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These 15-Minute Tempeh Tacos Are Here When You’re Too Tired to Cook Anything Else

A nearly-instant answer to "what's for dinner?"

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POV: It’s one of those evenings where you’re one email away from curling up under the table in an exhausted heap – but you’re also hungry. You could go out to eat, but how could you possibly be expected to pick a restaurant when you’re already mentally fried? So, cooking something it is, but it’s got to be comforting, simple, and really, really fast. Enter these vegan tempeh tacos with a creamy cashew sauce.

These tempeh tacos are not high art, they are not a mole with 23 ingredients, they are not long-simmered. We love all those things, but we’re just not always up for making our own on a Tuesday night. What they are, however, is super-fast (literally minutes; count up the times in the recipe if you don’t believe us) and satisfying. The creamy vegan sauce is a great texture and temperature play with the tempeh; obviously your favorite bottled hot sauce and/or salsa would be a welcome addition to the party too.


More Related Recipes to Try Next:
Gluten-Free Lentil Quinoa Taco Pie
Miyoko Schinner’s King Trumpet Mushroom Carnitas Tacos
Adobo Tofu and Portobello Tacos
 with Chunky Guacamole


Vegan Tempeh Tacos with Creamy Cashew Sauce

Servings
4

Ingredients

Cashew sauce

  • 1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • pinch of sea salt, or to taste
  • pinch of black pepper, or to taste

Tacos

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp chile powder
  • 1/2 tsp each ground cumin and sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 8 ounce package organic tempeh, cubed
  • 8 5-inch corn tortillas, warmed

Optional garnishes

  • red cabbage
  • avocado
  • pico de gallo
  • lime wedges
  • hot sauce

Preparation

1. Prepare sauce: In a blender, purée all sauce ingredients and 5 tbsp water until smooth.

2. In a large skillet on medium-high, heat oil. Add onion, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add chile powder, cumin, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add tempeh and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until golden, stirring frequently.

4. Divide tempeh mixture among tortillas, top with cashew sauce and optional garnishes of your choice.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size 2 tacos
  • Calories 341
  • Carbohydrate Content 29 g
  • Cholesterol Content 0 mg
  • Fat Content 20 g
  • Fiber Content 4 g
  • Protein Content 17 g
  • Saturated Fat Content 8 g
  • Sodium Content 331 mg
  • Sugar Content 4 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat Content 6 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat Content 4 g

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