Tempeh & Mushroom Tacos "Al Pastor"

For the next dish, the spicy tempeh tacos, I wanted to create something fun and delicious yet different. I decided on a vegan version of the taco al pastor. Before I get into the recipe, what is taco al pastor?

In the context of tacos al pastor, the term pastor translates from Spanish as “shepherd.” This nomenclature reflects the dish’s origins, which are deeply rooted in a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mexican culinary traditions. Traditional tacos al pastor are made by marinating thin slices of pork in a blend of dried chilies, spices, and achiote paste, which imparts a distinctive red hue. The marinated meat is then stacked onto a vertical spit, called a trompo, and cooked slowly, allowing the exterior to caramelize. The idea of cooking meat on a vertical spit is known as shawarma, traditionally using lamb in middle eastern cuisine. As it cooks, the meat is shaved off and typically served on corn tortillas, garnished with chopped onions, cilantro, and slices of pineapple, which add a touch of sweetness to balance the savory flavors. Not only is this dish a staple for me when visiting my family in Mexico, but they opened up a vegan pastor restaurant so I knew I had to recreate it.

The “meat” of this dish is tempeh. Tempeh, made from fermented soybeans, is a complete protein source, providing all nine essential amino acids. A 100g serving of cooked tempeh contains approximately 19–20g of protein, supporting muscle maintenance and overall health. Tempeh also offers about 7g of fiber per 100g serving, promoting digestive health and aiding in blood sugar regulation. Tempeh also contains healthy unsaturated fats, contributing to heart health. So we’re already on a great start with a great protein source, let’s get into the other elements.

For tortillas: Corn tortillas, particularly those made from nixtamalized corn, retain the whole grain, providing dietary fiber and essential nutrients. Additionally, often corn tortillas are made in a process called the Nixtamalization Process which is an ancient Mesoamerican process that enhances the nutritional value and culinary versatility of maize (corn). It involves cooking dried corn kernels in an alkaline solution, typically water mixed with calcium hydroxide (also known as slaked lime or “cal”), followed by soaking, rinsing, and hulling. It increases calcium content and makes niacin (vitamin B3) more bioavailable, which is crucial for energy metabolism and preventing deficiencies like pellagra.

Lastly, the topping includes cilantro, onion, lime, and pineapple to offer some additional nutrients, although not any notable amount. Like I’ve mentioned before however, the regular Miriam’s kitchen dish provides an additional vegetable side, which means this as a main dish would be well accompanied with other things like fiber and vegetables that would make a very nice well-rounded meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of tempeh

• 2 cup of mushrooms

• Corn tortillas (12-14)

• ½ cup pineapple

• ¼ cup cilantro

• ¼ cup red onions

• Lime (for a fresh squeeze on top)

• 4 garlic cloves

• ¼ tsp cumin

• 1 tbsp achiote paste

• 1 tbsp ancho chili powder

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 chipotle peppers

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp dried cumin

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp salt

  
  

  Recipe:

  1. Preparation

• Begin by making the al pastor sauce for flavoring the tempeh In a blender add garlic cloves, cumin, achiote paste, achiote chili powder, brown sugar, chipotle peppers, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, pepper, cinnamon, and salt

• Blend all together until a smooth paste and add in your tempeh and mushrooms to marinate for 1-2 hours

  
  

  2. Cook

• In a pan with a tbsp of oil begin to cook your tempeh and mushrooms for 6-10 minutes

• Make sure the mushrooms and tempeh are all well cooked (top with more sauce/marinate if it’s too dry)

  
  

  3. Assemble

• Cut up your pineapple into ½ inch squares

• Cut red onion into small pieces

• Roughly chop up your cilantro

• Begin to assemble your taco by warming up your fresh corn tortilla and follow by adding in your mushroom and tempeh filling and then topping it off with your pineapple, onion, cilantro and finally a squeeze of lime

• “Optional* Top with spicy sauce of your choice for additional spice

Tempeh & Mushroom Tacos "Al Pastor"