Easy Vegan Tacos
These vegan tacos are packed with creamy avocado and tender, flavorful chickpeas! Ready in under 20 minutes with no cooking heat required, they’re a hearty, nutritious, and totally satisfying plant-based meal the whole family will love.
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A Note from Kim
Taco Night, Made Easy (and Meatless!)
Vegan tacos are one of my favorite ways to make a veggie meal feel hearty and satisfying. I often get asked how to create plant-based dishes that actually hit the spot, and my answer is usually simple: put good stuff in a tortilla! Roasted vegetables, beans, hummus, eggs, or any fun toppings you love, anything goes when I’m throwing together tacos.
Taco night is always a favorite in my house, and I love that this meatless version comes together so quick and easy. They’re perfect for busy weeknights or a laid-back lunch, and I love that there’s no need to heat up the filling!
With love (and lots of good eats), 
We made this tonight and it was divine! My husband and I recently went vegan and this was the perfect meal for us. (We were in a little boredom slump with the meals). This one really reinvigorated us. Thank you!
— Michelle
Ingredients for Vegan Tacos
This vegan taco recipe comes together in no time and is packed with simple, wholesome ingredients like tender chickpeas, crunchy slaw and creamy avocado. Everything you need is fresh, flavorful, and ready to assemble for a quick, tasty meal.
You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card, below.
- Chickpeas: Tender, protein- and fiber-packed, these little legumes bring a nutritious boost and plenty of flavor to every bite.
- Avocado: Creamy, dreamy, and naturally delicious!
- Slaw: Brings crunch and a pop of freshness.
- Fresh cilantro: Bursts of herbal flavor that take these chickpea tacos up a notch. (Not a fan? Totally fine to skip!)
- Red pepper flakes: Just the right amount of heat to add a little zing. Swap in other favorite spices, Trader Joe’s Chile Lime is amazing, too!
- Tortillas: Soft, warm, and ready to hold all the goodness. Use gluten-free tortillas, if needed.
- Taco toppings: This is your playground, pile on whatever you love for extra flavor and fun!
Build-It-Your-Way
I love these vegan tacos as-is, but they are completely customizable. You can easily adapt this recipe and add whatever ingredients you have on hand or love!
- Vegetarian “meats”: Try tofu, tempeh, vegan taco meat or your favorite plant-based meat substitutes for a protein-packed twist.
- Fresh, sautéed, or roasted vegetables: Add zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, spinach, kale, sweet potatoes, or cauliflower for extra flavor and texture.
- Nuts and seeds: Sprinkle in walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds for a little crunch and healthy fats.
- Grains: Boost the meal with quinoa, wild rice, brown rice, or yellow rice.
- Beans: Swap the chickpeas for black beans, red kidney beans, or pinto beans for a simple variation that’s just as delicious.
How to Make Vegan Tacos
Jump down to the recipe card for printable instructions and to watch the how-to video.
Step 1: Mix filling. Stir and lightly mash together chickpeas, avocado, cilantro, slaw, salt, black pepper and seasoning.
Step 2: Assemble. Add the chickpea mixture to flour or corn tortillas or lettuce leaves. For brightness, I like to add a drizzle of sriracha sauce, a squirt of lime juice and some crumbled fresh Queso Fresco.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! These are great to meal prep for lunch. You can mix the chickpea filling ahead of time and assemble the tacos when you’re ready to eat. I recommend squeezing with a little lime or lemon juice to keep the avocado from browning.
Store the chickpea mixture and toppings separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Try salsa, pickled onions, vegan cheese, lime wedges, simple guacamole, diced red onion, or fresh herbs, get creative!
Serving Suggestions
- Tortillas: Warm tortilla in a pan on the stove, on the grill, or in the microwave for a soft, flexible base.
- Toppings: Layer on the chickpeas, avocado, slaw, and your favorite toppings like salsa, mango salsa, pico de Gallo, jalapeños, lime wedges, or a sprinkle of seeds or nuts.
- Pairings: Pair your vegan tacos with simple, delicious sides like roasted potatoes, air-fried green beans, cilantro lime rice, cauliflower rice or a fresh salad.
