raw tacos with walnut taco filling

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 8 votes
    Who says that raw vegetables are only for salad? Jazz up those walnuts, romaine leaves, tomatoes, and bell peppers by turning them into mouthwatering tacos instead.Β Makes 4 to 6 tacos.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 12 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan
    Keyword: easy raw recipe, raw tacos, walnut tacos
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup walnuts unsalted
    • 2 Tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed or rehydrated dried tomatoes*
    • 2 teaspoons tamari
    • ΒΌ teaspoon ancho chili powder
    • ΒΌ teaspoon paprika
    • ΒΌ teaspoon onion powder
    • Β½ teaspoon coriander
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • Pinch salt
    • 4 to 6 romaine leaves or , collard, cabbage, or iceberg lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry**
    • 1 tomato chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper or orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
    • ΒΌ cup cilantro chopped
    • 2 green onions sliced
    • Optional: Jalapeno slices, sliced olives, guacamole, or avocado

    Instructions

    • To make the walnut meat, process the walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, tamari, ancho chili powder, paprika, onion powder, coriander, cumin, and salt in a food processor until crumbled into small pieces. Take time to stop and scrape down the sides, if necessary, as you process. The mixture should be sticky and crumbly in the fingers. You don't want to blend until it's walnut butter.
    • Fill each romaine leaf (or leaf of your choice) with a scoop of walnut taco filling, chopped tomatoes, and red bell pepper. Garnish with cilantro and green onions. If using, add any optional ingredients on top.

    Video

    Notes

    *If you're using dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, soak them in water for a half an hour before using in this recipe.
    **If you're using collard leaves, remove the center rib first. Then fold over the flap to keep the fillings from falling out.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1300IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1.7mg

    Originally posted February 2012. Content, recipe, and photos updated August 2019.

    More Taco night

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    • Lentil and black bean tacos on cutting board.
      Vegan lentil taco meat (Ready in 15 minutes!)
    • Vegan burrito halves stacked on top of each other.
      Vegan burritos with beans, chorizo & tots
    • Close up hard shell tacos topped with guacamole, pickled red onions, and cilantro.
      Tempeh tacos (Easy, quick & healthy!)
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    1. Cat Moody

      September 11, 2022 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      Just made these! Wow! Amazing!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        September 12, 2022 at 2:07 pm

        That’s wonderful to hear! Thanks for the great feedback, Cat!

        Reply
    2. Kathy Boyd

      August 14, 2020 at 7:51 pm

      5 stars
      Finally got around to making these. These will be a staple for summer forevermore. It’s a perfect meal on this hot, humid August evening. The taco meat is so amazing. Next time I will make a double batch. I love that you can add whatever toppings you have on hand. I totally forgot about olives and jalapeΓ±os. Next time!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        August 20, 2020 at 10:01 am

        Thank you for the great feedback, Kathy! I’m so glad that you enjoyed them and that they will be a summer staple from now on.

        Reply
    3. Caroline

      June 21, 2020 at 11:21 pm

      5 stars
      Made these for my husband for Fathers Day and a raw blueberry β€œcheesecake” for dessert. It was all incredibly delicious! The nut mixture with sun dried tomato made me cry a little it was so yummy. This will now be a staple dish for us. Filling but not too much, just right! Thank you πŸ™

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 23, 2020 at 10:46 am

        Oh, tacos and cheesecake? Sounds like my kind of celebratory meal! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! Thank you for the feedback.

        Reply
    4. Jenn

      October 10, 2016 at 7:48 am

      I have never thought to serve tacos in collard greens, but now I’m going to. I LOVE collard greens! I also love walnuts in taco “meat.” These sound so flavorful and delicious and, a big bonus, easy!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 10, 2016 at 10:53 am

        So easy! It’s amazing how much flavor & deliciousness you can get out of 10 minutes of work and no stove. πŸ˜€

        Reply
    5. Sarah

      October 09, 2016 at 11:24 pm

      Love walnut tacos! And LOVE your whale cutting board! So cute!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 10, 2016 at 10:52 am

        Thanks, Sarah! I just bought that cutting board recently. I’d had my eye on it all summer, and it finally went on sale! πŸ˜€

        Reply
    6. Ginny

      October 09, 2016 at 7:09 pm

      These raw tacos look so good! Cashew Queso? Yes, please πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 10, 2016 at 10:51 am

        Thanks, Ginny! Cashews make everything better. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      October 08, 2016 at 7:15 pm

      I’ve never been to SunCafe, but I’m always hearing great things about it. I am definitely making your tacos!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 10, 2016 at 8:14 am

        Oh, you should definitely go sometime! It’s one of my all-time favorite restaurants. The food is really inventive and fresh.

