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Spicy Tempeh Taco Salad

Food, Healthy, Meal Ideas, Salads
By Emma Chapman

Tempeh Taco Salad (via abeautifulmess.com) This is probably my favorite homemade salad. I know, right?! I may change my mind someday so don’t hold me to it, but this is at least my current favorite and easily in the top five.

I really can’t take all the credit either because this salad is very much inspired by a favorite salad I order at a bar I love (in Springfield) called JOB Public House. Mine is a little different, plus I’m not entirely sure what all they put in theirs. But this is at least quite similar, so I gotta give them the credit and also say thank you because I LOVE that salad. 🙂

Tempeh Taco Salad (via abeautifulmess.com) So what’s so great about this taco salad anyway? Well, first off, it’s vegetarian-friendly, which is nice for me, because a great vegetarian taco salad is hard to come by. It’s super filling because the tempeh provides quite a bit of protein, and I actually like the texture quite a bit better than ground beef. And my favorite feature is the spicy mayo. Yum! Use a good quality mayo with no added sugar and you’ll find that this salad is exceptionally healthy for how flavorful it is. Which is a major win-win in my book.

Tempeh Taco Salad (via abeautifulmess.com) Spicy Tempeh Taco Salad, serves 2.

8 oz. tempeh
1/2 white onion
3 cloves of garlic
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt + pepper
small handful of fresh cilantro (maybe a heaping tablespoon once chopped for those who MUST have a measurement)
half a head of lettuce (or more if you want even more veggies)
2-3 tablespoons salsa (make your own, or use a jar like I did)
1/4 cup mayo
1 tablespoon Sriracha
2 flour tortillas

Cube the tempeh. It will crumble more as you cook it, so it’s OK if it’s larger cubes. Finely chop the white onion. Mince the garlic.

You can go ahead and stir together the mayo and Sriracha. Set aside until you need it.

How to make baked taco salad shellsIf you want to turn the taco shells into plates, then drape your shells over two oven safe bowls that have been lightly coated in oil. Bake at 350°F for 8-12 minutes until the edges begin to brown. In case you’re skipping flours/breads right now, just know that this salad is still super delicious without the shells too. I often eat it without…just giving you some options. Plus the tortilla plates are too cute.

Sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until the pieces begin to brown (2-3 minutes). Add a little more oil to the pan. Then toss in the tempeh and garlic. Generously season everything with salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes so everything gets nice and hot.

Tempeh Taco Salad (via abeautifulmess.com)Chop up the lettuce. Assemble the salad: tortillas, lettuce, tempeh mix, salsa, chopped cilantro, and spicy mayo. I like to enjoy this while the tempeh is still warm. Give it a try this week! xx. Emma

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman, Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.

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Spicy Tempeh Taco Salad

Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. tempeh
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt + pepper
  • small handful of fresh cilantro maybe a heaping tablespoon once chopped for those who MUST have a measurement
  • half a head of lettuce or more if you want even more veggies
  • 2-3 tablespoons salsa make your own, or use a jar like I did
  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha
  • 2 flour tortillas

Instructions

  1. Cube the tempeh. It will crumble more as you cook it, so it's OK if it's larger cubes. Finely chop the white onion. Mince the garlic.
  2. You can go ahead and stir together the mayo and Sriracha. Set aside until you need it.
  3. If you want to turn the taco shells into plates, then drape your shells over two oven safe bowls that have been lightly coated in oil. Bake at 350°F for 8-12 minutes until the edges begin to brown. In case you're skipping flours/breads right now, just know that this salad is still super delicious without the shells too. I often eat it without…just giving you some options. Plus the tortilla plates are too cute.
  4. Sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until the pieces begin to brown (2-3 minutes). Add a little more oil to the pan. Then toss in the tempeh and garlic. Generously season everything with salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes so everything gets nice and hot.
  5. Chop up the lettuce. Assemble the salad: tortillas, lettuce, tempeh mix, salsa, chopped cilantro, and spicy mayo.

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