Our Best Original Tempeh Tacos

Make the best tempeh tacos using our technique for making perfect crumbled tempeh taco meat with original seasonings and prepare for scrumptious munching.

It’s true. We are taco addicts. Who doesn’t love flavorful ingredients spilling out between the folds of a corn tortilla? Stuffed so full that you can barely get your mouth around it for the first bite? Never mind that some of the yummy tempeh taco fillings spill onto the plate. That’s the fun of tacos as far as I’m concerned.

I’ll fill tortillas with just about anything as long as it's plant-based with pizzazz. I love that you get to pile them in any order you like with as much or as little of any ingredient you fancy. Each bite gets to be your own.

When it comes to tempeh tacos, it’s all about perfect crumbles. When I think about it, when it comes to tempeh stew, stroganoff, burgers, or sausage, the answer is the same – it all starts with making tempeh that tastes good with a great texture.

So, let’s talk tempeh for a minute. If you aren’t familiar, tempeh is soy, just like tofu except that tempeh uses a process of fermenting soybeans. But it just isn't about the beans, tempeh, depending on the brand, can also contain some whole grains, rice, and even other beans. For this reason, you want to have a look at labels when you buy it.

Where to buy tempeh

You’ll usually find tempeh tucked in the cooler by the tofu. Now that it's gone mainstream, tempeh is readily available in many supermarkets. If you run across tempeh with black spots or some discolorations, check the date, but don’t worry, it's just a result of the fermentation process. It's still safe to eat. Once you take it out of the package, it’s good to eat for four to five days.

How tempeh is processed and what, besides soybeans are in that block you just picked up and unwrapped, can impact the flavor. I've found that many kinds of tempeh taste bitter. Even when crumbled, it can be quite firm and resistant to taking on all the delicious flavors and spices you demand of your tacos. For this reason, I always crumble and simmer tempeh in vegetable broth with a shot of soy sauce or Tamari.

Making perfect tempeh crumbles is so easy, it will be your routine in no time. I find it easier to cut the block into pieces and then just crumble away. Add the crumbles, about 5 cups of veggie broth, enough to cover it and simmer without all the liquid evaporating and add a tablespoon or two of soy sauce or Tamari.

As a general rule, I simmer tempeh for about 20 minutes. I call it a 'general' rule because it can vary by 5 minutes on either side of that 20 without a problem. It’s not quite an exact science. The goal is to allow the tempeh to soften and release any bitter flavor.

A crucial step that you don’t want to miss is pressing it a bit in the colander after you drain it. Use the back of a spoon to get more moisture out and create space for the spices. So, remember to press. Don’t go crazy, you don't want bits of tempeh escaping through the holes in the colander. You want tempeh crumbles to add to the pan. No mush. 

Once you have the crumbles ready to roll, tempeh taco filling is minutes away. You know what that means? Tacos!

If you’ve been busy for the 20 minutes of simmering time, you have all your toppings ready, you’ve diced and onion and a jalapeno or two and gathered the following spices and ingredients:

3 Tbsp. Tomato paste (that’s a small can)

1 tsp. maple syrup

1 Tbsp. soy sauce or Tamari (we’re using this for more depth of flavor than salt brings to the table)

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

To make the filling, simply saute the onion and jalapenos until they start to soften, then add the tempeh crumbles. Take a minute at this point to let the tempeh firm up. It will be moist, so it won’t really brown up. I like to add the tomato paste, maple syrup, and soy sauce to get that all mixed in and simmering with the tempeh before adding the spices.

Finally, it’s here! Tacos.

Fill ‘em to brim with savory tempeh taco meat and your favorite toppings. Here are some ideas:

Shredded lettuce

Diced tomatoes

Diced red onions

Escabeche (pickled jalapenos, onions, and carrots)

Vegan sour cream

Black olives

Salsa or pico de gallo

Chipotle cream

Grapefruit salsa

Mango pico de gallo

And there’s just so much more – get creative – and remember, everything is better in a corn tortilla!

Final thoughts

Talking about tacos isn’t nearly as good as eating them. But there's happiness to find in discovering new ways to enjoy one of our favorite foods. And although we frequently fall back on original tempeh tacos (seriously, why wouldn't we?), there is so much more to explore. That’s the exciting part about discovering new ways of eating. The opportunity for new, flavors that become our originals, our favorites, and our fallbacks. This plant-based thing? Not so bad. The eating is great. Dive in! Peace

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