Tempeh Tacos

By Ali Slagle

Updated Jan. 14, 2022

Tempeh Tacos
Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(1,207)
Comments
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Hard-shell tacos, or tacos dorados, have a long history in northern Mexico and immigrant communities in California and Texas. In 1951, Glen Bell added them to the menu of his drive-in stand in San Bernardino, Calif. He would go on to found (you guessed it) Taco Bell, the fast food chain, which would help popularize hard-shell tacos in the United States. While the typical hard-shell taco is made by piling spiced and saucy ground meat and a party of toppings into a shatteringly crisp shell, this vegan version calls for tempeh. Tempeh is made by fermenting cooked soybeans into a spongelike cake with a porous structure that browns, crumbles and soaks up big flavors incredibly well. Here, it’s seasoned with well-toasted tomato paste, ground cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika, as well as nutritional yeast for added umami. That said, the recipe can also be made with vegan store-bought meat crumbles if you prefer.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed or sunflower), plus more as needed
  • 2(8-ounce) packages tempeh, crumbled into roughly ½-inch pieces
  • 1large yellow onion, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 3tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2teaspoons chili powder
  • 1½teaspoons nutritional yeast
  • 1teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1teaspoon red hot sauce, plus more to taste (optional)
  • 12hard taco shells, warmed
  • Desired toppings, see Tip
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

504 calories; 28 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 26 grams protein; 499 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the tempeh and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, undisturbed, until deep brown, 2 minutes. Stir and cook until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Add more oil as needed if the pan looks dry.

  2. Step 2

    Add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, nutritional yeast and smoked paprika. Season with salt and cook, stirring constantly, until brick red and beginning to stick to the skillet, 5 to 7 minutes. Try not to rush this step; if it begins to burn, deglaze with a bit of water and reduce the heat.

  3. Step 3

    Add 1 cup water and the hot sauce, if using. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until thickened and the mixture is sizzling, 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and hot sauce.

  4. Step 4

    Divide the filling between the taco shells, then top with chosen toppings.

Tip
  • Great toppings include, but are not limited to: Nutritional yeast, grated Cheddar or Jack cheese, lime, shredded lettuce, chopped white onion, pico de gallo, sour cream, cashew crema, sliced jalapeños, cilantro and avocado.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,207 user ratings
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Comments

Julia in NC

If you steam for 5 minutes, it takes the bitter flavor away.

reverberant

If you haven’t made tacos with lentils before, try it! Cooked lentils are great as a substitute in taco recipes that call for ground turkey or beef. I haven’t tried it yet in this recipe but think it would work.

Sue

A hit! We topped this with cashew crema: 1 cup of raw cashews, 3/4 cup water, lemon juice and salt to taste. Whirl in a high-speed blender for a few minutes. Shout out to Trader Joe's - taco shells, tempeh, onions, salsa. Everything we needed plus Mexican beer.

Jimmi

I did the recipe as written but my tempeh came out looking like baked beans, nevertheless it tasted quite good!

Patty

These were incredible! I've been introducing my husband to tempeh and in the past I've made him tacos from another website, which he thought were good. But this recipe was amazing! I steamed the tempeh ahead of time, as people have suggested - it was a game-changer. The sauciness of the tempeh was wonderful and reminded me of the Easy (beef) Burritos, which I've made twice for the meat-eaters in my family. We're looking forward to making these tempeh tacos again and again.

Kate

This is the easiest recipe in the world and such a hit. After you chop the onions and the toppings, it comes together in less than 15 minutes. A gem.

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