        Reply
    8. Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

      October 07, 2016 at 9:34 am

      I love raw tacos! I love how versatile they are. Your recipe is completely different from mine – I’m going to have to try it!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        October 10, 2016 at 8:12 am

        Yes, so much versatility with raw tacos! And you can really taste the freshness. All of those flavors just pop. I hope you enjoy the tacos, Dianne!

        Reply
    9. Ashlae | oh, ladycakes

      February 25, 2012 at 9:34 am

      I’m making tacos next week and I really need to acquaint myself with walnut meat. But I’m so addicted to making TVP meat – maybe I can combine the two? Hmm..

      Reply
      • Cadry's Kitchen

        February 25, 2012 at 10:24 am

        Maybe you could have a variety of taco options! The walnut taco meat is ready in less than five minutes. So after you’ve chopped toppings, which would work for both, you could have one raw taco and one TVP taco.

        Reply
    10. Richa@HobbyandMore

      February 20, 2012 at 11:36 am

      i love all the greens and veggies in this taco! i love those bowls too!

      Reply
      • Cadry's Kitchen

        February 25, 2012 at 10:43 am

        Aren’t fresh vegetables so beautiful? Whenever I pull out a collard green leaf, I just have to comment on how stunning it looks.

        Reply
    11. Ashlae

      February 20, 2012 at 7:35 am

      Ok, the tacos look and sound delicious (and ridiculously healthy) – but your bowls are absolutely gorgeous! Anthropologie? West Elm? Neither? Do tell me where you got them, please? πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        February 20, 2012 at 7:40 am

        You guessed it! I got these little prep bowls at Anthropologie. They offer them in several colors. I only wish I’d gotten more!

        Reply
        • Cara

          February 20, 2012 at 9:55 am

          How on earth did I miss those bowls???!!!! We have the same ones now πŸ™‚

          Reply
          • cadryskitchen

            February 20, 2012 at 10:00 am

            Those bowls are taking the blogosphere by storm! I see them everywhere. They’re so cute and look great in photos.

            Reply
            • Cara

              February 20, 2012 at 10:04 am

              I have this big ol’ box of Anthro kitchenware that I just sit and stare at and tell each item how much I love and adore them πŸ™‚ Is that weird? ha

              Reply
              • cadryskitchen

                February 20, 2012 at 10:09 am

                Absolutely not. I think that makes perfect sense. πŸ™‚ I moved all of my favorite pottery from local artists and stores like Anthropology, and I keep them in one specific cupboard. Whenever I open that door, I feel a little mini wave of happiness.

                Reply
                • Cara

                  February 20, 2012 at 10:09 am

                  We are Anthro nerds πŸ™‚ I wouldn’t have it any other way!!!

                  Reply
    12. Ema

      February 19, 2012 at 8:49 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness I just made this and my mind is BLOWN. But really…. WOWOWOWOOWOWOW soo good!!

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        February 20, 2012 at 7:42 am

        I’m delighted to hear that, Ema! So glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    13. Carrie

      February 14, 2012 at 9:12 am

      oh wow – look at those colors! I love that taco night can be healthy. πŸ™‚

      Reply
    14. Andrea

      February 13, 2012 at 5:51 pm

      I had raw nutmeat tacos at Vida Vegan and they were amazing. Your version sounds great and I especially like the addition of the sun-dried tomatoes. Thanks for including the info about where to buy them without oil. I made a ton of dehydrated tomatoes but they are almost gone and I’d like to be able to buy something similar that’s not packed in oil.

      Reply
    15. Cara

      February 13, 2012 at 3:10 pm

      Making these for dinner tonight!

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        February 13, 2012 at 3:14 pm

        Yay! I hope you love them!

        Reply
    16. Kale Crusaders (@KaleCrusaders)

      February 13, 2012 at 8:19 am

      Collard greens are a genius taco shell substitute! They won’t get soggy and fall apart upon first bite.

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        February 13, 2012 at 9:19 am

        Collard greens are great for taco shells or wraps. Plus, you get the added benefit of more raw collards in your diet! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    17. Sarah (appifanie)

      February 12, 2012 at 1:43 pm

      Those look great! Tacos are by far the best raw food – yummy!

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        February 13, 2012 at 9:18 am

        Agreed! Raw pizza is also amazing, but it takes a lot more time and effort, and a dehydrator. The great thing about tacos is that they’re ready in ten minutes!

        Reply

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