Vegan Tempeh Carne Asada Tacos

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Tempeh. Usually made from fermented soybeans (you can find non-soy tempeh, too), tempeh is a high-protein meat alternative. 
• Vegetable broth and soy sauce. These are the simmering ingredients for the tempeh crumbles. I usually use 2 vegetable stock cubes with 4 cups of water. Use tamari or liquid amino acids for a gluten-free alternative. 
• Beer. I used a Mexican-style beer, but you can use any or substitute with vegetable broth or non-alcoholic beer if desired. 
• Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. I keep a stock of homemade chili powder, which is medium hot plus hot smoked paprika. Use less or milder versions for less spice. Add a few red chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you want it hotter. 

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.

Recipe Variations

• The purpose of simmering tempeh is to tenderize it and to reduce the bitterness that is sometimes prevalent in tempeh. An alternative is to steam tempeh for 20 minutes. I recommend slicing the block into quarters and steaming them, then crumbling or dicing the tender slices.  
• To make vegan carne asada with soy curls, rehydrate them in the asada spices and ½ cup of beer for about 20 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from the marinade, then pan-fry or bake until firm and slightly browned. Soy curls will give a vegan steak vibe, which is delicious in both tacos and burritos. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Crumble the tempeh into bite-sized pieces, then simmer in vegetable broth and soy sauce for 20 minutes. 

Drain the tempeh crumbles. Use the back of a spoon or soft spatula to press the crumbles against the sides of a colander to dry the crumbles as much as possible. 

Heat a skillet or frying pan to medium-high heat and add the tempeh crumbles. Stir them for 1-2 minutes until they start to brown. 

Stir the spices into the tempeh, then add the beer, soy sauce, and lime juice. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates (15 minutes). 

Pro Tips

• Crumble the tempeh by hand. I know it takes a few minutes, but trust me, if you try to break it up with a food processor, it will get mushy and smooth.
• Always heat your skillet or frying pan to at least medium heat before adding ingredients like tempeh (in this case) or veggies. Pan preheating is an essential step, especially when cooking without oil. A hot pan helps keep the ingredients from sticking. 

Serving Suggestions

I initially served tempeh asada tacos with mango salsa and cashew vegan sour cream (you can also make sunflower seed sour cream. All that tucked into homemade corn tortillas - delicious!

I can also recommend (from personal experience) raspberry salsa or chipotle raspberry sauce with spicy vegan queso.

Other favorites include avocado guasacaca and chipotle avocado dressing. For burritos, try easy refried pinto beans from scratch or refried black beans.