One-Pan Plant-Based Protein Carnitas Tacos
Protein that tastes like meat (without the meat)
- Milk
- Wheat
- Soy
At our local taqueria, a carnitas taco (or 5) is one of our go-to orders. After all, who can resist the rich flavor and tender texture of slow-roasted pork? Tonight, we’re creating a quick plant-based version that uses carnitas-style seasonings: chili powder, garlic, and cumin, plus tomato paste for umami-packed richness and poblano pepper for smoky notes. It’s all stuffed into steamy tortillas with Monterey Jack cheese, pickled onion, tomato, and chipotle-lime crema—basically, everything we crave on taco night and then some.
Ingredients
1 unit
Veggie Stock Concentrate
9 ounce
Ground Plant-Based Protein
1 unit
Red Onion
1 teaspoon
Chipotle Powder
1 unit
Tomato Paste
2 tablespoon
Sour Cream
5 teaspoon
White Wine Vinegar
1 unit
Long Green Pepper
1 tablespoon
Fajita Spice Blend
¼ cup
Monterey Jack Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Tomato
1 unit
Lime
6 unit
Flour Tortillas
(Contains: Wheat, Soy)
¼ ounce
Cilantro
Not included in your delivery
2 teaspoon (tsp)
Sugar
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Cooking Oil
2 teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Wash and dry all produce. • Halve and peel onion; very thinly slice one half and finely chop remaining. Core, deseed, and dice poblano into ½-inch pieces. Roughly chop cilantro. Dice tomato. Halve lime; cut one half into wedges.
• In a medium bowl, combine sliced onion, vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, and 1 TBSP water. Stir until sugar and salt are mostly dissolved. • Set aside, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve.
• Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add half the plant-based protein* (all for 4 servings) and season with salt and pepper. Using a spatula, press into an even layer; cook, without stirring, until browned on bottom, 3-4 minutes. • Break up protein into pieces and continue cooking until browned all over and warmed through, 3-4 minutes more. • Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Heat another drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add poblano and chopped onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3-4 minutes. • Return cooked plant-based protein to pan; add Fajita Spice, stock concentrate, and half the tomato paste (all for 4 servings). Cook until fragrant, 1 minute. • Stir in ¼ cup water (1⁄3 cup for 4), bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced and saucy, 2-3 minutes. TIP: If mixture gets too dry, add more splashes of water as needed.
• While filling cooks, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, a squeeze of juice from lime half to taste, and a pinch of chipotle powder (add more to taste if you like things spicy). Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 30 seconds. • Divide tortillas between plates; fill with plant-based protein filling, tomato, Monterey Jack, cilantro, pickled onion (draining first), and crema. (TIP: Alternatively, you can put everything in individual serving bowls and let everyone assemble their own tacos.) Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the taste, praising its similarity to meat; some found it bland or artificial-tasting.
- Ease of prep: Quick and easy to make, with simple one-pan cooking and assembly.
- Suggestions: Consider adding extra seasoning, using the full protein package, and toasting tortillas for more flavor.
- Portions: Some felt the protein amount was insufficient, especially for 4-serving meals; others found it filling.
- Toppings: Pickled onions were a hit; try adding more cheese, guacamole, or pico de gallo for extra flavor.
Reviews from our home cooks
Delicious! I have only one critique: I don't understand why whenever a dish has the plant based protein, we're instructed to only use half. I've gotten meat tacos from HelloFresh, and the instructions are always to use all of it. I just don't get why the difference. So I used all of it because I'm not a coward, used just a little extra seasonings from my cabinet and extra water, all the tomato paste, and it was delightful! So, just my two cents. It makes me feel bad for the 4 serving folks honestly.
We decided to adventurous and tried this to see what the plant based protein tasted like. We were very pleasantly surprised how good it tasted from taking on all the flavors surrounding it. Very savory in a positive way.
I love that this is a one-pot meal and I'm happy to see some plant-based protein! This one is a keeper. I had a little leftover filling and put it in scrambled eggs the next morning. Yummy like that too!
I inadvertently purchased this thinking it was "beef" carnitas vs plant based - missed that somehow. However, I made this dish and didn't tell my family to see what their thoughts were on the taste/flavor and overall opinion. Once they claimed success - I revealed it was plant-based beef. Love an alternate healthy option that happened by accident.
These tacos were absolutely DELICIOUS! I was concerned at first because most plant based meat don't cook well when you add Mexican spices but this was really good.
I liked the taste of the plant-based protein. It was a simple recipe. A little too much oil, so it was kind of messy. Also, the tortillas are too small.
So delicious! I used a little bit more of the plant-based protein than indicated and it turned out amazing. The tacos were hearty and flavorful.
A delicious meal using plant based protein. Time consuming to assemble the tacos but it was worth it
Really enjoyed this meal. Very tasty. Glad there was a plant-based protein in this recipe and not just vegetables. More meals with plant-based protein, please!
Love the plant-based protein. However, I'm sad for you that you think this is enough cheese for 6 tacos, as it needs probably twice the amount you give.
