Vegan Tempeh Taco Bowl
I’ve got a mad love-affair with grain bowls and I hope it never stops. These are the meals I eat most of the time; the ones that never make their way to Instagram, this space, or even to the dining room table.
Most of the time, my meals are a throw-together of ingredients that I’ve prepped in the fridge: roasted vegetables, cooked grains, some type of protein and every bit of condiment or sauce I can get my hands on. They usually aren’t pretty, but they are pretty tasty.
I’ve been eating this way since I was a kid. Back then, I would swirl all of the food on my plate and call it “ma-da pasta!” and be weird. Other kids couldn’t handle their items touching, I wanted mine mashed together and topped with extra sauce. I suppose it’s no wonder I eat the same way now, well into my thirties.
Since bowls have become a pronounced thing, I’ve tried to get more creative and themed with my options. As tacos have become dinner choice #1 as of late, this is my deconstructed version of a favorite meal.
To start, this tempeh.
Please try it. I know tempeh is weird and sometimes gross if not made correctly, but it can be life-changing when cooked well. This version is lightly fried and perfectly spiced. I’ll make a batch of this to top on this taco bowl, in actual tacos and to sprinkle on my egg and avocado toast sandwiches. It’s golden, crunchy and addictive.
The black bean and corn salsa is just as delicious here as on it’s own with lots of tortilla chips. Nothing too fancy, but homemade salsa > store-bought salsa. I know it’s a few extra steps, but it’s well worth the prep time. And, just like the tempeh, can be used in plenty of dishes throughout the week.
Finally, sauce! You know nothing is complete without a sauce. At least in my kitchen. I suppose you could just as easily mash an avocado on top and call it good, but I wanted a spicy, creamy sauce to bring everything home. Good here, good on other salads, good on regular tacos…
Are we sensing a theme here? Bowl meals are the gift that keeps on giving. Make the ingredients and try them this way first, then swap out the farro for lettuce the following night for taco salad, then use the separate ingredients wherever makes sense. Cook once, eat a dozen times.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Vegan Tempeh Taco Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
Tempeh Taco Bowl
- 1 cup farro, uncooked
- 2 cups water
- 8 oz. tempeh
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s fire-roasted frozen corn)
- ½ cup tomato, diced
- ¼ cup cilantro
- ½ each red onion, small
- 4 each radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 each lime
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Green Sauce
- 1 jalapeno, roughly chopped
- 1 avocado
- ½ bunch cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ lime
- 1/2 – 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine farro and water in a pot, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for up to 30 minutes or until farro grains are tender.
- While farro is cooking, mix together corn, black beans, tomato, chopped cilantro, and juice from the lime. Season with salt, ¼ teaspoon of chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon of paprika. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add minced garlic, stirring frequently to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- Once garlic is fragrant and has some color, add tempeh. Use a wooden spoon to break tempeh into small pieces. Season tempeh with the remaining chili powder and smoked paprika, cayenne, and salt.
- Continue to cook tempeh until soft, about 10 minutes. A couple of tablespoons of water can be added to keep tempeh from drying out. While tempeh is cooking, combine ingredients for green sauce, except water, in blender.
- Add half of the water and blend on medium-high speed. Continue to add water until sauce has reached desired consistency. (I like this to be a thin guacamole.)
- Once farro and tempeh are cooked completely, combine with black bean salsa, and divide among 4 bowls. Top with green sauce, radishes and serve.Â
Nutrition
