How to do vegan Taco Tuesday right (6 recipes included)

There's this moment that happens every time someone tries really good vegan tacos for the first time. Their face does this thing—surprise mixed with something like betrayal, as if their taste buds have been keeping secrets from them. "Wait, what's in this?" they ask, already reaching for a second one.

The truth about Taco Tuesday is that it was never really about the meat. It's about the ritual, the assembly line of toppings on the counter, the permission to eat with your hands on a weeknight. Once you realize that, the whole thing opens up. These six recipes prove that plant-based tacos aren't trying to hide anything—they're just really good tacos that happen to be made from plants.

A note on setup: Warm your tortillas (corn or flour work beautifully) wrapped in damp paper towels in the microwave for 30 seconds, or char them directly over a gas flame. Set out the classics—diced white onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, your favorite hot sauce. Each recipe makes enough filling for 8-10 tacos, serving 3-4 people.

1. Mushroom carnitas that convert skeptics

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

The thing about mushrooms is they already want to be meat. King oyster mushrooms especially—they shred exactly like pulled pork when you score them with a fork. The orange juice here isn't random; it caramelizes into something deep and complex that makes people stop mid-bite.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb king oyster mushrooms (about 4-5 large mushrooms)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 orange (1/4 cup)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

1. Score mushroom stems lengthwise with a fork, then pull apart into shreds
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
3. Add mushrooms, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until edges start to crisp
4. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more until fragrant
5. Pour in orange and lime juices, let them sizzle and reduce
6. Cook 8-10 minutes until liquid evaporates and edges are deeply golden

Make-ahead tip: These keep for 3 days refrigerated and actually improve overnight.

2. Black bean tacos with lime crema

Prep: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours soaking) | Cook: 15 minutes

Sometimes the simplest things are the most satisfying. These black bean tacos are what I make when it's 6 PM and I haven't thought about dinner yet. The cashew crema transforms them into something special.

For the beans:

• 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• Salt to taste

For the lime crema:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 hours (or boiled 10 minutes for quick-soak)
• 1/2 cup water
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. For crema: Drain cashews, blend with water, lime juice, garlic, and salt in a high-speed blender until silky smooth (about 2 minutes)
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, add garlic and spices, cook 30 seconds
3. Add beans and broth, simmer 10 minutes, mashing about half the beans with a spoon
4. Season with salt to taste
5. Serve beans in warm tortillas with crema drizzled generously on top

Nut-free alternative: Substitute silken tofu for cashews in the crema.

3. Crispy cauliflower with chipotle mayo

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

This is the taco that makes people forget they're eating cauliflower. The batter gets impossibly crispy, and the chipotle mayo brings just enough smoky heat to keep things interesting.

For the cauliflower:

• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil for frying (about 2 cups)

For chipotle mayo:

• 1/2 cup plant-based mayonnaise
• 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lime

For serving:

• 2 cups shredded purple cabbage

Instructions:

1. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a heavy-bottomed pot
2. Whisk flour, plant milk, garlic powder, paprika, and salt into a thick batter
3. Dip cauliflower in batter, allowing excess to drip off
4. Fry in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown
5. Drain on paper towels
6. Mix all chipotle mayo ingredients
7. Serve immediately in tortillas with cabbage and mayo

4. Walnut chorizo that surprises everyone

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes

Toasting the walnuts first changes everything—it deepens their flavor and helps them crisp up properly. This mixture has fooled more than a few skeptics at my table.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups walnuts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes until fragrant
2. Pulse in food processor until crumbly (texture of ground meat)
3. Heat oil in the same skillet, add walnut mixture and all spices
4. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently
5. Add garlic, cook 1 minute
6. Stir in vinegar and soy sauce
7. Cook until deeply browned and fragrant, about 3 more minutes

Storage: Keeps 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.

5. Sweet potato and black bean with pepita salsa

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes

This combination shouldn't work as well as it does. The sweetness of roasted potatoes, the earthiness of beans, and then that bright, crunchy pepita salsa—it's the kind of balance that makes people go quiet for a second.

For the filling:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

For pepita salsa:

• 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed for less heat
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)
2. Toss sweet potatoes with oil, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper
3. Roast 25-30 minutes, stirring once, until tender and caramelized
4. Warm beans in a small pot
5. For salsa: Pulse all ingredients in food processor until chunky
6. Layer potatoes and beans in tortillas, top with generous spoonfuls of salsa

6. Jackfruit al pastor

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes

Young green jackfruit is nature's way of saying "I got you." It pulls apart into perfect shreds and soaks up whatever flavors you give it. This al pastor version, with its sweet-savory pineapple notes, is the one that makes meat-eaters do a double-take.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (20 oz each) young green jackfruit in brine, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Salt to taste

For serving:

• Fresh pineapple chunks, grilled or roasted
• Fresh cilantro
• Diced white onion

Instructions:

1. Rinse jackfruit and pat dry, then shred with a fork
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
3. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds, add jackfruit and all spices
4. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. Add pineapple juice, vinegar, and maple syrup
6. Simmer 15 minutes until liquid reduces by three-quarters
7. For crispy edges, spread on a baking sheet and broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes
8. Serve with grilled pineapple, cilantro, and onion

Note: Only use young GREEN jackfruit in brine, not ripe jackfruit in syrup.

The part nobody talks about

Here's what I've noticed after years of Taco Tuesdays: People don't miss the meat. They miss having something to look forward to on a Tuesday. They miss the excuse to make a mess, to eat too much hot sauce, to let their kids build ridiculous taco towers that fall apart immediately.

These recipes aren't trying to fool anyone. They're not apologizing for what they lack—they're celebrating what they are. Good food that happens to come from plants, served in a tortilla, probably with too much hot sauce. And that ritual of assembly, of choosing your own adventure with toppings, of eating with your hands on a weeknight? That's what Taco Tuesday was always really about.

All recipes can be made gluten-free with corn tortillas and gluten-free flour for batters.