Five Vegan Tacos You’ll Want to Eat Until You Pass Out

Here’s the tricky thing about tacos: they do not have an obvious stopping point. I’ve always been a burrito person myself, in part because when you’re done with a burrito, you’re done, sometimes for the next six to seven hours while you lie very still like a python trying to digest a deer. With tacos, though, you can just keep on trucking. How many tacos are too many? The limit does not exist.

Fortunately, these vegan tacos are both protein-heavy and delicious. By the time you work your way through all five, maybe you’ll be ready for dessert—or just another round. You do you! This is a judgment-free taco zone. Just remember to have plenty of tortilla chips on hand to scoop up any spilled ingredients. I call this the “taco encore.”

The Classic: Black Bean and Fajita

Ingredients:

• 6 corn tortillas
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup water
• Tomato, diced
• Quarter head of iceberg or romaine lettuce, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced (orange is my fave)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Optional: Soy chorizo (I’m a fan of the Tofurky brand)
• For the spice mixture:
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. cayenne
  • ¼ tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper

Method:

1. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onions and stir until lightly browned.
2. Add bell peppers and stir for five minutes or so, until both are tender.
3. Turn down heat and add garlic cloves, stirring so they won’t burn.
4. In a separate pan, add water and heat black beans over medium heat for about five minutes. If you want to kick up your protein, throw your soyrizo in there too. Stir to avoid the beans sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the beans are heated, drain excess liquid and mash slightly with a fork.
5. Add your spice mixture to both, modifying proportions to taste. I’m a spicy guy, so I tend to kick up the cayenne here. I also tend to go easy on the salt because both black beans and soyrizo, if you use it, can be salty on their own.
6. Warm your tortillas! This is the easiest way to elevate your at-home taco game. Wrap the stack in aluminum foil and heat at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or if you have a gas stove, let them brown one at a time for a few seconds, each on one of the burners. Just make sure to keep an eye on them and use tongs—they burn faster than you think!
7. Layer the tortillas with your preferred proportions. I suggest putting the beans in first, then the peppers and onions, then tomatoes and lettuce for a nice crunch. But again: this is a judgment-free taco zone. Yum!

The Californian: Tempeh and Avocado

With thanks to Cookie + Kate for their brown rice preparation steps!

Ingredients:

• 6 soft taco flour tortillas
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 6 cups water
• Salt
• Chili powder
• Cayenne
• 1 package tempeh, chopped into small bite-sized cubes or crumbled
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 lime, quartered for juicing
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 large avocado or two medium ones, chopped into bite-sized cubes
• Quarter head of romaine lettuce or baby kale, finely chopped

Method:

1. Rinse your brown rice using a fine-mesh strainer.
2. Bring your water to boil in a large pot. Add rice. Boil uncovered for 30 minutes.
3. Drain the remaining cooking water and cover the pot. Let the rice rest, off the heat, for 10 minutes. Add salt, chili powder, and cayenne to taste.
4. Mix the tempeh with garlic, salt, nutritional yeast, and the juice of one lime. Make sure it’s thoroughly covered— tempeh can be a little bland on its own, so we want to give it a kick of flavor!
5. Heat vegetable oil over low heat in a large skillet. Add tempeh and stir until lightly browned.
6. Warm your tortillas— see the above recipe.
7. Assemble as preferred. I like to do the rice first, then the tempeh, then the avocado and lettuce. Surf’s up!

The ‘90s Taco Bell: Rice and Lettuce

This recipe is sheer nostalgia bait: I have fond memories of trying to dictate through the drive-through window: “No cheese, no sour cream, rice instead of meat!” Thanks to Taste of Home for their Spanish rice recipe.

Ingredients:

• 6 hard corn taco shells
• Quarter head iceberg or romaine lettuce, finely chopped
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 1 can (14.5 oz) vegetable broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• Optional: shredded vegan cheese (pepper-jack Daiya is my favorite kind for this)
• Optional: the absolute cheapest hot sauce you can find
• For the spice mixture:
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • ¼ tsp. dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp. garlic
  • ½ tsp. salt

Method:

1. Combine rice, broth, tomatoes, olive oil, and spice mixture in a large saucepan; bring to a boil and reduce heat.
2. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place taco shells on a baking sheet and heat for about five minutes.
4. Layer rice, lettuce, optional cheese, optional hot sauce, and enjoy the memories!

The Thai Fusion: Peanut Sauce and Tofu

With inspiration from Jar of Lemons’ great recipe!

Ingredients:

• 6 soft taco flour tortillas
• 1 package extra-firm tofu
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ginger powder OR 4 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
• ¾ cup shredded red cabbage
• ½ cup sliced carrots
• Optional: 2 Tbsp. green onions
• For the peanut sauce:
  • ⅓ cup peanut butter
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 1/4 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 lime, quartered for juicing
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
  • ¼ cup water

Method

1. “Dry” the tofu to allow it to absorb ingredients more effectively. Place the tofu on 6-8 paper towels on a plate, then place paper towels and another plate over it. Put something heavy on the second plate— a Dutch oven works great here, or a cast-iron skillet. Leave for 30 minutes.
2. When tofu is done drying, cut it into bite-sized cubes.
3. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, soy sauce, ginger, chili powder, and red pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes or until crispy.
4. Mix the peanut sauce ingredients and set aside.
5. Once the tofu is done cooking, you can sauté the cabbage and carrots, if you’d prefer less of a crunch, or just add them to your tacos raw.
6. Layer in warmed tortillas and enjoy!

The Midwest Is Best: Potato and Tofu Scramble

Like a breakfast taco, but with more carbs. Because why not? 

Ingredients:

• 6 soft taco flour tortillas
• 2 medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 pinches of salt
• 1 block firm tofu, cubed into bite-sized pieces or mashed
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 cup white or shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• 1 bunch spinach, chopped
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• Salt to taste
• Optional: hot sauce

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add potatoes and a pinch of salt to a small covered pot of water. Bring to a boil and then remove the lid. Boil for five minutes until you can pierce the potatoes with a fork with some resistance.
3. Drain potatoes. Add one tablespoon of oil and one pinch of salt to potatoes in the pot. Cover with lid and shake so that potatoes are thoroughly coated and get a little “banged up” (this helps get them crispy).
4. Bake potatoes in the oven for 40 minutes or until crispy.
5. In a skillet, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add spinach until it wilts, then add mushrooms, tofu, turmeric, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and salt. Cook until mushrooms are tender.
6. Layer into warm tortillas and serve with hot sauce!

Written By: Kat Jercich