Raw Vegan Tacos, made with sunflower seed meat, are the perfect summer Taco Tuesday dinner. No heat is required – you just mix everything together in your food processor. This easy vegan recipe only takes a few minutes to make, and it’s gluten-free.
Raw Vegan Tacos
Raw food isn’t as popular as it was years ago, but I still enjoy it, especially in the hot summer months, when I tend to overheat. I first started making these tacos back in 2010 or so, when I was really into eating raw, and they’re still a favorite. The inspiration came from a recipe a friend had clipped out of a magazine for me. It was so long ago I don’t remember what magazine it was, and the clipping is long gone, so I can’t credit the chef who inspired them.
Raw Taco Meat
The “meat” in these raw vegan tacos is made with sunflower seeds and sun-dried tomatoes. You’ll need to do a little planning in advance, because they should be soaked for a few hours before hand. Then simply place the seeds in a food processor along with some spices and sun-dried tomatoes, and your taco filling is done!
I use raw sunflower seeds in this recipe, because well, they’re raw! Raw sunflower seeds have a more neutral flavor than their roasted counterparts, and they’re easier to blend. Roasted can be used, but keep in mind the flavor may be different than what I intended. If you’re using salted seeds (which I don’t recommend), reduce the salt you use in the seasoning.
You may be temped to skip the sun-dried tomatoes, but don’t do it! They lend a meaty, chewy texture to the filling, and they also add a touch of umami to the flavor.
How to Make Raw Vegan Tacos
This recipe couldn’t be easier!
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- Once your sunflower seeds and sun-dried tomatoes have soaked for two hours, drain and rinse them.
- You then place them in your food processor along with the spices, apple cider vinegar, and tamari. Mix everything together until it’s all ground and “meaty.”
- To assemble your tacos, place the sunflower seed meat into the lettuce leaves. And then top each with the diced avocado, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and Cashew Cheese Sauce.
The “meat” can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in an air-tight container until you’re ready to eat. It’ll last in the fridge for about 3 days.
How to Customize Your Tacos
You can easily make this recipe you’re own!
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- I’ve used romaine lettuce leaves for “tortillas” in these tacos. Collard, chard, and cabbage leaves with work just as well.
- If you’re in the mood for a partially raw meal, you can always make the filling and serve it in corn tortillas.
- You can use guacamole instead of diced avocado.
- The spices can be adjusted to suit your tastes. If you like your tacos spicy, add a little more cayenne. If spice isn’t your thing, you can omit it.
- You can top your tacos with salsa and non-dairy sour cream.
- I top my tacos homemade Cashew Cheese Sauce, but store-bought non-dairy cheese can be used instead.
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Raw Vegan Tacos
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
Taco Filling
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds soaked in water for 2 hours, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes soaked in water for 2 hours, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
Tacos
- 8 romaine lettuce leaves
Taco Toppings
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 medium tomato diced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and sliced
- ½ cup Cashew Cheese Sauce
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Pulse all of the taco meat ingredients together in a food processor until the sunflower seeds are ground and the sundried tomatoes are chopped. Scrape down the sides as needed. The mixture should look like a coarse meal.
- To assemble the tacos, place the sunflower seed meat into each lettuce leaf. Top each with avocado, tomatoe, jalapeno, cheese sauce, and cilantro.
Other Taco Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:
More raw (and almost raw) recipes you might like include:
Recipe originally published May 5, 2015, Updated July 28, 2021.
These look like they’d taste so good you would never miss the shell!