Vegan Ground Beef – Picadillo Style
This flavorful vegan ground beef is hearty, wholesome, and made with just a few simple, whole-food ingredients—walnuts, mushrooms, and lentils. It’s the perfect plant-based alternative for tacos, pasta sauces, stuffed peppers, and more. Packed with protein, texture, and rich umami flavor, this recipe proves you don’t need meat to create something satisfying and delicious!
Servings
4-5 servings
Cooking Time
40 min
Vegan Ground Beef -Picadillo Style
By: Naysha Rivera
This flavorful vegan ground beef is hearty, wholesome, and made with just a few simple, whole-food ingredients. It’s the perfect plant-based alternative for tacos, pasta sauces, stuffed peppers, and more.
Ingredients
Picadillo style ground beef:
- 1 cup raw walnuts, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, then drained
- ½ cup cooked green or brown lentils
- 2 cups finely chopped mushrooms (oyster preferred, or your choice)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp sofrito (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp adobo seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp turmeric (optional)
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or culantro if you have it)
- ¼ cup sliced green olives (optional)
- ¼ cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup veggie broth or water (adjust for moisture)
Notes:
Soak Walnuts: For the best texture and easier blending, make sure to soak your walnuts for 2-3 hours in hot water or at least 1 hour in boiling water. This softens them up, reduces bitterness, and helps create a more cohesive “meaty” texture when combined with the other ingredients.
Osyer Mushroom: I love using oyster mushrooms for their naturally meaty and chewy texture, which really elevates this recipe. But feel free to use any mushrooms you have on hand—like cremini, portobello, or shiitake. Each one will bring its own unique flavor and feel to the dish.
The lentils are optional, but I like to include them for an added boost of plant-based protein and fiber. They also help bulk up the mixture and create a texture that’s even more similar to traditional ground beef. Cooked green or brown lentils work best here
Step by Step Instructions
Pulse:
Soak the Walnuts:
Place 1 cup raw walnuts in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 2–3 hours for best results. If short on time, soak in boiling water for at least 1 hour. Drain well and set aside.
Pulse the soaked walnuts in a food processor until crumbly, like ground meat.
Pulse 2 cups mushrooms (oyster mushrooms preferred) until finely chopped but not mushy.
Set aside ½ cup cooked lentils.
Aromatics:
Sauté Aromatics and Sofrito: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add:
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 tbsp sofrito
- fresh thyme
Cook 5–7 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add Tomato Paste and Seasonings:
Stir in:
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp adobo seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp turmeric (optional)
- ½ tsp black pepper
Cook for 3 minutes or so to release flavors.
Cook:
Add Walnuts and Cook:
Stir in the processed walnuts and cook 20 minutes, letting them toast and soak up the spices. Cover the pan to steam the walnuts, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning in the pan.
Add processed mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring until they release moisture and start to brown.
Add Liquids: Pour in ¼ cup tomato sauce and ¼ cup vegetable broth or water, stirring to combine. Cook for 20 min covered.
Add Lentils and Simmer: Stir in the cooked lentils. Simmer everything together for another 5 minutes, until heated through and saucy.
Finish with Fresh Herbs: Remove from heat and mix in chopped cilantro and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
