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You’ve got to try this quinoa taco recipe. It has flavor-packed, Crispy Quinoa taco meat that you crisp up in the oven or on the stovetop. It’s loaded with crunchy lettuce, creamy guacamole, and savory pico de gallo. And it’s so easy to make!
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These incredible tacos are super quick to make and star crispy quinoa taco meat, so there are no beans, just some really delicious quinoa that gets cooked with lots of herbs and spices and then crisped up either in the pan or in the oven until the texture changes.
You can keep crisping it to make it crunchier, or cook until it is just like a ground meat texture. Either way, this quinoa taco meat is packed with flavor and has an amazing texture that makes it perfect for tacos!
Add that to the tacos, top with some guacamole or pico de gallo or both, and serve. So easy! or use in enchiladas burritos, add to chili and what not!
Why You’ll Love Quinoa Tacos
- crispy, flavorful quinoa taco meat
- creamy guacamole
- lots of fresh veggie toppings
- customizable
- naturally nut free with gluten-free and soy-free options
More Vegan Tacos
Crispy Quinoa Taco Recipe
Ingredients
For the quinoa taco meat:
- 1/2 cup dry quinoa,, I use the tricolor quinoa
- 1 1/4 cups Plus 2 tablespoons water , or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon chili powder blend
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or use tamari for gluten free
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
For crisping up the quinoa:
- 2 to 3 teaspoons oil
For the tacos:
- 4 to 5 tortillas
- chopped lettuce, as needed
- pico de gallo, as needed
- lime juice, or lime wedges
- hemp seeds, for added protein, optional
- crushed red pepper flakes, for added heat, optional
For the guacamole:
- 1 ripe Haas avocado
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped tomato
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 green chili , or jalapeño, minced, optional
Instructions
Cook the quinoa.
- Wash the quinoa, if you like, and set it aside. Add the quinoa, the vegetable broth or water, and all of the spices to a saucepan over medium heat. Mix really well. Cover with a lid, and bring to a boil. One it’s boiling rapidly, reduce the heat to low, and let this cook for 15 to 17 minutes, covered. Check in between, and stir once and continue to cook.
- Once the quinoa is cooked to preference, open the lid, and mix and fluff a little bit. Even if the mixture is a little wet, the quinoa will continue absorbing the moisture. Just let it sit for a few minutes before crisping it up.
Crisp the quinoa taco meat.
- To crisp on the stovetop: Heat a skillet over medium high heat, then add 2 teaspoons of the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cooked quinoa, and spread it out in the skillet. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might need to do this in two batches. Spread the quinoa in a single layer, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Then, stir it again and cook again for another 2 minutes or so. Stir it again, and keep repeating (2-4 times) until the texture changes and is starting to get crispy. You can switch off the heat at this point, or cook it a little bit longer to get it even more crunchy. When it’s crisped to preference, switch off the heat.
- To crisp in the oven: Preheat the oven to 400° F (205° C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and add the quinoa to the baking sheet. Drizzle the oil all over, mix well, and then spread the quinoa out into an even layer. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, then open the oven and stir the quinoa, and spread it out again. Bake for 8 to 10 more minutes, and check if the quinoa is baked. The texture is to your preference. For crispier, bake it another 5 minutes or longer. When the quinoa taco meat reaches your desired level of crispness, remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl.
Make the guacamole.
- Mash the avocado, then add all the remaining ingredients, and mash and mix. Taste and adjust salt and flavor, and use.
Assemble the quinoa tacos.
- Heat your tortillas in a skillet or over flame until they're warm. You can also burn the edges of the tortillas over the flame. Add a good helping of chopped lettuce topped with plenty of the quinoa taco meat and, top it with some guacamole and some chopped onion or pico de gallo. Drizzle on some lime juice, and serve.
- This quinoa taco “meat” is also a great topping for nachos or pasta or salad!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- quinoa – Use whatever sort you like. I am using tricolor quinoa.
