Tacos are one of my favorite foods ever. Well, to be clear, Mexican food is my favorite cuisine, and tacos are way up there on the list. Unfortunately, Mexican food has a reputation for being one of the unhealthiest out there. Fear not! I’m here to change all of that. As my followers know, I love making over foods with a healthy twist, and usually with a vegan spin. Behold — the tempeh taco! Feel free to experiment with different toppings and seasonings. You can even set your dinner up buffet-style and let people build their own taco creations. Endless possibilities!
If you’re not familiar with tempeh, it is a sort of cake made of compressed soybeans. It is gluten-free, cholesterol-free, packed with protein , and has basically no flavor on its own. This makes it incredibly versatile for everything from tacos to vegetarian chili to veggie burgers. The package looks something like this:
Spicy Marinated Tempeh Tacos
Serves 3 (or two if you’re really hungry!)
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 package tempeh
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 Tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce
- 6 small corn tortillas (soft or crunchy; I prefer them soft) or 4 soft taco-size flour tortillas
Toppings
- Shredded Napa cabbage
- Guacamole or chopped avocado
- Sauteed mushrooms, peppers, and/or onions
- Taco sauce
- Salsa
- Cilantro
- Vegan shredded cheese, such as Daiya
- Cashew cheese (see my mac n’ cheese recipe for how to make this)
Directions: Cut the tempeh in half lengthwise, then cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide. Place in a shallow bowl and add the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and sriracha. Set aside and let it do its thing for a few minutes.
Heat 1 Tbsp of good olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. While oil is heating, chop cabbage and other desired toppings. When pan is hot, add tempeh in a single layer, stirring every minute or so. Cook about 5 minutes until most of sauce is absorbed, like so:
Quickly toast the tortillas in the toaster oven until warm but firm enough to hold your toppings. Add whatever you like and chow down!
My style: cabbage, sauteed mushrooms and onions, cheddar-style Daiya, and cilantro. I also used flour tortillas because that’s what I had in the house at the time. This is okay 😉
Eat Like Jean 