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A simple, delicious recipe for Vegan Chorizo made with walnuts, lentils, and Mexican spices that can be used as a meat substitute in tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, and burritos, burrito bowls, nachos or breakfast bowls. Make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for busy weeknights!
Smoky, savory, toasty and nutty, this Vegan Chorizo is a delicious way to add the flavor of Mexican Chorizo to your dishes without the meat! This vegan chorizo can be made in literally 10 minutes! The walnuts give this an earthy meaty flavor, great texture, delicious depth and a lovely richness.
TIP: For a quick low-carb version, double the walnuts and skip the lentils.
Ingredients in Vegan Chorizo
- walnuts (or pecans)
- cooked lentils (or cooked black beans, or use more walnuts for a low-carb version)
- kosher salt
- granulated garlic powder ( or garlic clove)
- cumin
- coriander
- smoked paprika
- chili powder
- dried oregano (or thyme)
- ground chipotle (or sub cayenne), more to taste
- cinnamon
- tomato paste
How to make Vegan Chorizo
Step 1: Place ingredients in a food processor and pulse.
Pulse until combined but not overly smooth.
Step 2: Brown the vegan chorizo in a greased skillet until nutty and fragrant.
Serve!
Ways to use Vegan Chorizo
- Nachos Supreme with Walnut Chorizo
- Chipotle Tostadas with Pineapple Salsa
- In these Vegan Breakfast Tacos
- Mexican Breakfast Burrito Bowls!
- Use in tacos, enchiladas, or any way you would use plant-based meat.
Enjoy this easy recipe and let us know what you think of it in the comments below!
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Vegan Chorizo
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Plant-based
- Method: blended
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Smoky, savory, spicy Vegan Chorizo made with walnuts and lentils and Mexican Spices- a tasty plant-based alternative to chorizo to use in tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, burritos, burrito bowls, nachos or breakfast bowls. Make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts (or pecans)
- 1 cup cooked lentils (or sub-cooked black beans, or use 1 cup more walnuts for a low-carb version)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder ( or 1 garlic clove)
- 1 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or thyme)
- optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle (or sub cayenne), more to taste
- optional: 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1–2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons water, and more to desired consistency
Instructions
- Place walnuts, lentils, spices, salt, tomato paste and water in a food processor and pulse until combined, but not over smooth- a little texture is good.
- Taste, adjust salt and heat.
- If using the vegan chorizo as a taco or tostada filling, heat it up in a greased skillet, and if it gets overly dry, feel free to add another tablespoon or two of water so it doesn’t dry out in the pan, or another drizzle of olive oil.
- Sometimes I’ll saute a little onion or shallot in a skillet with olive oil until fragrant, then add the chorizo, for even more flavor.
Notes
Vegan Chorizo will keep 3-4 days in the fridge or can be frozen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 134
- Sugar: 1.2 g
- Sodium: 188.3 mg
- Fat: 9.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.8 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: vegan chorizo, walnut chorizo, lentil chorizo, vegan chorizo recipe, vegan ground meat, vegan ground meat recipe,
Delicious. Thank you Sylvia!
★★★★★
Thanks so much!
Can you suggest a substitute for the lentils? More walnuts? Black beans? Mushrooms?
Thanks!
Hi Annie- yes, you can use all walnuts, and black beans too (a little mashed up). Mushrooms also- maybe chop them up finely and cook long enough, so all the liquid cooks out of them.
Crazy delicious! Make a double batch- nachos- breakfast… so good.
★★★★★
Awesome Julie, thanks!
What lentils did you use. Am so keen to make this for my lunch on the go.)
I used little black lentils!
Super easy, super delicious 😋. Made a double batch with black beans, used for tacos and breakfast hash.
★★★★★
Awesome JoAnn! Love that you tried the blackbeans!
I’ve made this chorizo with walnuts, and it is mind-blowing good! Meat eaters will never know it’s not meat. The flavor is unbeatable. You have to try it!
★★★★★
Thanks Lisa!