Vegan Tempeh Taco Salad Recipe

Today's recipe? It's all the things you love about a taco, in salad form. Crushed tortilla chips bring the crunch, black beans and crumbled tempeh coated with taco seasoning brings the substance, and a strong, smoked paprika-apple cider dressing pulls everything together. It's a meal in itself, and most of the components can be prepared ahead of time, making this salad a good option for weeknight dinners and potlucks. You can see how it comes together in the video below. Enjoy!

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Vegan Tempeh Taco Salad

To keep this salad vegan use coconut nectar or maple syrup as the sweetener, and feel free to sweeten to taste - ketchup vary in sweetness, so that's a variable. If you are gluten-free, seek a GF brand of tempeh. And, if you think you're tempeh adverse, you might want to try the same recipe, swapping in 2 cups of chopped chickpeas in place of the crumbled tempeh.

2 teaspoons extra virgin coconut or olive oil

8 ounces tempeh

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

1/3 cup ketchup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons coconut nectar, maple syrup, or honey 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/3 cup organic sunflower oil

14-ounce can black beans, drained & rinsed

15 black olives, chopped

1/2 cup sliced green onions

2 medium heads of romaine lettuce, sliced

1 cup cilantro, chopped

1 - 2 cups tortilla chips

1 avocado, sliced

to serve, optional; cherry tomatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, lime, pickled red onions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat combine the oil and tempeh, and cook, until browned. Transfer to a large serving bowl, add the taco seasoning and stir well. Allow cooling for a bit while you make the dressing.

Combine the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, sweetener, salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, and oil in a jar. Close with a lid, and shake vigorously until creamy and emulsified. Alternately, you can use a blender or hand blender.

Just before serving, add the beans, and black olives to the tempeh mixture, drizzle generously with some of the dressing and toss well. Add the green onions, lettuce, cilantro, chips, avocado, and more dressing, if you like, and gently toss again. Serve as-is, or topped with a squeeze of lime, some tomatoes, more avocado, and green onions, and herbs.

Serves 4-6.


Prep time: 15 min - Cook time: 10 min

(source 101cookbooks.com)