On the fence about tempeh? Let me introduce you to the game-changing taco that converted a slew of die-hard tempeh-haters (not a joke—check out my YouTube video below ⤵️).
These Tempeh Tacos are sensational: savory, crispy tempeh crumbles, brightly seasoned, join quick-pickled veggies and a luscious homemade avocado crema in charred corn tortillas.
With balanced layers of tang, spice, umami, and freshness in a crowd-pleasing 40-minute meal (that just happens to be incredibly nutrient-dense), get ready to fall in love with Taco Tuesday → Tempeh Taco Tuesday.
New to tempeh? I’ve compiled everything you need to know about this superstar plant protein in my Complete Guide to Tempeh, from what it is and how it’s different from tofu, to my favorite (beginner-friendly!) ways to cook it!
Taste-tested by tempeh-haters 💪🏽
In this video (that racked up over 300k views on my YouTube channel!), I attempt to convert self-identifying tempeh-haters by having them make these tacos. Does it work? Click to see for yourself 👀
Ingredient notes
- Tempeh: Tempeh is a perfect candidate for vegan taco meat because it crumbles similarly to ground meat and soaks up flavor like a sponge! Look for the version that says “original” as opposed to anything that is flavored or anything that says “three grain.”
- Soy sauce + lime juice: These two ingredients are all you need to season the tempeh taco meat. Between the tempeh and the crema, you’ll likely need 3 medium limes or 2 large juicy limes.
For my gluten-free friends, this is the only ingredient you’ll need to sub—use tamari instead of soy sauce. Otherwise, this recipe is naturally gluten-free!
- Pickled shallots and chile peppers: Do not skip the pickled stuff! Quickly pickling shallots and chile peppers (like fresno chiles or jalapeños) in vinegar and maple syrup adds a burst of brightness, vibrancy, and a touch of sweetness to every bite.
- Avocados: AKA the heart of the quick and cooling vegan avocado crema that makes these tacos sublime and does three critical jobs: (1) it tones down the spice level, (2) it keeps the tempeh in place, and (3) it adds a creamy textural contrast to the crispy tempeh. Scroll down to the Tips section to learn how to expertly store a big batch without it turning brown.
- Vegan sour cream: In the RPL kitchen, our favorite vegan sour creams are from Kite Hill Foods, Tofutti, or Follow Your Heart. For tangy coconut yogurts, we like Culina, Cocojune, and GT’s CocoYo.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas are best here, but you can use flour tortillas if that’s what you’ve got on hand (though the recipe will no longer be gluten-free).
Step-by-step instructions
Stir the chile peppers, shallot, vinegar, maple syrup, and salt together in a small jar. Set it aside and let the mixture macerate while you work on everything else.
Make the tempeh taco meat. Crumble the tempeh into very small pieces.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Once it begins to smoke, add the crumbled tempeh in a single layer and cook until it’s golden brown and crisp.
Transfer the crispy tempeh crumbles to a paper towel-lined surface. Blot them dry to remove any excess oil.
Once they’re a bit cool, place them in a bowl and pour the soy sauce and lime juice over top. Toss to coat.
Make the avocado crema. Pulse the avocado flesh, sour cream or yogurt, lime juice, cumin, cilantro, salt, and pepper together in a food processor until creamy. Season to taste with salt, pepper, or lime juice.
Char the tortillas. If you have a gas stove, use tongs to lightly char the tortillas over a low flame. Alternatively, warm the tortillas in a skillet until they’re pliable (about 20 to 30 seconds per side). Stack and wrap the charred tortillas in a dish towel to keep them warm and pliable.
Assemble the tacos. Spread a dollop of crema onto each tortilla. Top with fried tempeh, then the pickled shallots and peppers. A dash of the pickling liquid on top makes them extra tasty! Finish with fresh cilantro and lime juice, then serve!
Tips for making this recipe
Make extra avocado crema
It takes hardly any effort to double the crema recipe, and the return on investment is huge. Avocado crema is as versatile as it is delicious. Try it on virtually any taco or burrito, on grain bowls or taco salads, spooned over roasted veggies—go wild!
The smaller the crumbles, the better
Use your hands to crumble the tempeh into very fine pieces, about the size of a pine nut. The smaller the pieces, the crispier they get and less dense/chewy they feel.
Looking for more wildly-good tempeh recipes? Check out my Indonesian Tempeh Kecap stir-fry, BBQ Tempeh, Tempeh Bacon, or the Hearty Tempeh Chili from The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook!
Tailor to your spice level
For all my heat-seekers out there, add a third fresno or jalapeño pepper to the pickled pepper mixture, or add half a pepper to the avocado crema if you really want to feel the burn.
And if you’re on the baby-mouth end of the spectrum (no shame!!), use just one chile pepper in the pickled pepper/shallot mixture.
Char the tortillas
Charring the tortillas over an open flame (or in a skillet) makes them chewy and a little crispy, adding extra textural dimension to the tacos. It also firms up the texture, making them a sturdier vessel for holding all of the toppings.
