Easy Chickpea Tacos with Avocado Crema and Cabbage

These 25-minute Vegan Chickpea Tacos are so easy and packed with flavor! The pan-fried, taco-seasoned chickpea “meat” is piled into tortillas with a tangy cabbage slaw and topped with homemade avocado crema. Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 623kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

Ingredients

For the Chickpea Taco “Meat”:

2 15 ounce cans of chickpeas
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
6-8 taco-sized flour or corn tortillas for serving (depends on size)
1 batch of Avocado Crema link other blog post

For the Cabbage Slaw:

3 cups shredded green cabbage about 1/4 head small cabbage
1/4 cup Avocado Crema above
1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pulse the Chickpeas: Drain and rinse the chickpeas well, then transfer them to a clean kitchen towel and pat them dry. Place them in a food processor with an S-blade attachment and pulse 8 to 10 times, or until chopped to your liking. Set aside.
Fry the Tomato Paste: Warm a pan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the tomato paste to the oil and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until the oil turns red in color and is infused with tomato flavor. Add the taco seasoning and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
Cook the Chickpeas: Add the chickpeas and mix well, until evenly combined, then spread the chickpeas out across the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until browned, then mix. Repeat 1-2 more times, until the chickpeas are darkened in color and the mixture is mostly dry, but will still stick together when pressed. (Tip: I recommend making the Avocado Crema during this time!)
Make the Slaw: Add 1/4 cup of the Avocado Crema to a medium bowl along with the vinegar and salt. Add the cabbage to the bowl and use tongs to toss until combined; taste and add additional salt or vinegar, as needed. Set aside.
Warm the Tortillas: Warm a dry skillet or comal over medium heat. Heat both sides of each tortilla for 15 to 30 seconds, until warm and pliable. (You can also wrap your tortillas in a damp paper towel, place on a plate, and microwave for 30 seconds in a pinch)
Serve: Place a generous amount of slaw on the bottom of each tortilla, then top with the chickpea taco meat and an extra dollop or drizzle of the remaining avocado crema. Serve warm; store any leftovers in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Gluten-Free: Use corn tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free. Most taco seasoning mix is gluten-free, but it never hurts to check the ingredients!
Tortillas: This recipe makes 6-8 tacos with “taco-sized” tortillas, or you can also divide it between larger flour tortillas to make burritos. It would also make 12-14 “street taco” tortilla-sized tacos, if you prefer smaller tacos!

Nutrition