These chorizo tempeh tacos are a great plant-based option when you don't want meat for dinner. Packed with protein, tempeh has a great texture, and unique flavor, and works well as a meat alternative. These roasted vegetable tacos come together with minimal prep, making them perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
Recipe: $11.90 | Per Serving: $2.38 | Yield: 16 tacos (about 5+ servings)
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I love a veggie taco, but I don't love a low-protein taco and I don't love a highly processed meat alternative taco. These babies highlight a traditionally fermented food (tempeh), paired with a rainbow of vegetables, and my homemade chorizo sausage seasoning.
As you know from this blog, I do not advocate for or follow a plant-only diet, but I do love a very plant-forward diet!
I have always liked tempeh for its nutty and tangy flavor, but it also happens to be a fermented bean product, which means it’s also full of gut-friendly probiotics. It’s also a good source of protein, with about 18 grams of protein in a 3-ounce serving. And in the end, it makes a terrific vegan chorizo perfect for tacos!
Looking for more veggie-forward tacos? Try these vegan cauliflower and black bean tacos next!
Why You Will Love This Tempeh Tacos Recipe
- Meatless Alternative. The consistency of the tempeh works well as a replacement for ground meat typically served in tacos while the refried beans and veggies add flavor, texture, and nutrition!
- Easy to Make. Roasting the vegetables takes a bit of time but it's mostly hands-off and all your left to do is cook the tempeh chorizo. The tempeh chorizo can be made in advance!
- Great Flavors. From my homemade chorizo seasoning to the combination of vegetables, tempeh, beans, and toppings, these tacos taste amazing and are very satisfying.
What is Tempeh?
Tempeh is a fermented soybean product from Indonesia that is now popular around the world. In Baili, it's often served fried and salted (which is delicious).
I like to crumble it and stir-fry it with spices, or slice it and sear it before dousing it in a delicious sauce like teriyaki, all-purpose stir fry sauce, or an orange glaze. It’s also delicious pan-fried in ghee with chili flakes and garlic!
Ingredients
Here's a look at what you need to make tempeh chorizo tacos!
- Sweet potato: I prefer these tempeh tacos with yellow or Japanese sweet potatoes (rather than orange) sweet potatoes. But, orange is ok too if that's all you have.
- Veggies: Red bell pepper and red onion provide sweetness and color. Feel free to use other colors of these veggies!
- Jalapeño pepper: Tacos need some heat!! You can use a different chili or skip it if you prefer your tacos on the mild side of things. I usually keep the seeds for a hint of spice.
- Olive oil: Just a bit to coat the vegetables and sweet potatoes. This keeps them moist and aids in their cooking.
- Seasoning: Cumin, oregano, and salt enhance the flavor of the vegetables. :)
- Homemade chorizo seasoning: This seasoning blend is going to flavor the tempeh crumbles, transforming them into a meat-free taco meat that tastes great.
- Tempeh: Look for this in the refrigerator section of large well-stocked grocery stores or health food stores. You can also find it at Asian markets. A lot of tempeh contains wheat so be sure to check for gluten-free if you need it.
- Refried black beans: An easy way to boost the protein but it also contributes some texture and flavor. You can also use a homemade bean dip like this black bean dip. I chose black beans for the color, but pinto works well too!
- Tortillas: You can use corn tortillas or any other tortillas you prefer. Experiment with cassava tortillas or sprouted whole wheat tortillas.
- Toppings: Really it's up to you but I highly recommend some freshly squeezed lime juice, avocado, salsa, and cilantro. For a creamy texture, go for guacamole and Mexican crema!
Dietary Modifications and Variations
- Gluten-Free: Make sure your tempeh and tortillas are gluten-free and you should be good to go.
- Add Some Meat: You can easily replace the tempeh taco meat with your favorite ground meat. Cook it with the chorizo seasoning for added flavor in a skillet until it's no longer pink. Ground pork and ground turkey are my favorites here.
- Add Veggies: You can add more or swap out the bell pepper and onions for other vegetables if you want, such as zucchini or corn.
- Smoky Kick of Heat: Add a spoonful of the sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo to the tempeh for a kick of heat.
- Vegan and Vegetarian: Just make sure to choose vegetarian refried beans to keep this plant-based.