Craving more tortilla-wrapped goodness? We’ve got taco options for days here at RPL: try my 20-Minute Chickpea Tacos, Ultimate Vegan Tacos, Crispy Black Bean Tacos, Lentil Tacos with Avocado Crema, or Crispy Spicy Cauliflower Tacos with Jicama-Carrot Slaw!
How to store leftovers
Store all components (tempeh, pickled vegetables, crema) separately in airtight containers or jars in the fridge. The tempeh should stay good for 5 days, the crema 4 to 5 days, and the pickled vegetables for a few weeks.
To keep the crema fresh as long as possible, save one of the avocado pits. Store the pit on top of the crema, seal the jar or close the lid, and refrigerate. I learned this handy tip from my lovely friend Edgar Castrejón in his cookbook, Provecho, where you’ll find even more incredible vegan Mexican recipes.
Reheat leftover tempeh in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until warmed through.
Introducing
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Tempeh Tacos
Ingredients
Pickled stuff
- 2 Fresno chile peppers or jalapeños, sliced thinly (See Note 1)
- 1 large shallot, sliced as thinly as you can
- ½ cup (125 mL) distilled white vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- Kosher salt
Crispy Tempeh
- 2 (8-ounce/227g) blocks of tempeh
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil, or other neutral-flavored high-heat oil
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (See Note 2)
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Avocado crema
- 2 small or 1 extra large ripe avocado
- ¼ cup (60g) vegan sour cream or tangy coconut yogurt (See Note 3)
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (See Note 4)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ cup (12g) cilantro leaves and tender stems
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
For serving
- 12 corn tortillas
- A handful of cilantro, chopped (optional)
- Lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Pickle the vegetables. In a small jar (about 8 ounces or 240 mL), combine the chile peppers, shallot, vinegar, maple syrup, and sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt. Seal and set aside to macerate while you make everything else (at least 15 minutes). Be sure to gently shake the jar a few times for even distribution.
- Use your hands to crumble the tempeh into very small pieces, ideally around the size of a pine nut (the smaller the pieces, the crispier the tempeh gets).
- Open some windows for ventilation and line a large surface with a few paper towels.
- Cook the tempeh. Heat a 12-inch (or larger) nonstick frying pan with the avocado oil over medium-high to high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add the tempeh and arrange it in a single layer as much as possible. Cook for 2 minutes undisturbed, then toss and continue cooking for a total of 12 to 14 minutes, stirring every 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until mostly golden brown and crisp (some pieces will get brown before others, that’s okay).
- Transfer the tempeh to a paper-towel lined surface to blot out excess oil and season with a couple pinches of salt. Once the tempeh has cooled off a bit, transfer it all to a bowl. Add in the soy sauce and lime juice, and toss to coat the tempeh.
- While the tempeh is cooking, make the avocado crema. In a food processor bowl, add the avocado flesh, sour cream or yogurt, garlic, lime juice, cumin, cilantro, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and several cracks of pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as you go. Season to taste, adding more lime juice or salt and pepper as desired. (See Note 5)
- Char the corn tortillas. If you have a gas stove, turn a burner to medium-low and use tongs to place the tortilla directly over the flame, 10 to 20 seconds per side until charred, in spots. Or, you can add each tortilla to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 15 to 30 seconds per side. Stack and wrap charred tortillas in a dish towel to keep them warm.
- Assemble the tacos. Dollop some crema onto each charred tortilla and spread out. Top with fried tempeh and spoon some pickled shallots and peppers on top, adding a spoon of the pickling liquid onto each taco. If desired, sprinkle a bit of cilantro onto each taco, and if you have a leftover lime, serve the tacos with lime wedges.
Video
Notes
- For a spicier version, use three chile peppers (quick pickling the peppers mellows their heat). For a mild version, use one pepper.
- Use tamari to keep the recipe gluten-free. Also check the label of your corn tortillas (most are GF).
- Our favorite brands of vegan sour cream are Kite Hill Foods, Tofutti, and Follow Your Heart. For tangy coconut yogurts, we like Culina, CocoJune, and GT’s Cocoyo.
- Between the lime juice in the tempeh and in the crema, you’ll likely need 3 medium limes or 2 large juicy limes.
- You may have leftover avocado crema, depending on how much you add to each taco.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this? Leave a rating below!Recipe: Nisha Vora / Rainbow Plant Life | Photography: Rosana Guay
Everything that I read about Tempeh. Is that it needs to be steamed for 15 minutes before you can do anything to it. As that is when it, the bitterness is leached out.
Hi Traci, we find it isn’t necessary to steam the tempeh ahead of time in this recipe because not only does the tempeh get cooked, but the that natural bitterness goes away when tempeh is lightly seasoned with soy sauce and lime juice, as savory saltiness and acidity are great balancers of bitter flavors. The pickled vegetables also help balance any bitter flavor that may remain.
Nisha, you’ve done it again! WOW delish. The flavors complement each other while holding their own. Thanks for another quick, satisfying meal
Cheyenne, thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tacos.
So delicious, the best way to use tempeh!
We’re so glad you think so, Kat! Thanks for the review!