Walnut and Tempeh Taco Filling (amazing texture and flavor)

Two high-protein foods team up to make a tasty walnut and tempeh taco filling. A cousin to vegan burger crumbles, this recipe goes a long way, so you may be lucky enough to wind up with leftovers. You can also use this DIY crumble in bean dishes and stews. It boosts protein and adds texture to bean dishes and stews.

Soft tacos can be made with flour or corn tortillas. Or, you’re welcome to use crispy taco shells. Unlike in quesadillas (after all, the name is derived from queso, which means cheese in Spanish), cheese doesn’t have to be an ingredient in soft tacos.

And like fajitas, this is very much of an assemble-at-the-table kind of meal — the only real work (and it’s not much work, really) is to make the hot filling. Everything else goes on the table and everyone makes their own, embellishing to personal taste.

Serving sizes: This recipe makes enough to fill 8 large or 12 or more small soft tacos; or 4 to 6 generous servings. Leftovers freeze well, for a future taco dinner!

Complete the meal: Tacos using this filling plus the embellishments suggested following the recipe box are pretty much a meal in themselves, but it never hurts to add a steamed green vegetable or baked sweet potatoes.

Soft Tacos — easy to make, messy (yet fun) to eat

To make soft tacos, start with corn tortillas or small wheat tortillas (soft taco size). It’s particularly important to use good-quality tortillas for soft tacos, so consider looking for them in natural foods stores. Fresh, pliable whole-grain options make a big difference.

Bring refrigerated tortillas to room temperature, or warm them by wrapping in foil and placing in an oven set at 250º F. Then follow these easy steps:

1  Arrange the filling down the center of each tortilla, being careful not to overfill.

2  Embellish with any or all of the items listed below, arranging them in separate small bowls. No need to include all of them, but must-haves, in my opinion, are the first four.

• Shredded lettuce
• Finely diced or thinly sliced tomatoes
• Salsa
• Peeled and diced avocado
• Vegan sour cream
• Vegan cheddar or pepper jack shreds
• Picante or other hot sauce

3  Eat out of hand for a sensual, if sometimes messy deliciousness, or use a fork and knife, if need be.

Recipe adapted from Plant Power by Nava Atlas. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

Explore more …

• Vegan Beef-less Ground Recipes Made with Whole Foods, 4 Ways
• Guide to Tempeh
• Vegan tempeh recipes
• Vegan Tex-Mex recipes
• Easy Coleslaw and Plant Protein Soft Tacos

Continue to Content

Yield: 6

Walnut and Tempeh Taco Filling

Print

Two high-protein foods — tempeh and walnuts — team up to make a tasty vegan taco filling.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium-large onion, chopped
• 1 medium red or green bell pepper
• 8-ounce package tempeh, any variety
• 1 cup walnut pieces
• 15- to 16-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon good-quality chili powder
• 2 teaspoons BBQ seasoning blend (like smoky maple or mesquite)

• Salt to taste

• Picante or sriracha sauce to taste, optional (see note)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the bell pepper and continue to sauté until the onion is lightly browned.
2. Cut the block of tempeh into 10 or 12 chunks. Place in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse on and off a few times. Add the walnut pieces and onion and pepper mixture, pulse on and off until everything is finely and evenly chopped. Be careful not to over-process — you don’t want this to turn into a puree.
3. Transfer the mixture to the skillet and stir in with the onion-bell pepper mixture. Add the tomato sauce and seasonings. Stir together, bring to a simmer, then allow to cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minute to allow the flavors to heighten and blend.
4. Serve straight from the skillet or transfer to a serving container, allowing everyone to construct their own soft tacos using the embellishments suggested following the recipe box.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 148mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 10gSugar: 46gProtein: 17g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used. This is given for informational purposes only and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

See lots more easy vegan tortilla dishes.