Vegan Tempeh Tacos
If we’re being totally honest, I think we’ve eaten Mexican food every single for the past week. Once the house is stocked with limes, cilantro, and avocado… it’s hard to convince me to eat anything else. So we’ve had everything from this spicy Mexican street corn salad to these black bean enchiladas. Alex and I both enjoy Mexican food, so neither of us will complain if it’s on repeat. Lately, we’ve been hooked on tempeh tacos.
What is tempeh
If you’re not familiar with tempeh, it’s a soy-based product, sort of like tofu but with a different texture. It doesn’t have much flavor on its own but it does a great job of absorbing flavor and sauces. Personally, I think the texture of tempeh is much better than tofu. It’s hearty, chewy, and is a great vegetarian substitute for meat. Plus a 3oz serving of tempeh has 15g of protein and only 170 calories.
If you’re looking for a basic way to prepare tempeh, my vegan tempeh “bacon” recipe is my favorite!
Where to buy tempeh
You can usually find it in the natural food section of the grocery store, near the tofu. My personal favorite brand is Lightlife Three Grain Tempeh because I think it has the best texture. You can also find it at Trader Joe’s!
How to prepare tempeh
I usually follow this recipe to prepare tempeh which is similar to the recipe for these tacos. Tempeh is best when marinated before cooking, but if you forget to marinate in advance it’s ok! Either way, these tacos will be delicious.
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Vegan Tempeh Tacos
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
This makes 6 tacos which could easily serve 2 hungry people.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (or tamari or liquid aminos)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (you can leave this out if you can’t find it, but it adds a great smoky flavor)
- 8 oz tempeh
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 6 taco shells (flour or corn)
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup cooked black beans
- Salsa, cabbage, cilantro, cheese, etc. (optional toppings)
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, and liquid smoke in a shallow dish.
- Slice the tempeh into 1/2″ slices and spread in a single layer into the sauce and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes. If you can marinate it overnight or for a few hours, that’s even better.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the tempeh to the pan in a single layer.
- Cook for 8 minutes or until it begins to brown, then flip over and continue cooking.
- You want both sides to be a little bit charred.
- While the tempeh cooks, dice the avocado and heat up the black beans.
- Once the tempeh is done, assemble your tacos and add any toppings you like.
- Serve immediately.
Keywords: tempeh tacos
Alex added a little sharp cheddar on top of his tempeh tacos. I kept mine vegan and just added a little extra salsa. The cabbage adds a nice crunch but you can skip it if you don’t have any. Also, I know you might not already have liquid smoke in your pantry, but you can usually find it near the barbecue sauce and it is so good. I love adding a little bit in a pot of chili for that earthy, smokey flavor. It’s definitely worth finding!
This made enough tacos for both of us, with just a little bit of tempeh left over. If you added in a side dish, you could feed three. The best part is that the tempeh really keeps you full! These might be my new favorite tacos.
Need the perfect side dish for these tempeh tacos?
Try this spicy Mexican street corn salad!
I’ve never used tempeh before! What a cool idea.. I’ll have to try!
I love tempeh but it’s been years since I’ve had any. This is the perfect recipe to try with it!
★★★★★
The tempeh tacos look delicious. I have not tried tempeh as I wasn’t sure what it would taste like. Now that I know it can be marinaded using flavours you like, I will get some next time I go shopping.
★★★★
This looks soooo good!! I’m obsessed with cilantro and beans on my tacos.
I have never had tempeh before but it sounds interesting with it absorbing flavors well and packing that kind of protein power.
These look so good. Though I’m having to pull back on my tofu and soy intake. Bummer.. but maybe I could make these with portobello mushrooms.. yum.
One of my favorite (soy-free) tacos are these roasted cauliflower tacos! Maybe you could give them a try! 🙂 https://iheartvegetables.com/2015/04/20/roasted-cauliflower-tacos-vegan-gluten-free/
I think I need to make this this week! I actually have Lightlife Tempeh in my fridge right now and I haven’t known what to do with it. This looks so amazing!
Awesome! I hope you give it a try!
Awesome recipe. I have to eat gluten free, so the 3 grain won’t work for me. I know my mom loves it. Great marinade. I love pico de gallo and avocado on my tacos.
★★★★★
I think the original soy tempeh is gluten free! Hopefully that’s a good option 🙂 If not, you should try these roasted cauliflower tacos! They’re vegan + gluten free: https://iheartvegetables.com/2015/04/20/roasted-cauliflower-tacos-vegan-gluten-free/
Let’s hear it for Mexican food on repeat for dinner! Especially if these vegan tempeh tacos are involved! I love that you used tempeh in these tacos! Such a nice change from the regular chicken or ground turkey tacos.
It’s been fun finding new ways to switch up our taco fillings! Usually I just do black beans, but the tempeh was awesome and my husband loved it which is always a good sign!
I have never cooked with tempeh before but that looks delicious!
★★★★★