- dried spices – Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt give the quinoa taco meat an amazing flavor!
- soy sauce – Adds umami to the quinoa meat. Use tamari for gluten-free.
- tortillas – Use gluten-free tortillas, if needed.
- guacamole – You can make your own or use the recipe provided, which uses avocado, onion, tomato, lime juice, cilantro, salt, pepper, and green chili.
- other toppings – Lettuce, pico de gallo, and lime juice add freshness and crunch. You can also add hemp seeds and crushed pepper, if you like.
Tips
- Make the guacamole and prep the other toppings while the quinoa cooks to save on prep time.
- The crispness level of the quinoa taco meat is totally up to you! You can stop cooking when it’s just lightly crispy or keep going for a more crispy-crunchy experience.
How to Make Crispy Quinoa Tacos
First, make the quinoa. While that cooks, do your other prep work.
Wash the quinoa, if you like, and set it aside. Add the quinoa, the vegetable broth or water, and all of the spices to a saucepan over medium heat. Mix really well. Cover with a lid, and bring to a boil. One it’s boiling rapidly, reduce the heat to low, and let this cook for 15 to 17 minutes, covered. Check in between, and stir once and continue to cook.
Once the quinoa is cooked to preference, open the lid, and mix and fluff a little bit. Even if the mixture is a little wet, the quinoa will continue absorbing the moisture. Just let it sit for a few minutes before crisping it up.
Now, crisp the quinoa taco meat.
To crisp on the stovetop: Heat a skillet over medium high heat, then add two teaspoons of the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cooked quinoa, and spread it out in the skillet. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might need to do this in two batches.
Spread the quinoa in a single layer, and cook for three to four minutes. Then, stir it again and cook again for another two minutes or so. Stir it again, and keep repeating until the texture changes and is starting to get crispy. You can switch off the heat at this point, or cook it a little bit longer to get it even more crunchy. When it’s crisped to preference, switch off the heat.
To crisp in the oven: Preheat the oven to 400° F (205° C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and add the quinoa to the baking sheet. Drizzle the oil all over, mix well, and then spread the quinoa out into an even layer.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, then open the oven and stir the quinoa, and spread it out again. Bake for eight to 10 more minutes, and check if the quinoa is baked. The texture is to your preference. For crispier, bake it another five minutes or longer. When the quinoa taco meat reaches your desired level of crispness, remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl.
While the quinoa is cooking, make the guacamole. Mash the avocado, then add all the remaining ingredients, and mash and mix. Taste and adjust salt and flavor, and use.
Then, you’re ready to assemble the quinoa tacos.
Heat your tortillas in a skillet or over flame until they’re warm. You can also burn the edges of the tortillas over the flame. Add a good helping of chopped lettuce topped with plenty of the quinoa taco meat and, top it with some guacamole and some chopped onion or pico de gallo. Drizzle on some lime juice, and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is nut-free. It’s also gluten free, if you use gluten-free tortillas and use tamari instead of soy sauce.
To make it soy-free, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce or omit the soy sauce.
This is genius – my only problem was it never got really crispy (I used the stovetop method). It tasted wonderful though. Cooking it with all the spices makes a difference. I used leftover fajita veggies over thinly sliced cabbage with the quinoa, topped with salsa and guacamole I had in the fridge. Really good!
Try with a bit more oil and higher heat
I didn’t have the ingredients for guac on hand but the quinoa was so much better than common vegan ground meat substitutes that we’ll be revisiting this again and again. Who knew? Topped it with Lidl’s “Cowboy Caviar”. Delightful. Thank you.
Awesomeeeee
Can’t wait to try this! Thank you!
I always have cooked quinoa in the fridge, so this will be even quicker!?!??
I add the spices while cooking the quinoa for better flavor. You can crisp up the cooked quinoa and add the spices and flavors in the last few mins. Don’t add them in the beginning as they will burn.