The Seasonings You Need To Upgrade Vegan Ground Beef Tacos

With so many imitation and plant-based meat alternatives out there, home cooks don't have to use ingredients like beef to make tacos with similar textures and flavors. Whether you're using cauliflower, mushrooms, jackfruit, or alternative products from brands like Beyond Meat and Impossible, meat-free ground beef tacos are easy to pull off these days — with the right seasonings, that is. To find out what seasonings work best for your next vegan beef taco dinner, Tasting Table turned to Guy Vaknin, owner and chef at City Roots Hospitality based in New York City.

"I'd recommend a vegan beef product like Impossible Foods seasoned with cumin, garlic, smoked paprika, chili, and onion," he says. "It can be simply browned in a hot pan with the spices for a flavorful filling." Vaknin's recommendations like cumin, garlic, and smoked paprika often make it into traditional recipes for ground beef tacos, so the use will help build a similar flavor profile with meat alternatives. You can also use chipotle powder or cayenne pepper to add heat to your meat-free tacos. Store-bought taco seasoning makes everything easier, but you can also check out our smoky taco seasoning recipe if you want to make a homemade blend.

Seasoning is always subjective based on preferences and heat tolerances, so you'll want to adjust to taste. It also matters whether you're using a meat alternative like Impossible Foods, per Guy Vaknin's suggestion, or a blend of meaty mushrooms and vegetables like bell peppers.

For one package of a meat alternative, use similar measurements as you would with beef, about a teaspoon per spice, and add more to taste. The measurement of spices for ingredients like mushrooms depends on the quantity in the recipe. For example, a pound of mushrooms might need a tablespoon or two of spices like taco seasoning. As always, it's best to start with less and add more to taste as you cook the tacos.

If you want a specific recipe, try our lentil-walnut vegan tacos, where the lentils will provide a similar texture to ground beef. In this recipe, you'll use seasonings like cumin and oregano for that taco flare. For something different than imitation meats and mushrooms, try our shredded tofu tacos seasoned just as the chef suggests with cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic for an effortless and flavorful vegan taco night.