Smoky Tempeh Tacos
If there is one food I can eat every day, it is probably tacos. They are delicious, easy to make, and best of all versatile, hence why I don’t get sick of them easily. That being said, I like to fill my tacos with all different kinds of proteins, like the usual chicken and steak, as well as seafood (I love a good fish taco), and even scrambled eggs in the morning for breakfast tacos.
But, I do also like to limit my animal protein intake here and there and get a little plant-based protein into my meals throughout the week. A high consumption of meat, especially red and processed meats, has been linked to a number of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and even premature death. Meanwhile, higher consumption of whole, plant-based foods has been linked to lower risk of such diseases. Plant foods provide a ton of beneficial nutrients, including mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (aka healthy fats), antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fiber and plant protein. One of my favorite plant-based proteins to incorporate into my diet is tempeh.
What is tempeh exactly? It is a cake-like product made from cooked and fermented soybeans. Tempeh has a firm texture (much firmer than tofu), a mild nutty flavor, and is a great source of protein. What is so great about the protein in tempeh is that it is complete protein, meaning it provides all the amino acids our bodies cannot create on their own and must get from food. This is a common attribute in animal proteins, but pretty uncommon for most plant-based proteins. Tempeh also provides a good amount of fiber, iron, vitamins B2, B3, B6, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. Furthermore, fermented foods, like tempeh, are a good source of probiotics, which is super for gut health.
You can find tempeh in most supermarkets, most likely where you’d find tofu. This plant-based protein is a great meat substitute that can be used in a number of dishes. It can easily and deliciously be thrown into salads, stir-fried with vegetables, and ground into taco meat, as seen in the recipe below.
This recipe for vegan taco meat has all the flavor, appearance, and protein of beloved smoky ground beef tacos, minus the meat of course. Buzzing up the tempeh in a food processor is a fantastic (and quick) way to get it to resemble beef crumbles. The spices and seasonings add all the kick and smokiness of classic taco meat, and the tomato sauce adds some needed sauciness. The finished product is one that does not disappoint.
Lets talk about toppings. I wanted to keep these tacos completely vegan, including the toppings. Hands down, a taco is never a taco for me without lime and cilantro. I had some leftover slaw in my fridge, as well as some pickled onions (I make these and ALWAYS have them on hand in the fridge; I’ll add the recipe soon), and a ripe avocado. I like what I like, but feel free to go for whatever toppings you prefer! I think some shredded cheese and a dollop of source cream, vegan or not, would also go great here.
This tempeh taco meat isn’t just for tacos. It would be equally delicious in a burrito, rice bowl, or taco salad.
Smoky Tempeh Tacos
Equipment
- Food processor
- Skillet
Ingredients
For Tempeh Taco Meat
- 1 8 oz package of tempeh, cut into cubes
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup canned tomato sauce
For the Tacos
- 6 corn tortillas
- Optional toppings: avocado, slaw, pickled onions, cilantro, lime
Instructions
- Add the tempeh, ½ Tbsp of olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse everything in the food processor until it resembles coarse ground meat crumbles. This will be your taco meat.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the tempeh taco meat into the skillet and cook for about 6-8 minutes, until it starts to turn brown and crispy.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer taco meat to a bowl if consuming immediately, or allow to cool and then transfer to an airtight container if you plan on eating it later.
- To assemble the tacos, slightly heat up your corn tortillas over a low flame on the stove. Spoon about ¼ cup of taco meat into each tortilla. Finish off with toppings of choice and dig in!