Low-Fat Vegan Taco Meat (Made with Whole Foods)

Step 1

Put the rice in a medium sized pot and fill it with water, make sure you have plenty of water so that when you add the chickpeas it will cover them.

Step 2

Partially cover and bring to a boil (about 7-8 minutes, depending on stove top).

Step 3

Turn the heat down to medium and cook partially covered an additional 10 minutes (should be about 17-18 minutes total rice cooking time). The texture of the rice should be just beginning to get chewy, not hard but not fully cooked.

Step 4

Add the soaked chickpeas and cook an additional 8 minutes.

Step 5

Drain and rinse and immediately put the mixture in a food processor. Make sure you have drained it well so there isn’t any residual water in the food processor.

Step 6

Add the taco seasoning into the food processor and pulse once or twice to combine. Adding the taco seasoning in right away when the mixture is hot, allows the flavors to meld together well.

Step 7

While the rice and beans are boiling, you can cook the onion in a separate pan, or you can wait until they are done cooking and use the same pot to cook the onion in.

Step 8

Saute the chopped onion with salt and veggie broth over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, until it is soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Step 9

Transfer onion mixture into the food processor.

Step 10

Pulse until you get a nice crumble. Add breadcrumbs and pulse 2-3 more times to incorporate.

Step 11

Put into a bowl, give it a good mix and allow it to settle in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors and texture fully develop. If you are eating it that day, you can also let it settle on the countertop so that you don’t have to reheat it.

Step 12

Fill hard tortilla shells with a little bit of the taco meat, top with 1-2 tablespoons of cheese sauce, if using. Then cover with more taco meat. This helps the cheese sauce stay away from the taco shell so the shell does not become soggy when baking.

Step 13

Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 12-15 minutes or until the shells begin to brown.

Step 14

Allow to cool 5 minutes, then add your favorite toppings and dig in!

Step 15

Bake tacos according to package directions, make your own crispy taco shells or use soft corn tortillas.

Step 16

Fill the tortillas with taco meat, top with cheese sauce and any of your other favorite toppings and enjoy!