- Extras: For amazing taste, finish with a drizzle of hot sauce, chipotle ranch, vegan crema, or a squeeze of fresh lime.
More Delicious Taco Recipes
If you try this vegan taco recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Easy Vegan Tacos
Ingredients
For the taco filling:
- 1 (15 oz) can drained and rinsed chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 1 ripe mashed avocado
- 1/3 cup fresh finely chopped cilantro, tough stems removed
- 1 cup shredded slaw mix or thinly chopped cabbage and carrots
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or other seasoning that you enjoy
- 1/4 teaspoon salt + more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper + more to taste
Optional extras:
- 5 corn tortillas or large leaves of romaine
- crumbled Queso Fresco or other type of cheese
- sliced jalapeños
- sriracha sauce or salsa
- fresh cilantro
- squeeze of lime juice
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Instructions
- Combine 1 (15 oz) can drained and rinsed chickpeas (garbanzo beans), 1 ripe mashed avocado, 1/3 cup fresh finely chopped cilantro, 1 cup shredded slaw mix or thinly chopped cabbage and carrots, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or other seasoning that you enjoy, 1/4 teaspoon salt + more to taste, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper + more to taste in a bowl and lightly mash/combine until everything is well incorporated. Mash chickpeas as much or as little as you prefer.
- Scoop about 1/2 cup of the filling mixture into each tortilla or lettuce leaf. You can also enjoy as a dip with tortilla chips. If desired, drizzle with sriracha sauce, a squeeze of lime juice and add any other favorite extras. Enjoy!
Notes
*Optional tortillas and toppings not calculated into nutritional info.
*I like to heat my tortilla in a large skillet for about 30-45 seconds on each side. This recipe was originally published on 2/21/17. It was republished on 6/2/20 and again on 2/1/26 with new content.
Did you make this recipe?
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this was sooo good! i would have never thought of this way to use these chickpeas (that i’m getting used to..lol).
So thrilled you enjoyed! Thanks for your comment!
This. Was. Bomb. I didn’t miss meat or cheese in this taco and have since used the filling as a dip with tortilla chips and a salad topping too!
This is seriously so good. Total perfection, wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you!!
These Chickpea Tacos were absolutely amazing! I love that they are loaded with veggies and easily gluten free. And who can pass up a meal that doesn’t require cooking?! Will be making these all summer long!
THESE WERE SO DELICIOUS! I will 100% be making these again and again!
This was a delicious surprise! Of course it looked great but I have tried a lot of recipes that I’ve found on Pinterest that did not perform lol This will now be a new staple at our house. Cheers to this super tasty, quick and easy recipe. Moving forward we will be trying other recipes that you’ve posted!
This is my favorite “I don’t want to cook, but I need to cook” dinner. So easy, fast, and delicious. Also, the first vegetarian taco that wasn’t good “for a vegetarian taco.” Straight up delicious without the qualifier and a new addition to my weekly meal plans.
I’ve made these several times now and absolutely love them! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
I don’t usually comment on recipes, but these were so good! Thanks so much, it is a delicious recipe! The entire family loves it!
This was such a simple and tasty meal! I was even able to get my kids to eat this and sneak in some extra veggies! Thanks for another great recipe!
This is the best recipe I’ve made in a really long time. Thank you for creating and sharing it! Please keep doing what you are doing.
This is an absolute FAVORITE in our house. I have shared this recipe with so many people. My husband’s comment was “I wouldn’t have known it was vegan if you didn’t tell me!”
Such a delicious recipe. Great for vegans and meat lovers. It had so much flavor meat eaters wont even notice!
Yum! We loved these! Easy and very tasty!
We made this tonight and it was divine! My husband and I recently went vegan and this was the perfect meal for us. (We were in a little boredom slump with the meals). This one really reinvigorated us. Thank you!
We loved these tacos! So easy and tasty!
These tacos were so refreshing and delicious! My whole family enjoyed and I’ll definitely be making again!
These look delicious and I love that they are so quick to put together and require no baking. They are also very festive looking with all of the colors. My daughter tries to eat as little meat as possible and this would be another great addition to her menus.