Healthy, flavorful vegan tacos! Smoky tempeh + lentil tacos that are ready in just 20 minutes.
Happy New Year!
This is my first official post of 2019 and I’m pleased to say that it falls in line with two of my main intentions for the year- to eat more tacos and more pink food! I have a few other important intentions- more play time with my daughter and less screen time. I’d love to hear some of yours in the comments!
Another goal for the year is to practice letting go. I often find myself worked into a frenzy, obsessing over a certain situation and consumed with worry. As many of you know, my first cookbook 30 Minute Vegan Dinners, is coming out on February 5th! As excited and proud as I am to achieve this lifelong goal, the last several months have been wracked with anxiety for me. My friend had a great analogy the other day. Creating a cookbook is like having a baby, then having to wait for months to see the baby or know how it’s doing-
I’m so relieved the wait is almost over! Also completely excited, exhilarated, terrified, and uncertain! I’m guessing these are all normal feelings for someone in my situation. I took a major gamble switching careers from tv production to become a food blogger. I essentially traded financial security for a more soul-fulfilling path and time will tell (in the next few months) if that risk will pay off. I certainly hope it does!
If you enjoy my recipes and you’d like to support my small business, I invite you to pre-order a copy of my cookbook! As a gift to everyone who pre-orders, I created a bonus ebook of 20 Minute Vegan Lunches that you can claim by emailing a screenshot of order confirmation to bonus@carrotsandflowers.com.
Now on to the good stuff- these incredibly delicious and EASY Vegan Smoky Tempeh + Lentil Tacos!
The smoky tempeh + lentil taco ‘meat’ is made with this my new favorite sauce- Yellow Bird Ghost Pepper Condiment! It’s much thicker than a traditional hot sauce, which I love. I’m all about hot sauce but I don’t want to water down my food. This thick, spicy, smoky condiment adds so much flavor to anything it touches- without creating a liquid-y mess. I call that a win!
Another thing I love about the sauce (and the entire line of Yellow Bird sauces) is that they’re made with wholesome ingredients- including fresh vegetables and spices. There is no added sugar or any preservatives- unlike most bottled hot sauces!
Making the smoky tempeh + lentil tacos is super easy! The meal whips up in less than twenty minutes and the filling can be used for anything from tacos, to burrito bowl, to easy baked taquitos (RECIPE coming soon for that one!)
The spiciness of the Ghost Pepper Condiment can be balanced with savory and cooling elements like vegan mozzarella and avocado. I added a few quick pickled watermelon radishes for tang and for color. You can find the simple recipe on my Instagram!
You are going to love these Vegan Smoky Tempeh + Lentil Tacos! They are:
Easy
Quick
Hearty
Healthy
Spicy
Smoky
High in Protein
and SO flavorful!Â
If you want to save these Vegan Smoky Tempeh + Lentil Tacos for later, simply Pin the photo below! If you try this recipe, please be sure to drop a comment below and let us know how they turned out! While you’re at it, post a photo to Instagram with the tag #carrotsandflowers 🙂
We love seeing what you come up with!
- Tempeh Lentil Taco 'Meat'
- 8 oz tempeh
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- 2 tsp grapeseed or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ white onion
- 2 tbsp Yellow Bird Ghost Pepper Sauce
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- corn tortillas
- ¾-1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese
- Suggested Toppings
- pickled watermelon radish
- chopped cilantro
- avocado
- pico de gallo (salsa)
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Tilt the pan to coat the surface. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion. Add the onion to the pan then mince the garlic. Stir the onion then add the garlic to the pan. Let it cook while you finely dice the tempeh.
- Stir the tempeh into the pan. Add the lentils, Ghost Pepper Sauce, ketchup, cumin, paprika, and salt. Stir well to combine. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Squeeze the lime juice over the pan. Add 1-2 tbsp of water and deglaze the pan (scrape the bottom.)
- Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Reduce heat to medium low. Prep your desired toppings. Moisten the tortillas and warm them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
- Put 1-2 tbsp vegan cheese on a tortilla. Cover with 2 tbsp smoky tempeh lentil mixture. Top with pickled radish, chopped avocado, cilantro, salsa, and more Ghost Pepper Sauce if you like it hot!
This post was sponsored by Yellow Bird– our new favorite condiment maker! Their products are lovingly crafted in Austin, Texas and the company started with a husband and wife team cooking up sauces in their kitchen- which is a very similar story to how Carrots & Flowers began! We’re so happy to partner with companies who align with our core ideals and I encourage you to try all of their amazing sauces, which can be found online or in grocery stores like Whole Foods!
What type of lentils do you use for this recipe and how long do they cook?
The 3-grain Tempeh we buy at Trader Joe’s has barley, and hence is not GF. What Tempeh are you using?
Alaine, there is a brand called Lightlife (around since 1979) that makes organic tempeh. I buy original flavor. The ingredients are: cultured organic soybeans, water, and organic brown rice. That’s it.
I get it at Whole Foods and any other health food store in the area, as I’m in Florida, our Publix stores carry them. I’ve also seen them at some Super Walmarts, Super Targets, etc.
Hi, I have a question about a recipe in the cookbook! In the Tempeh No-Tuna melt, it says to add crumbled tempeh. My question is how do you prep the tempeh? Is it uncooked and unseasoned? Won’t it be bitter or taste weird?
Hey Sylvia,
Great question! Tempeh and tofu are sold fully cooked actually! They can both be eaten straight from the package. Cooking usually just changes the texture, which isn’t necessary for this recipe. The crumbed tempeh is perfect for No-Tuna melts! The dressing adds plenty of flavor, especially when combined with the cheese. Hope you love it. Thanks for buying a copy of my book!
Love,
Megan
Thank you Megan! I will try the recipe! I’m very happy with your cookbook!