Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito Bowl with Walnut Taco Meat
This 15-minute vegetarian breakfast burrito bowl is loaded with vegan taco meat made from walnuts, lentils, and mushrooms, and topped with roasted sweet potatoes, fresh avocado, and cherry tomatoes. Add cottage cheese for a protein-packed, creamy finish or swap out the cottage cheese with a dairy-free greek yogurt to make this recipe vegan.
Ok, so you may have read the recipe title and had the same reaction as my husband… “Huh? You’re telling me plants can now double as ground beef? Say what?”
It may be a little bit of a head-scratcher to you non-vegan folks, but trust me when I say it is DELICIOUS.
With the help of walnuts, lentils, mushrooms, and the right seasonings and spices, vegan taco meat is 100% somethin’ to celebrate!
My love for all things Mexican runs deep, but I think my love for brunch runs even deeper which was why I needed a recipe for loaded vegetable breakfast burrito bowls on the blog ASAP!
I order eggs and avocado toast off the menu more times than I’d like to admit, but if I ever stray away, it’s always for a Mexican skillet, huevos rancheros, or a breakfast burrito.
Crispy potatoes, eggs, black beans, salsa, avocado, and hot sauce?
You’ve hit all the buzzwords for me!
I mentioned in my Vegan Smashed Chickpea Wrap recipe post how I’m trying to branch out and eat fewer eggs.
Eggs are always my go-to for breakfast or lunch when I’m trying to have a “meatless” day, so I’ve been pushing myself to get creative and eat less of them.
This vegan walnut and lentil taco meat was the result and I’ve never been more excited!
This recipe came at the perfect time because February is American Heart Month and walnuts are a heart-healthy (1) food.
According to this source, walnuts have been shown to impact cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL (bad) cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure. These two risk factors are major contributors to heart disease risk.
They are also the only nuts that are a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based essential omega-3 fatty acid that may have positive anti-inflammatory effects (2.5g/oz of walnuts). Research has found that omega-3 fatty acids may decrease the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) in those with high cholesterol (2).
Walnuts are also certified through the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check program.
Well, have I convinced you to eat more walnuts yet? If not, you can read more about the benefits of walnuts here.
To round out this vegetarian breakfast burrito bowl I topped a bowl of mixed greens with vegan taco meat (duh), cherry tomatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, fresh avocado, and cottage cheese.
Since most burritos add a dollop or two of sour cream, I opted to use cottage cheese as a creamy, protein-packed replacement (3).
I’m also high-key obsessed with cottage cheese if you haven’t noticed from my Instagram.
Feel free to swap out the cottage cheese for greek yogurt or a plant-based yogurt to make this vegetarian breakfast bowl a vegan one.
What is vegan taco meat made of?
- Walnuts
- Lentils
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Tomato Paste
- Chili Powder
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Onion Powder
- Salt
- Pepper
You will also need a large skillet, measuring spoons, measuring cups, a strainer (if using canned mushrooms), and an airtight container for storing leftovers.
You have the option of using a food processor in this recipe as well or simply chopping up your walnuts and mushrooms with a sharp knife and cutting board.
Either way works just fine!
Some other vegetarian breakfast burrito bowl toppings you might love:
- Creamy Vegan Avocado Sauce
- Black beans
- Hot sauce
- Salsa (Pepita salsa from Trader Joes is my favorite)
- Plain greek yogurt
- Quinoa
What are some of your favorite toppings? Let me know in the comments below!
I hope you all enjoy this meatless Monday option as much as Michael and I do.
As always, be sure to tag me on Instagram when you make this recipe so I can share it on my stories!
PSSST… PIN ME FOR LATER
Footnotes:
- Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. (FDA) One ounce of walnuts provides 18g of total fat, 2.5g of monounsaturated fat, 13g of polyunsaturated fat, including 2.5g of alpha-linolenic acid, the plant-based omega-3.
- Zhao G, Etherton TD, Martin KR, et al. Dietary alpha-linolenic acid reduces inflammatory and lipid cardiovascular risk factors in hypercholesterolemic men and women. J Nutr 2004; 134: 2991-2997.
- A typical ½ cup serving of cottage cheese has 13g of protein.
Vegetarian Burrito Bowl with Walnut Taco Meat
Ingredients
Walnut "Meat"
- 3/4 Cup Walnuts
- 1 Can Lentils
- 1 Can Mushrooms
- 2 Tsp Minced Garlic Can sub 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1/2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- Cooking Spray
Taco Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 Tsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Pepper
- Salt To taste
Instructions
Walnut + Lentil Taco "Meat"
- Soak walnuts in lukewarm water for 20 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the walnuts. Toast for ~2 minutes, stirring often until walnuts are lightly browned and fragrant, taking care not to burn. Place the walnuts in a small bowl and set aside.
- Spray your pan with oil and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, then add your lentils, mushrooms, walnut mixture, tomato paste, water, and spices. Cook another 2-3 minutes, gently mashing some of the lentils with the back of your spoon/spatula.
Burrito Bowl
- Add your favorite salad greens to a bowl and top with walnut meat, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced tomatoes, fresh avocado, cottage cheese (can sub plain greek yogurt or vegan greek yogurt to make recipe vegan), and drizzle with your favorite dressing or salsa!
