Taco Bell’s Vegan Fast Food Menu Just Got Meatier

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(Updated January 6, 2020) 

Taco Bell is set to launch vegan meat made from pulled oats and legumes just in time for Veganuary.

The plant-based meat, called Pulled Oats, is made by Helsinki-based brand Gold&Green Foods. Starting January 7, it will be available on all 53 Taco Bell UK menus.

The new vegan meat features a taste and texture that’s similar to real ground beef. According to Gold&Green, it’s made with “simple and wholesome ingredients.” These include oats, legumes, yellow peas, and seasoning.

From burritos to tacos and quesadillas, the plant-based meat can be used to substitute animal-based meat in any menu item. 

Lucy Dee, Taco Bell UK’s marketing lead, said in a statement:
“At Taco Bell, we pride ourselves on being a place where every lifestyle can find exactly what they’re craving. So, whether you’re a vegetarian, flexitarian, or just fancy trying something new, we can provide you with flavorsome meat-free offering you’ll love.”

She added: “We can’t wait to launch the new plant-based protein across all of our UK restaurants and offer our customers the choice to go meat-free for January and beyond.”

Taco Bell first served up Gold&Green’s Pulled Oats in 2017.

Gold&Green Foods’ Vegan Meat

Taco Bell UK’s launch of the oat meat follows a successful test run in other countries. The vegan meat was first served at Finland’s first Taco Bell in November 2017.

Taco Bell trialed the oat-based meat in the UK in May 2019 during National Vegetarian Week.

The following July, the pulled oats made their way to Taco Bell Spain. The vegan meat became a permanent addition to the menu and can replace meat in any dish. While Gold&Green Foods’ oat-based protein is meat-free, Taco Bell Spain marinates the plant-based meat in a vegetarian sauce.

Vegan Food at Taco Bell

The oat-based meat isn’t Taco Bell’s first vegan offering.

In December 2019, Taco Bell China launched a limited-edition crunchy taco filled with OmniPork, a Hong Kong-based vegan pork brand. The vegan pork is made from shiitake mushrooms, pea protein, soy protein, and rice protein. 

In June 2020, Taco Bell China also announced a new partnership with California-based vegan meat brand Beyond Meat. From June 3-10, Taco Bells in the region launched a taco made with the Beyond Burger patty at three stores in Shanghai.

This post was last modified on January 6, 2021 1:17 pm

Audrey Enjoli

Audrey writes about sustainability, food, and entertainment. She has a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and political science.

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Audrey Enjoli