crispy chipotle tempeh and black bean tacos with salty avocado crema
Starting the week the best way I know how: with tacos.
Whilst in the midst of a recipe test Monday, I out of the blue lost all of my energy. I was going about just fine, then crashed. I attributed the sensation at first to getting hungry suddenly – I’m prone to blood pressure drops when I haven’t eaten in awhile – but even eating didn’t seem to fix anything. I laid out for a nap, woke up, didn’t feel much better. Mystery.
Days like those justify a frozen pizza for dinner. Other nights when fast suppers are king? Crispy tacos. Yes sir.
If you hang around the FMG Instagram you’ve probably seen the ridiculous amounts of tacos I’ve been scaring up in my stories. All of them are awesome and all of them upcoming, but I decided to start with these because something cheesy and extra comforting seemed right.
The base of these tacos is a spicy vegetarian taco meat. I’ve wanted to incorporate tempeh into a Mexican dish for quite some time now, especially after my Spicy Sesame Orange Tempeh Bowls. Tempeh is quite underrated as a protein source for pescatarians, vegetarians, or vegans: tofu and seitan seem to receive more glory. But tempeh, like its cousins, is quite versatile and a great medium for soaking up all sorts of sauces and seasonings.
Here, I mesh tempeh crumbles with black beans and a variety of taco spices, like chipotle chili and smoked paprika, plus a little tomato paste for an irresistable filling for the cheesy tortillas. This dish comes together in around 30-35 minutes, and the salty avocado crema accompaniment received much praise from one of my friends who received the brunt of the yield.
Taco Meat(less)
There exists a few types of tempeh out there: some are just soy, some combine soy with grains. I buy whatever is most available to me, as I find that all of them are pretty good.
Start by crumbling the tempeh like you might beef ground, and crisp up in a skillet with some olive oil. Then, stir in the chipotle seasoning blend, including a little water to help the tomato paste loosen up and stick to the crumbles. Finish by adding the black beans and tossing around until they warm through.
As far as the tortillas go, you can buy some from the store or use the Foul Mouth Grate Method. Sounds a lot fancier than it is, but I use it all the damn time so I figured to put some kind of name to the game. Microwave corn tortillas, spray lightly with oil, and drape over a grate in the oven. Bake for a few minutes, just enough to make them hold their shape. Bam. Perfect tortilla houses.
Taco Bakey
All that’s left? Stuff those crispy shells with the taco meat and some shredded cheese, and bake bake bake.
While they go about their business in the oven, whip up the crema. Just a few ingredients: ripe avocados, lime juice, Greek yogurt, and salt. I go a little generous on the salt because I have a thing for salty avocado. And, well, I’m a salty dude, so there. Get that shit nice and smooth in the food processor. It’s so lovely against the spicy heat of the taco meat. I should be a fucking poet.
Eat the tacos warm, right out the oven (ok, maybe give them a minute or two so you don’t burn the hell out of your mouth), with a squeeze of fresh lime and some extra chopped cilantro. Those pickled red onions from the fish taco bowls would be swell, too, if you have some left.
Hoping I wake up this morning (Tuesdee, when this recipe publishes) feeling like a new man, because right now I feel like a shriveled shadow of a person. Like Gollum, probably.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Let’s Taco ‘Bout It:
Crispy Jerk Shrimp Tacos with Coconut Pineapple Salsa
Crispy Buffalo Jackfruit Tacos
Crispy Teriyaki Cauliflower Tacos
Crispy Chipotle BBQ Pinto Bean Tacos
crispy chipotle tempeh and black bean tacos with salty avocado crema
Ingredients
- 1 block tempeh, crumbled
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 8 hard taco shells, homemade or store bought
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- chopped cilantro and extra limes, for serving
salty avocado crema
- 2 avocados
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the tempeh and cook for 10 minutes, stirring a few times, until crispy all over. Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir, adding water 1 tablespoons at a time to help the tomato paste along. Stir in the black beans until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stuff the taco "meat" and cheese into each tortilla. Bake for 10-12 minutes until crispy and the cheese is melty and gooey.
- To make the crema, combine the avocados, yogurt, lime juice, and salt in a food processor. Whip until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and lime juice as needed.
- Serve the tortillas warm with the crema, extra cilantro, and lime juice, as desired.
