Tempeh Tacos

Since moving to Arizona, during Cinco de Mayo, my husband and I usually visit our favorite Mexican restaurant. This year, however, Cinco de Mayo fell on Taco Tuesday, but Corona Virus kept us home. Instead of eating out, I made tempeh tacos at home.  To keep with the theme, I made a Baja citrus marinade for the tempeh taco recipe with a Corona Beer! 

Although I never need an excuse to create a new taco recipe, Cinco de Mayo gives me another excuse.

Since I got a great deal on fresh pineapple, I decided to make a pineapple salsa to pair with the Baja citrus marinade topping for the tempeh tacos. 

HOW TO PREPARE/GRILL TOFU FOR TEMPEH TACO RECIPE

First, you need to know my best kept little secret! Tempeh, for instance, is naturally bitter and a bit tough. As a result, tempeh does not absorb the marinade and take on a BBQ grill flavor without boiling it first. 

Yes, that’s what I said. Boiling tempeh for a short 10 minutes takes away the bitterness and then absorbs marinades like a sponge. 

Next, remove the tempeh from the package, and cut it in half, making two equal-sized squares.

Then, place the tempeh pieces in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, and then remove the tempeh from the boiling water to marinate.

WHY BOIL TEMPEH FOR TEMPEH TACOS OR ANY MARINADE? 

• Boiling removes tempeh’s naturally bitter taste.
• It softens the tempeh to make it easier to eat and enjoy
• And, boiling allows for better saturation of marinate

WHAT'S IN THE BAJA CITRUS MARINADE FOR TEMPEH TACOS

I marinate my tempeh beforehand, so it absorbs the flavors of the sauce I plan to use. Regardless of the sauce, marinating is a must. This time, I chose my Baja Citrus marinade. Again, in the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, I used Corona beer and other fresh ingredients. 

• 6 ounces Mexican Beer (I used Corona Beer)
• 1 orange juiced and the zest of the orange
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup minced white onion
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Once marinated overnight, the tempeh absorbs 75% of the marinade. I suggest placing the grilled tempeh back into the container for additional flavor after grilling with the remaining marinade. 

GRILLING INSTRUCTIONS FOR PERFECTLY GRILLED TEMPEH TACOS WITH BAJA CITRUS MARINADE

Now, it’s time to grill the tempeh for tempeh tacos. For those fabulous marks, you want the grill piping hot (450 degrees) before you put the BBQ  tempeh on the grill. Next, remove the tempeh from the marinade, but keep the extra marinade for after grilling. 

To get those fabulous grill marks, I turn the tempeh 4 times every 4 minutes. So, that is a total of 16 minutes of grill time. 

PREPARING HOMEMADE PINEAPPLE SALSA FOR TEMPEH TACO RECIPE

Whenever I shop, I look for seasonal produce to buy fresh produce and save money. And, the available produce leads my menu for the week. For instance, this week, fresh pineapple was on sale for 2 pineapples for $3.00.  As a result, fresh pineapple salsa tops my tempeh tacos. 

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED FOR FRESH HOMEMADE PINEAPPLE SALSA

• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded, deveined, and diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice

Not only is pineapple salsa perfect on top of Baja Citrus marinated tempeh tacos, but pineapple salsa is also great for a variety of taco recipes:

• Vegan Breakfast Tacos
• Sweet Potato Tacos
• Mushroom Chorizo Tacos
• Taco Tuesday Skinny Potato Tacos
• Roasted Vegetable Tacos
• Vegan Oil-Free Lentil Tacos
• Skinny Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Avocado-Cilantro Cream
• Roasted Broccolini and Sweet Potato Tostados

HOW TO BUILD A SIMPLE BUT FABULOUS TEMPEH TACO

In my opinion, simple ingredients sometimes make the best and most flavorful meals. For example, tempeh tacos' simplicity is why they taste so good. 

• Tortillas of choice (corn or flour)
• Live lettuce, or lettuce of choice
• Baja Citrus Marinated Tempeh
• Pineapple salsa
• Sliced avocado

Yield: 4 servings

Tempeh Tacos

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Tempeh tacos are made from Baja citrus-marinated tempeh, grilled to perfection and topped with fresh pineapple salsa, live lettuce and cool slices of avocados.

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Ingredients

Baja Citrus Marinade

• 6 ounces Mexican Beer (I used Corona Beer)
• 1 orange juiced and the zest of the orange
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup minced white onion
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pineapple Salsa

• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded, deveined and diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice

Other ingredients

• Flour or corn tortillas
• 1 avocado, sliced thin
• 1 head live lettuce, or lettuce of choice
• 1 package tempeh, cut into 2 pieces, boiled, then marinated overnight

Instructions

BAJA CITRUS MARINADE/PREPARING TEMPEH

1. Combine all ingredients in a measuring cup and whisk together.
2. Remove tempeh from the package and cut it into 2 pieces.
3. Place both pieces of tempeh into a medium-sized pan and cover with water.
4. Bring to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes.
5. Drain tempeh and place half the marinade in a refrigerator safe container.
6. Add half the marinade to the base of the container.
7. Then, add both pieces of tempeh and cover with the remaining marinade.
8. Refrigerate overnight, allowing tempeh to absorb the flavors of the marinade.

PREPARE THE PINEAPPLE SALSA

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and stir.
2. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

GRILLING TEMPEH

1. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees
2. It is all about cooking it low and slow.
3. Use a grilling mat, or directly on the grill, place a single layer of marinated tempeh on the grill.
4. Reserve the Baja citrus marinade in the container.
5. Cook 8 minutes on each side, using a spatula to flip pieces.
6. Put tempeh back into the container for an extra coating of citrus Baja marinade.
7. Slice the tempeh into thin strips for the tempeh tacos (wait until cooled)

Heating the tortillas

1. The tortillas can be warmed on the stove in a skillet on medium-low heat.
2. For quick and easy warming, place tortillas, wrapped in aluminum foil, in a 300-degree oven for 15 minutes.

constructing tempeh tacos

1. Place a warm tortilla on a flat surface, place a lettuce layer, and a few slices of grilled tempeh.
2. Add a generous amount of pineapple salsa.
3. Now, add a couple of thin slices of avocado.
4. Serve with Mexican rice, black beans, vegan sour cream, or vegan Coleslaw with Avocado and Cilantro with Avocado and Cilantro.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

4 servings

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 368Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 526mgCarbohydrates 62gFiber 12gSugar 17gProtein 11g

Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.

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Kathy Carmichael

Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me