Here’s how to DIY your Vegan Taco Party!
Each step of the recipe is on one of the accompanying images, but I’ve given the text version at the bottom too for the visually impaired. Enjoy!
TEXT VERSION
TACO SEASONING MIX
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 & 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
3 teaspoons garlic powder
3 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
*OR use 1 packet vegan taco seasoning mix; McCormick, Old El Paso, and Taco Bell are vegan, but NOT gluten free. Check ingredients.
FILLING AND TOPPINGS
2 12-oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
5 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix (or 1 packet)
Vegan Taco Shells
Lettuce, shredded
Baby Spinach, shredded
Tomatoes, diced
Scallions, chopped
Peppers, diced
Chili pepper, minced (a little goes a long way!)
Mushrooms, canned, drained and heated OR sautéed from raw
Newman’s Own Salsa (I love the pineapple)
Nutritional Yeast
*Vegan cheese shreds or taco shreds (*optional)
Lots of napkins!
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix all the ingredients under “Taco Seasoning” above. Set aside.
Put the drained, rinsed black beans into a large skillet.
Mix 3/4 cup water with 4 tablespoons of your homemade taco seasoning mix. (pre-made mix by package directions.) Pour this over the black beans. (Store the extra seasoning mix in a lovely glass jar and label it so you can use it for future tacos.)
Bring the beans and seasoning to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or better, until it’s thickened down to a consistency you like.
While it’s simmering, chop lettuce and spinach together and put them into serving bowl.
Dice the tomatoes, peppers, chili peppers, scallions. Place each into individual serving bowls. Heat or sauté the mushrooms and give them their own serving bowl. Give everything its own spoon.
Pour some vegan taco cheese shreds into another serving bowl. Open the salsa and drop a spoon into it. Set the nutritional yeast out.
When the filling is finished cooking, pour it into a serving bowl with a spoon.
SERVE
Line up the taco shells, greens, the yummy bean filling, the rest of the veggies, the mushrooms, vegan cheese if you use it, and the salsa in the order that makes sense to you. Stack some plates nearby, and ring the dinner bell. Everyone can make their own taco, choosing their favorites. You will not miss the meat at all.