If you’re new to tempeh, tacos are a great way to try it. In fact, this recipe for basic vegan tempeh tacos is very similar to the ones I used to make when I was new to tempeh. The ones that a friend of mine loved so much, they started a Tempeh Taco Tuesday party.

These tempeh tacos are better, though, because they have cheese. Back then, there was no such thing as vegan cheddar shreds. Nowadays, vegan cheese is pretty easy to find, but if you need to sub another topping for the cheese, go with avocado.

Basic Vegan Tempeh Tacos

Makes 6 tacos

Ingredients:

• 6 corn tortillas
• 1 block of tempeh
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 or more peppers 
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning (see notes)
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 3 large leaves of lettuce, shredded
• 1/2 cup vegan cheddar shreds
• salt to taste
• oil for frying

Directions:

1. Chop up the onions and the peppers. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil and heat over medium flame. Add in the onions and peppers and cook them until the onions are transparent.
2. Rinse the block of tempeh with cold water, then crumble it into your skillet. Stir and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the taco seasoning and a sprinkle of salt. Add in the frozen corn and stir-fry for a few more minutes. Turn the heat down to low while you make the tortillas. If the filling starts to get dry, add a little water and turn off the heat.
3. Heat a separate skillet or griddle to medium-high. Do not add any oil—you want a dry heat for tortillas. Warm each tortilla for about 30 seconds on one side (or until you start to see a few dark spots) then filp it over and warm the other side for 10 seconds. Fold a clean dish towel in half, and put the warm tortillas inside as you cook them.
4. Chop up the tomatoes and lettuce and get ready to build your tacos. Fill each tortilla with vegan cheddar shreds, the tempeh mix, chopped tomatoes, and lettuce. Add some hot sauce if you want, and enjoy!

Notes:

• If you don’t have a pre-mixed taco seasoning, you can make your own. My three must-have taco spices are ground cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
• Feel free to add any other toppings that your heart desires—your favorite hot sauce, for example. Some basic vegan guac is always good on tempeh tacos. So is a drizzle of the cilantro-lime aioli that I put on my basic taco salad.
• Measurements here are somewhat approximate, because veggies vary so much in size. If you have any leftover taco ingredients, eat them in a taco salad or roll them into a burrito.