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Vegan Carnitas Recipe

Make your Meatless Monday special with this scrumptious Vegan Carnitas. In just 30 minutes, hearts of Palm bring a delicious twist to these carnitas tacos—perfect texture and flavor in this easy recipe.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 8 tacos
Calories: 91 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 4 large cloves garlic pressed
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 14.5 oz cans whole hearts of palm, torn into small strips
  • 1 8-count package Old El Paso™ Whole Wheat Taco Boats, warmed
  • Optional Toppings: shredded red cabbage pickled jalapenos, avocado slices, chopped cilantro

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, pressed garlic, brown sugar, oregano, paprika, salt, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
  2. Place the sliced onions in a large pan and set it on the stove over medium-high heat. Allow the onions to sweat as the pan heats up for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned and semi-translucent.
  3. Add the vegetable oil, the whisked marinade, the shredded hearts of palm, and the bay leaves to the pan. Stir well and turn the heat down to medium. Let cook, stirring frequently, until the marinade has absorbed and the hearts of the palm are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
  4. Divide the hearts of palm mixture into the 8 taco boats. Garnish with desired toppings and serve hot.

Notes

  • Today's recipe is sponsored by the wonderful people over at Old El Paso.
  • Use your hands to shred the hearts of the palm as if you were pulling apart string cheese. The inside will be softer than the outside, which provides a nice variety of textures.
  • If you don’t have any liquid smoke, use smoked paprika in place of regular paprika.
  • Store Vegan Carnitas Tacos leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To freeze, transfer the mixture to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
  • To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then warm in a pan over medium heat until hot, or microwave in a microwave-safe dish for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 91kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Sodium 227mg (9%) Potassium 43mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 187IU (4%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 12mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8tacos

Amount Per Serving

Calories 91

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 91kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 227mg 9%
Potassium 43mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 187IU 4%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.