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Vegan taco bowls were a hit in my house! I use my recipe for walnut lentil tacos, cilantro lime brown rice (1/2 of the rice), and cashew lime crema to make these delicious nourishing bowls. The recipes are already on the blog but instead of switching back and forth between recipes, I thought it would be easier to have them all in one spot to make this dish.

vegan taco bowl with walnut lentil taco meat, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, salsa

Plain brown rice would be fine in this dish, but it doesn’t take much work to really amp up the flavor with lime juice, garlic powder, and finely chopped cilantro. The walnut lentil taco meat is hearty and filling. It’s seasoned to give that unmistakeable taco seasoning taste. The fresh veggies brighten up the dish and we can all use more veggies in our life, right?

Meal Prep

This would work great for meal prepping too. Store the brown rice and taco meat separately from the toppings and add them to the bowl after you heat up the rice and lentils.

Tips for Cashew Lime Crema

Soak the cashews overnight or for a couple of hours in hot water. If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec then you probably won’t need to soak your cashews. A smooth crema will depend on the power of your blender and how long your cashews soaked for.

Ideas to Customize Taco Bowls

Fresh or thawed frozen corn
Roasted bell peppers
Diced red onions
Slice and bake some tortillas to make strips for a crunchy topping
Grilled veggies
Pickled jalapeños
Quick pickled radishes
Chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh lime juice
Vegan sour cream or cashew lime crema
Diced avocado or guacamole
Your favorite salsa or pico de Gallo

These vegan taco salads are simple to put together. They’re perfect for a weeknight meal when you need something good and want something healthy.

For More Nourishing Bowl Recipes

Vegan Taco Bowl

Author: Allie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

Easy vegan taco bowl full of flavorful rice, delicious lentil walnut taco meat, all topped with fresh veggies and a cashew lime crema.

Ingredients

Scale

Cilantro Brown Rice

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon packed of chopped cilantro

Walnut Lentil Taco Meat

1 onion (diced)
1 clove of garlic (crushed)
1 ½ cups cooked brown lentils (a little less than 3/4 cup dry brown lentils)
½ cup raw walnuts chopped finely
¼ cup vegetable broth plus a few extra tablespoons for deglazing
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Cashew Lime Crema

½ cup raw cashews (soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed)
⅓ cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

Toppings

1 avocado (deseeded and diced) or guacamole
2 Roma tomatoes (diced)
Your favorite salsa or pico de Gallo
Your favorite greens (kale, spinach, lettuce)

Instructions

Cilantro Brown Rice

Cook the brown rice according to the package.
When the rice is done and still warm, add the lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and chopped cilantro.
Stir to combine.

Walnut Lentil Taco Meat

While the rice is cooking, (for oil-free cooking) sauté the onion in a large preheated skillet on medium stirring frequently until the onion is translucent.
Then lower the heat to medium-low and add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, use a tablespoon of water at a time to deglaze the pan if the onions are sticking.
Next add the cooked lentils, walnuts, vegetable broth, tamari, chili powder, oregano, paprika, and cumin.
Turn the heat up to get the mixture to bubble, then lower the heat to a low simmer.
Cook the mixture covered (to retain moisture) for about 10-15 minutes or until the walnuts are softened but still firm. Then remove the lid and if the mixture is too wet cook a little longer to evaporate any excess moisture. If the mixture is too dry add a splash of vegetable broth.
Taste for seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cashew Lime Crema

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Assembly

Add the rice, taco meat, diced avocado, the diced tomatoes, a couple of tablespoons of salsa, and a handful of shredded lettuce to a bowl. Then top with a dollop of lime crema.