Black Bean Tempeh Tacos

I was visiting one of my closest friends in town and she told me her husband had been making black bean tempeh tacos and they just loved them. I was intrigued as I’ve never used crumbled tempeh as a taco meat substitute but it definitely works!  I made my own recipe, which includes your very own taco-seasoning blend! I hope you enjoy it as it is very tasty!

Black Bean Tempeh Tacos (serves 6)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 packages of plain tempeh (8 ounces each)
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning blend (see below)
• 2 cans or 3 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed.

Taco Seasoning Blend

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 2 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano powder

Blend all the spices and herbs together. Store in an airtight container. Yields about 5 tablespoons.

Instructions

1. Chop or crumble tempeh into small 1-inch pieces. Place in a bowl or plastic bag and marinate with olive oil, aminos, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning. If you really want to soak in the flavor — marinate overnight. You will still get good flavor if you mix and use right away.
2. When ready to cook, sauté marinated tempeh in a large skillet over medium heat until tempeh starts to turn golden brown. Just before finishing, add in the black beans and sauté for a few more minutes, just enough to season and warm the beans. If you leave beans in a hot skillet too long with very little liquid they will start to crack and harden. Also, if you make this recipe without adding the beans, you will definitely need to adjust the seasonings as the seasonings account for flavoring both the tempeh and beans.
3. Remove bean tempeh mixture from heat and serve over warmed tortillas and your favorite taco toppings! Store leftover tempeh black bean mixture in an airtight container in the fridge and within two to three days. If storing in the freezer, make sure it is an airtight container and use within six months.  

Call to Action

We find in Numbers chapter 11 that the children of Israel, tired of the pure bread from heaven called manna, cried out for the flesh-pots of Egypt. God heard their complaining and sent quail for a whole month. However, the Lord also sent a plague, and the Israelites that had complained and craved for meat the most ended up dying.  While this may not be anyone’s predicament today, we still challenge you to begin your meals with a thankful and grateful heart because this is the will of God in you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Over the years science has shown a greater prevalence of diseases occurring in farm animals, such as cancer, leukemia, and infectious diseases too. With so much disease taking place, it is overall much healthier to find whole foods, plant-based ingredients that can substitute for meat.

Note: Coconut aminos is a soy sauce substitute that comes directly from the sap of the coconut tree. It has a yummy umami taste like soy sauce but it is less salty and sweeter. We have made this recipe with both Bragg’s liquid aminos and coconut aminos. We recommend coconut aminos as it will offer a subtly sweeter taste and will be overall less salty.

Our next plant-based recipe will be published on November 30.