Tempeh Tacos & Avocado Crema (Saucy Fall Meal Plan 1)
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- tempeh 2
- avocado oil or other neutral, high-heat oil ¼ cup
- Kosher
- soy sauce or tamari 2 tbsp
- lime juice 4 tsp
- taco-sized corn or flour tortillas 12
- Quick Pickled Shallots 4 forkful
- cilantro 1 handful
- medium lime 1
If you opted to make tofu instead of tempeh, start the recipe by making this Simple Baked Tofu, or make my pan-fried tofu or air-fried tofu. Toss the cooked tofu with the soy sauce and lime juice as listed for the tempeh in step 3(c). Not a fan of cilantro? Simply omit it. For more details and tips on this recipe, check out my blog post and YouTube video. Storage: Store the Avocado Crema and fried tempeh separately in the fridge for about 4 days. Reheat the tempeh in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat with a touch of oil and toss for a few minutes until heated through, then squeeze on some lime juice if you have any. Assemble the tacos with Avocado Crema, fried tempeh, and Quick Pickled Shallots right before serving. If you have any leftover cilantro and lime, serve the tacos with chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Nutrition boost: Top your tacos with a quick slaw: massage some finely shredded cabbage with a squeeze of lime juice and salt until softened, about 30 seconds. Or, top your tacos with chopped tomatoes or pico de gallo. Shortcut: Instead of heating the tortillas in a skillet, simply wrap several tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.
-
1Gather: tempeh , avocado oil or other neutral, high-heat oil , Kosher salt, soy sauce or tamari , lime juice , taco-sized corn or flour tortillas . For the timer cup avocado crema (from sofritas bowl): Quick Pickled Shallots . For the for serving:: cilantro , medium lime .
-
2Use 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).
-
3Open some windows for ventilation and line a large plate or cutting board with a few paper towels.
-
4Cook the tempeh. Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) or larger sauté pan or nonstick frying pan over medium-high to high heat. Add the avocado oil and heat until it just starts to lightly smoke. Add the crumbled tempeh pieces and spread them out in a single layer as much as possible. Cook for 2 minutes undisturbed, then toss. Cook 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). If needed, lower the heat to medium to prevent burning. Transfer the tempeh to the 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 to a bowl. Add in the soy sauce and the lime juice. Toss to coat the tempeh.
-
5While the tempeh is cooking, prepare your side salad (if you’re making one).
-
6Warm the tortillas. Heat a skillet (ideally cast iron, but any kind works) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add each tortilla and cook for 20-40 seconds per side. Stack and wrap tortillas in a dish towel to keep warm.
-
7Assemble: Dollop some Avocado Crema onto each tortilla and spread out, leaving a border at the edges. Top with fried tempeh and spoon some Quick Pickled Shallots on top, adding a spoonful of the pickling liquid. If desired, sprinkle a bit of cilantro onto each taco. Serve the tacos with lime wedges (squeeze on top before enjoying) and your side salad, if you made one.