Crunchy, spicy, and loaded with flavor, these crowd-pleasing black bean and tempeh tacos are simple to make and taste as great as they look. Whether you use canned black beans or cook them from scratch, you’ll love this crunchy recipe loaded with fiber and bursting with flavor.
Tempeh is available in a variety of forms; you’ll find some made with all soybeans and others with a mix of grains. Either way, you’ll and up with a nice hearty filling for your vegan tacos. And it’s incredibly nutritious, too.
Want more ideas for using tempeh? Here are other ways I like to use it:
Black Bean and Tempeh Tacos
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 8 tacos
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 8 ounces unseasoned tempeh
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (use tamari for a gluten-free result)
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- few tablespoons water if needed
For the slaw:
- 5 cups shredded green or red cabbage
- 2 cups thinly sliced red pepper
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds removed
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
For the salsa:
- 4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small white onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed and sliced (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
8 taco shells
Extra finely chopped white onion for topping
Instructions
Prepare the salsa by combining all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the cabbage slaw by combining all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the black bean and tempeh filling, grate the tempeh with a box grater. Heat the olive oil until just shimmering in a large non-stick skillet. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds (don't let it burn). Add the soy sauce and the tempeh and stir until combined. Add the black beans, turn down the heat to medium-low. Add the taco seasoning and stir well again. Cook the mixture for about 5-7 minutes, stirring from the bottom to keep it from sticking. Add water by the tablespoon if the mixture is sticking.
Cover the pan and keep warm until ready to make the tacos.
Heat each shell in a low oven or toaster oven for about 10 seconds. Fill each taco with the black bean and tempeh mixture and top with the cabbage slaw, salsa, and onions if desired.
Notes
Taco seasoning can be made simply by mixing:
1 tablespoon of mild chili powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Store unused seasoning in a tightly lidded jar.
When chopping jalapeno peppers, wear gloves! Even if you have a mild pepper, the oil remains on your hands even after washing and can easily irritate your eyes if you touch your eyes. If you're not sure how hot your jalapeno is, just taste a small piece. Homegrown jalapenos are often much hotter than supermarket varieties. It's the white vein section that holds the most heat, so if it seems too hot, slice out the white vein and seeds.
Courses Main Dishes
3
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