This Instant Pot Taco Meat is totally vegan and adaptable! This meat alternative is packed with carrots, red onions, and bell peppers for a flavorful filling.
INSTANT POT TACO MEAT RECIPE
I love Mexican food, but I've been trying to make it at home more. This Instant Pot Taco Meat recipe is packed with veggies and made with Beyond Meat for a totally vegan taco filling!
There's a million ways to use this meatless taco meat. Try it on tacos, burritos, or even enchiladas!
INGREDIENTS IN INSTANT POT TACO MEAT
Beyond Meat: I used my favorite protein alternative for this recipe, but you could use ground turkey or beef if you're not vegetarian!
Oil: This is necessary to brown the protein, no matter what you use! Any neutral oil will do.
Red onion: This onion is super sharp when raw, but brings a hint of sweetness when cooked. It's also great for crunch!
Bell pepper: As the name implies, bell pepper adds a peppery touch to your dishes. It's a staple in fajitas for a reason.
Carrots: I'm always sneaking carrots into my dishes for added veggies and nutrients. They're also so sweet mixed with this taco seasoning mix.
Tomato sauce: You need something saucy to bind the taco meat together! You can always use water in a pinch, but tomato sauce adds more sweet flavor.
Cayenne pepper: You can skip this if you don't like it spicy, but I think it also adds a smokey hint.
Turmeric: This is my favorite spice! It's super nutritious and great for so many things, like your joints and heart.
Taco seasoning: This is the base for all that delicious taco flavor! Make it yourself or use a store bought mix.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below, and I will get back to you ASAP!
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT TACO MEAT
- First, heat the oil in your Instant Pot on Sauté Mode and brown your protein.
- Then, add the bell peppers.
- Next, add the carrots.
- Finally, add the red onions.
- Mix it all together with the tomato sauce.
- Sprinkle the seasonings into the mixture and seal your Instant Pot. Set it on High Pressure for 9 minutes. Quick release when the timer stops and serve!
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH INSTANT POT TACO MEAT
Start your Mexican-themed night off right with these Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers! They bake super fast while you make the taco meat. No-oven night!
If you love hands-off side dishes, this Mexican Tater Tot Casserole is super easy to mix together and bakes into a cheesy, comforting side.
I LOVE elote, and this low-calorie Mexican corn on the cob recipe is my favorite. The air fryer cooks this weeknight side dish in just 10 minutes.
Or, you can always keep it simple and make black beans and Spanish rice.
What Can I Add to My Taco Meat?
When you're making vegetarian taco meat, you want it packed with flavor.
Taco seasoning is the base of your flavors. I make my own gluten-free taco seasoning with chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper. You can also add smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, black pepper, or dried oregano to the mix.
The more veggies, the better! Throw in cubed sweet potatoes, corn, zucchini, squash, or even broccoli in the mix! Be sure to keep the dices even so everything cooks together.
How to Store Vegetarian Taco Meat
If you're using beyond meat for this vegetarian Instant Pot Taco Meat, it will last about 3 days in the fridge once cooked. I like to make it on a Monday and use it for meal prep on Tuesday and Wednesday!
It is not recommended to freeze Beyond Meat after cooking, so I just make as much as I need for my taco meat.
MORE YUMMY INSTANT POT RECIPES
Want to add some black beans to your plate, but no time to soak? These Instant Pot Black Beans need no soaking, and they're ready in less than an hour!
Switch up your theme and have a Japanese night with this super simple Instant Pot Ramen. You can dress it up with soft boiled eggs, veggies, and any garnishes you can dream!
Pressure cookers make soups in a flash that taste like they've simmered all day. This Instant Pot Four Bean Chili is one of those recipes!
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Instant Pot Taco Meat
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Beyond Meat or ground beef, or ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce or marinara sauce
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
Instructions
- Put ground protein and oil into Instant Pot. Using sauté function, brown protein. Turn off sauté mode.
- Add diced red onion, bell pepper, sauce, and spices. Stir to combine well.
- Lock lid on Instant Pot and set steam valve to seal. Set timer for 9 minutes on High Pressure.
- When the timer goes off, quick release the steam valve. Be careful!
- Put vegetarian taco meat in a bowl and serve with taco shells, lettuce, cheese, or your favorite toppings.
I make this for my family almost every week now. My kids really love beyond meat, and the flavors here are awesome.
So glad your family loves this instant pot taco meat! We love it too!
Perfect for our busy family! We LOOOVE tacos any time of the week and this made dinner much easier!