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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Main dishes

    Easy vegan chorizo

    Last Modified: Dec 21, 2022 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    walnut chorizo tacos on a plate with green onion and avocado
    image collage showing chorizo ingredients in the food processor before and after blending, the chorizo browned in the pan and served in tacos
    walnut chorizo tacos on a plate with green onion and avocado, text overlay
    walnut chorizo in a bowl

    Walnut chorizo is packed with flavor and comes together quickly in your food processor. Use in tacos, burritos, bowl meals, and more!

    walnut chorizo tacos on a plate with green onion and avocado

    Want to make more vegan meat? Try my super easy tofu sausage crumbles!

    Jump To:
    • Recipe notes
    • Variations
    • How to serve and store
    • Walnut Chorizo Recipe
    • Frequently asked questions

    Recipe notes

    Y'all, this recipe truly could not be easier. I even have a no-cook variation, if you don't feel like firing up the stove.

    This walnut chorizo recipe uses simple ingredients that bring tons of texture and flavor to the table:

    • walnuts
    • chickpeas
    • onions
    • garlic
    • chili powder
    • red wine vinegar
    • ground cumin
    • chipotle chili powder
    • ground coriander
    • dried oregano
    • salt
    • cinnamon
    • cloves
    • olive oil
    walnuts, chickpeas, and spices arranged in bowls on a table with text labels on each ingredient

    To make the full version, you toss all of your ingredients into a food processor, and pulse until you have an even mixture.

    Then, transfer the vegan chorizo mixture to a pan with a little bit of heated oil, and sauté until it's browned and lovely.

    image collage showing chorizo ingredients in the food processor before and after blending, the chorizo browned in the pan and served in tacos

    Variations

    For a no-cook version, omit the fresh onion and garlic. The flavors of these are just a bit too strong uncooked. Replace them with a teaspoon each of onion and garlic powder.

    Pulse in the food processor until crumbly, and you are ready to serve!

    If you want a less spicy chorizo, use mild chipotle chili powder and cut the amount in half. You can even omit the chipotle entirely and use ½ to ¾ teaspoon of liquid smoke instead.

    For more spicy, add extra chipotle powder or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

    walnut chorizo in a bowl

    How to serve and store

    Use this vegan chorizo anywhere that you'd use conventional chorizo crumbles! It's great in:

    • Stuffed into tacos.
    • Folded into a burrito.
    • Layered into vegan enchiladas.
    • In a taco salad.
    • On top of a burrito bowl.

    If you do have leftovers, just store them in an airtight container. You can warm them in the microwave or with a little bit of oil in a skillet.

    walnut chorizo tacos on a plate with green onion and avocado

    Walnut Chorizo Recipe

    Walnut chorizo is packed with flavor and comes together quickly in your food processor. Use in tacos, burritos, bowl meals, and more!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: vegan chorizo, walnut chorizo
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 152kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • ½ a medium sweet onion - peeled and cut into big chunks
    • ½ cup walnuts
    • 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas - drained and rinsed
    • 3 cloves of garlic
    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • pinch of cinnamon
    • pinch of cloves
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Instructions

    • Combine all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, in your blender or food processor. Pulse until you have an even mixture.
    • In a skillet, heat the oil over medium high. Add the contents of the food processor, and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture begins to brown and turns fragrant.

    Equipment

    • food processor

    Video

    Notes

    Use this vegan chorizo in tacos, burritos, bowl meals, or anywhere else you'd use animal-based or store-bought vegan chorizo.
    No-cook option: Omit the onion and garlic, and substitute with 1 teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder. The raw onion/garlic will be too strong, if you aren't going to cook to mellow the flavors.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Walnut Chorizo Recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    152
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    15
    g
    23
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    10
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    8
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    Sodium
     
    513
    mg
    21
    %
    Potassium
     
    179
    mg
    5
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    5
    g
    2
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    12
    %
    Sugar
     
    1
    g
    1
    %
    Protein
     
    3
    g
    6
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1350
    IU
    27
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    0.4
    mg
    0
    %
    Calcium
     
    43
    mg
    4
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

    Frequently asked questions

    What does walnut meat taste like?

    It tastes like whatever you season it with! The great thing about walnuts is that their flavor is pretty mild.

    Is vegan chorizo spicy?

    It can be. The great thing about making your own walnut chorizo is that you can make it as spicy or not as you like. For less spicy, use mild chipotle powder and back off on the amount. For hotter chorizo, up the amount of chipotle or add a pinch of cayenne.

    More Vegan main dishes

    • Vegan Lobster Rolls
    • BBQ Soy Curls
    • Vegan crispy tofu
    • Vegan Stuffed Shells

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jack

      February 03, 2023 at 2:04 am

      Unfortunately I don’t have a food processor at home. Any recommendations as to what to do as an alternative?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        February 03, 2023 at 12:28 pm

        Hmm that is tricky! You can try doing it in the blender, but you may want to do batches. Just pulse small amounts of the ingredients, then mix them together in a large bowl. I'd do the walnuts on their own, the chickpeas in 2-3 batches, then the onion, garlic, and spices could probably go all together. Or mince the onion and garlic by hand and mix with the pulsed chickpeas and walnuts. Be careful not to overland the chickpeas, because you don't want them to turn into hummus!

        Reply
    2. Ginger

      January 13, 2022 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      I had a craving for tacos so I made this tonight. Yum! It’s so quick and simple to make, and packed with flavor and a kick. I put them in hard shells with some homemade nacho cashew cream, taco sauce, lettuce and tomato. So yummy!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        January 14, 2022 at 4:53 pm

        Thank you so much, Ginger! I appreciate you coming back to review, comment, and share how you served it!

        Reply

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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