Raw and Vegan Tacos with Corn Salsa & Cashew Sour Cream

5 from 4 votes

Raw and vegan tacos are super healthy with greens for wrapping, a spicy, protein-rich walnut “meat”, salsa, and creamy cashew sour cream.

An up close, overhead shot of raw vegan tacos. The tacos are encased in green cabbage and chard leaves and filled with spiced walnut “meat,” corn salsa, chopped cherry tomatoes, slices of avocado, and drizzles of cashew “sour cream.”
A shot of a row of chard growing in between two rows of raspberry bushes on a sunny day.
An overhead shot of ingredients for raw and vegan tacos on a white speckled countertop.


There’s a gal at work who will jokingly proclaim “My body is a temple!” before predictably reaching for something that may or may not promote one’s health (brownie scraps are my favourite example for many reasons). I always laugh because I totally say that kind of hippie BS all the time, but like half seriously. Actually, mostly very seriously haha.

It’s true that at any given time, there are multiple jars of coconut oil open in my house for any and all uses. It’s also true that I use the all natural sandalwood conditioner that donates 47% of its revenue to environmental relief organizations, even though it tangles the heck out of my curly hair. Most of my wardrobe can be described as “flow-y.” I talk about vibes a lot.

All of that is just silly superficial stuff though. I find summertime is when my good habits slip a bit. There are all the obvious reasons and occasions. My entire being is more in the moment in a general sense. I’ve never been one to say no to a patio beer and a salty snack once the sun starts setting. This is a repetitive thing as long as the nights stay warm!

So when I get to a point where I’m craving some freshness, I make myself a really deluxe and mostly raw meal as a bit of a “reset” maneuver. Just everything fresh on a plate. Lots of chewing and savouring and brightness.

Giving tacos the raw treatment isn’t new! Almost any raw restaurant will have a version on its menu, and I will ALWAYS order it. So good. Whether they make a dehydrated tortilla to encase the goodness in or it’s just a simple lettuce wrap, the combination is so satisfying.

There’s some nuts ground into a chunky mixture with spices, some kind of salsa, an avocado component, cashew sour cream, other veg sometimes, lots of lime and flavour. If you have a food processor or blender, it couldn’t be easier to replicate at home either. I decided to make a corn ceviche-ish salsa for mine just to shake things up a bit and add a little sweetness. Don’t regret that move one bit. More great raw-ish, veg heavy recipes in the form of: cauliflower and roasted chickpea salad with avocado, cold veg and mango noodle salad with spicy sesame dressing, and autumn sushi with celery root “rice.”

4 photos: an up close shot of a wrinkly head of cabbage, an up close shot of corn salsa before mixing, an overhead shot of chard leaves having their stems removed on top of a wood cutting board, and an overhead shot of the assembly ingredients for raw and vegan tacos.
A 3/4 angle shot of a platter of raw and vegan tacos, all encased in cabbage and chard leaves.
An overhead shot of a raw and vegan taco inside of a cabbage leaf on top of a light blue plate. The taco features ground up spiced walnut “meat,” corn salsa, a slice of avocado and a bright white squiggle of cashew sour cream.

Raw and Vegan Tacos with Corn Salsa & Cashew Sour Cream

Raw and vegan tacos are super healthy with greens for wrapping, a spicy, protein-rich walnut “meat”, salsa, and creamy cashew sour cream.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients

Corn Ceviche Salsa

  • 2 cobs corn, kernels removed
  • cup lime juice
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ cup finely diced red onion
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
  • small handful chopped cilantro

Spiced Walnut “Meat”

  • 1 heaped cup mixed raw nuts and seeds (I used walnuts, almonds + sunflower seeds)
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon coconut aminos

Assembly

  • 1 small cabbage, leaves removed and cut into “shells”
  • 6-8 chard or romaine leaves, cut into palm-size pieces
  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
  • lime wedges
  • extra taco seasoning
  • extra chopped cilantro
  • vegan sour cream, for serving

Notes

  • You could probably swing the cashew sour cream in a food processor instead of a blender. Just might be a touch more chunky–still so tasty though!

Instructions

  • Make the corn salsa: in a medium bowl, combine the corn kernels, lime juice, salt + pepper and red onion. Toss to combine. Let this sit for a while, about 15 minutes, stirring here and there. Add the tomatoes and cilantro and stir to combine. Check the mixture for seasoning and set aside.
  • Make the cashew sour cream: drain the cashews and place them in a blender pitcher. Add all of the other ingredients and blend on high until a smooth paste is achieved. You may have to scrape down the sides a couple times and add some extra water. Once the mixture is smooth and tasting creamy and slightly sour, store it in a bowl or squeeze bottle in the fridge.
  • Make the spicy nut and seed crumble: throw all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse the mixture until a chunky paste forms. Season it to your liking, scrape into a bowl and set aside.
  • To serve: lay the cabbage leaves on a platter. Line them with the chard pieces. Divide the spicy nut + seed mixture among the shells. Then, scoop some corn salsa into each shell as well (there will probably be extra). Garnish each taco with some sliced avocado, cashew sour cream, a little dusting of chili and some extra cilantro. Enjoy!
25/07/2013 (Last Updated: 25/07/2013)
Posted in: appetizer, autumn, cashews, creamy, earthy, gluten free, grain-free, main course, quick, raw, refined sugar-free, salty, sauce, smoky, sour, spicy, spring, summer, tomatoes, vegan, winter
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