How to Make Tempeh Tacos
Before cooking, be sure to preheat your oven and prep all the vegetables. Once that's done, you're ready to get started.
Step 1: Season the vegetables. Toss the vegetables with oil, salt, cumin, and oregano. Spread them out on a baking sheet.
Step 2: Cook the vegetables. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until soft and fully cooked. I recommend giving them a toss once or twice about halfway through cooking.
Step 3: Prep the tempeh taco meat. Break the tempeh into large pieces and place it in a food processor. Pulse just until it's broken up into small ragged pieces. Do not process it to form a paste.
Step 4: Cook the tempeh taco meat. Add the tempeh and the chorizo seasoning to a large skillet with olive oil and cook over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. As it cooks the pieces will begin to develop a little flavor and crispy texture.
Step 5: Preparing the beans and tortillas. Warm beans in a small pot on the stove (or in the microwave) until they’re smooth and spreadable. Heat the tortillas in a skillet or microwave. Spread some beans on the base of each heated tortilla.
Step 6: Assemble the tempeh tacos. Add the tempeh chorizo on top of the beans. Top with the roasted vegetables and add a squeeze of lime juice over each taco and top with your desired toppings. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Feel free to change up your choice of salsa! This restaurant-style salsa is a classic while mango salsa adds a unique flavor when you're craving something different. You can even try a green salsa or a chunky pico de gallo.
This cilantro lime rice makes a tasty side or if you want to pile on more veggies you can make it with cauliflower rice as well.
Load your tacos with even more toppings, such as pickled jalapeños or my go-to purple cabbage slaw!
Expert Tips
- Want a juicier filling? Add a few cherry tomatoes to roast with the rest of the vegetables.
- Cooking the veggies. It may look like a ton of food at the start but the vegetables will shrink considerably in the oven, so you end up with a normal amount!
- Storage Tips: Store all the ingredients separately in the fridge for up to three days. You can freeze leftover tempeh or beans for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating for easiest reheating. Reheat leftover tempeh and refried beans on the stove or in the microwave when you're ready to eat them.
Recipe FAQs
Sure you can but the flavor will be a bit different. The tofu contains a lot more water so you may find that it requires a bit longer to cook than the tempeh in order to crisp up. I would recommend preparing your tofu like I do in this recipe for miso soba bowls, but season it with chorizo seasoning.
Yes, you can freeze the package of tempeh before using it and it also works to freeze the tempeh taco meat after it's cooked. Food safety guidelines recommend freezing foods only once in their raw state and only once in their cooked state.
More Delicious Vegetarian Recipes
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Chorizo Tempeh Tacos
Ingredients
- ½ large sweet potato about 12 ounces; yellow or Japanese are ideal, but orange is ok too!
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 1 jalapeño pepper more if desired
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 12 ounces tempeh look for GF if needed
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons homemade chorizo seasoning see notes below for more information
- 1 cup refried black beans or homemade bean dip
- 16 corn tortillas or other tortillas
- 1 lime cut into wedges, for serving
- 1 avocado sliced thinly, for serving
- 1 cup of salsa of choice
- Cilantro as desired, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: give the sweet potatoes a small dice, the bell peppers a medium dice, the red onion a medium dice (or wedges), and cut the jalapeño into half moons. (I keep the seeds!)
- Toss the vegetables with oil, salt, cumin, and oregano. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake on 375ºF for 30-35 minutes or until soft and fully cooked. Toss once or twice mid-way through cooking.
- For the tempeh: break the tempeh into large pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse just until small ragged pieces are formed. (You do not want a paste here.)
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the tempeh and the chorizo seasoning and pan-fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pieces begin to develop a little flavor and crispy texture.
- For serving: Warm the beans in a small pot on the stove (or in the microwave) until they’re smooth and spreadable. Warm the tortillas either by lightly toasting each side in a dry skillet or by microwaving them wrapped in a damp kitchen towel. Spread some beans on the base of each tortilla.
- Then add the tempeh chorizo (it will stick to the beans!), and finally add the roasted vegetables.
- Squeeze lime juice over each taco and top with your desired toppings - thinly sliced avocado, salsa, and cilantro. Enjoy!
I'm making these tonight... Can't wait up try the recipe, it looks awesome!
Thanks Jake! I hope you guys love them!