Easy Vegan Mushroom and Tempeh Chorizo (for Tacos & More)

Chorizo, a highly seasoned chopped or ground sausage is now easy to find readymade in plant-based form. And the brands that are available are quite good. But if you’re a DIY cook, you’ll be delighted by how easy and fast it is to make your own vegan mushroom and tempeh chorizo with this recipe.

Texture-wise, tempeh is the perfect base for this plant-based chorizo, and mushrooms add another level of umami. Boost the spice level with smoked paprika (or barbecue seasoning) and sriracha to your liking using the amounts given in the recipe as a starting point.

See lots more about this high-protein plant food in our Guide to Tempeh.

A fantastic taco filling. Simply load up and with the vegan chorizo and your favorite taco fixings — lettuce, tomatoes, vegan cheese, cilantro, etc.

More ways to use tempeh chorizo:

• Stir into stews for extra protein
• Wrap into burritos with lots of shredded lettuce and salsa
• Scatter on top of pizza

Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

Explore more …

• Spicy Vegan Chorizo Tofu Scramble
• Golden and Sweet Potato Hash Browns with Vegan Chorizo
• Vegan tempeh recipes
• Vegan Tex-Mex recipes
• Vegan Beef-less Ground Recipes Made with Whole Foods, Four Ways

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Yield: 4

Easy Vegan Mushroom and Tempeh Chorizo

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You’ll be delighted by how easy and fast it is to make your own vegan mushroom and tempeh chorizo with this recipe.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 8-ounce package tempeh, broken into a few chunks
• 1 cup cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup very finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup bottled barbecue sauce or Easy No-Cook Barbecue Sauce (see link in Notes), or as needed
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika or barbecue seasoning (see Note), or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce (sriracha or other), more or less to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the tempeh and mushrooms and pulse on and off until reduced to crumbles; take care not to overdo it — you don’t want to wind up with a puree.
2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tempeh mixture and continue to sauté until turning golden here and there, stirring occasionally, another 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the remaining ingredients except the hot sauce. Continue to cook until the mixture begins to brown lightly, stirring, frequently, 5 to 8 minutes longer.
4. Remove from the heat and season with hot sauce to your liking as well as more smoked paprika or barbecue seasoning if you'd like. Chorizo is meant to be spicy and smoky, but both flavors should be added to your comfort level.

Notes

If you want to go DIY all the way, here’s our Easy No-Cook Barbecue Sauce.

Look for barbecue seasoning in the spice section of most supermarkets. The most widely available brand is McCormick, which offers Smoky Maple and lots of other flavor variations.

See more tofu & tempeh recipes and ways to veganize classic dishes.