Chorizo Tempeh Tacos

Three tempeh tacos on a plate with avocado and lime wedges.

5 from 1 vote

These chorizo tempeh tacos make the perfect alternative when you're craving something tasty but want to skip the meat. Packed with protein, tempeh makes a satisfying (and delicious) alternative to ground meat.

Course Entree, Lunch, Vegetarian

Cuisine Mexican American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 561kcal

Author Caitlin Self, MS, CNS, LDN

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!

Notes

You can also add a spoonful of the sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo to the tempeh for a kick of heat.

I also sometimes roast a few cherry tomatoes with the rest of the vegetables for a juicier filling.

Load your tacos with even more toppings such as pickled jalapeños or my go-to purple cabbage slaw!

The makes about 16 small tacos. The nutrition label includes 1 whole avocado and 1 cup salsa per recipe (which is just under ¼ avocado and ¼ c salsa per serving). This makes 4-6 servings, and the label assumes 5 servings. The label is, as always, just an estimate.

Nutrition