Vegan Taco Cups
Make these super easy, handheld vegan taco cups - they’re packed with plant-based ground “beef” (not store-bought, either!), and topped with your favourite taco toppings. Mix it up, and try out toppings like lettuce, tomato, avocado, vegan cheese, or even mango, chili peppers, or radish.
Skip to any part of the recipe by clicking on the links below:
Introduction
This recipe is…. kinda the perfect dish for a ton of occasions, and that’s why I love it. I made them for dinner the other night - I tossed 5 on a plate and I was full for ages. I’ve made them for a Friday night drunk snack, and I’ll most definitely make them for an appetizer for a Superbowl Party or general schmoozing and boozing fancy adult dinner party.
They’re seriously great. They taste really good, you can hold them in one hand, and they’re dead easy to throw together. Not to mention, you aren’t forced into the commitment that a full burrito brings to the party. Don’t worry about eating 2/3s of said burrito and breaking into cold sweats because you’ve now got a Mexican anvil sitting in your stomach and still another third to go. It’s okay. Taco cups are here to give you the freedom you need. The freedom you deserve.
This recipe makes enough for 24 cups, but if you want to scale it up or down, simply multiply the quantities to your desired level.
The secret to this recipe is the cookie cutter. I used it to get perfect circles out of my tortillas, which form the base for the taco cups. If you don’t have circular cutters, grab a couple of coffee mugs of various diameters, and carefully use a knife to trace around the perimeter of the coffee mug, giving you a perfect circle. Place them inside a muffin tray, and see which size works the best. Don’t forget to season, season, season, and taste everything.
Check out the Spruce it Up section for ideas on how to take this recipe to the next level.
Before We Get Started
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Yield: 24 Cups
Ingredients
Cups
6-8, 10” Tortillas
1 Onion
2 Garlic cloves
~500g Mushrooms
2/3 cup uncooked Split Red Lentils
1/2 cup Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 - 1 Package Taco Seasoning
Have a taste, see how you like it, add more if desired
1 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
Toppings
2 Avocadoes
4 Roma Tomatoes
Iceberg Lettuce
Vegan Cheese
Cilantro
Red Chili Flakes
Lime Juice
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Keep your oven on after finishing your taco cup shells!
Using a ~3.5 Inch cookie cutter, cut 24 circles out of your tortillas. Prick each tortilla circle with a fork 3-4 times.
While you’re waiting for the oven to come to temperature, drizzle a bit of olive oil into each of the holes in the muffin tray. Use your finger to spread the oil around, coating the sides. Place your tortilla circles inside, and sprinkle with a bit of salt.
If you only have one 12 slot muffin tray, simply do two rounds.
Once the oven has come to temperature, place your cups in for approx. 8 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove them carefully (don’t burn yourself), and place them aside. Add your second round of circles to the muffin tray, and repeat.
They will harden up after they have been taken out of the oven, so don’t sweat it if they’re not totally crispy right as you take them out.
Finely dice your onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with oil, and add your onion and garlic, hitting them with a pinch of salt, once the pan has come to temperature. Then, add your mushrooms, and cook them out until all of the water they release has evaporated.
Stir often until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
While your mushrooms are cooking away, rinse your uncooked lentils, and add them to a pot. Fill with water until the water is about 1/2 inch over the lentils. Hit with some salt, and place on max heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
Drain your lentils, and add them to the pan with your cooked mushrooms. Stir to combine, and add your tomato sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and taco seasoning. Mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and all the mixture to cook out until it reaches a consistency you’re happy with. Give it a taste and add salt or pepper as needed.
Line up your now-hardened taco cups on a baking tray. Using a spoon, scoop some of your “ground beef” into each of the shells. Sprinkle some vegan cheese over top. Place in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
While those are in the oven, dice up some tomatoes, chop up some avocado, shred some lettuce, and prepare your favourite toppings.
Pull your taco cups out of the oven, and top.
Enjoy
Spruce it Up
Add a bit of cayenne if you like heat.
Try your favourite toppings - don’t limit yourself to the regulars. Try:
Mango
Radish
Green Onion
Shredded Carrots
Shredded Red Cabbage
And more - really get creative with it.
There are great vegan sour creams and cheeses. Try your hand with some in this recipe.