Buffalo Tempeh Tacos | Vegan + GF

If you’ve never had tempeh it can be a little intimidating. One look at it can make your eyes the size of golf balls. It basically looks like a block of nuts hahaha!! Don’t worry—it’s all about the flavor & cooking process that makes this recipe DIVINE.

Tempeh is made from cooked & slightly fermented soybeans; it is very high in protein & calcium which make it a great meat substitute! It has a mild nutty flavor, but definitely needs to be jazzed up in my opinion ;) This is a FABULOUS first timer tempeh recipe. C’mon, who doesn’t like buffalo flavor?!?! Aaaaand it holds together very well, unlike tofu!

This is a pretty easy weeknight recipe & it lacks NO flavor <3

**NOTE** When I make this recipe for dinner, my toddler will obviously not eat spicy ass buffalo strips. Before tossing the strips in the buffalo sauce at the end, I put a few strips off to the side for him. I toss his in a mixture of ketchup & vegan ranch—BOOM. Dinner for all :)

Serves: 4

Prep Time: You tell me…

SHIT YOU’LL NEED:

1, 8 oz package tempeh

1/3 c soy milk (unsweetened, or any non-dairy milk)

lettuce cups (iceberg, butter, romaine etc)

red cabbage, thinly sliced

vegan ranch (or regular ranch if not doing vegan)

|  FLOUR MIXTURE  |

½ cup brown rice flour

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp garlic salt

½ tsp thyme, dried

½ tsp oregano, dried

½ tsp garlic powder

freshly ground pepper to taste

|  BREADCRUMBS  |

1 cup gluten-free panko crumbs

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

|  BUFFALO SAUCE  | ****NOTE** When I make this recipe for dinner, my toddler will obviously not eat spicy ass buffalo strips. Before tossing the strips in the buffalo sauce at the end, I put a few strips off to the side for him. I toss his in a mixture of ketchup & vegan ranch—BOOM. Dinner for all :)

½ cup Frank's buffalo sauce (YES, it’s vegan! Their “natural butter flavor” contains NO actual dairy) <3

2 tbsp vegan butter, earth balance (or regular butter if not doing vegan)

1 tbsp ketchup

HOW TO DO THE SHIT:

1.    In a medium saucepan bring 4 cups of water to boil over high heat. Remove tempeh from package. Slice into 8 long strips, & then in half so you’re left with 16 small strips.

2.    Once the water is boiling, lower heat to medium-high, add tempeh, & boil for 15 minutes. Drain & rinse with COLD water.

3.    Set out 3 bowls. 1) Pour in soy milk. 2) Combine flour & seasonings (flour mixture). 3) Add panko crumbs & Italian seasoning.

4.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5.    Place each strip in milk, then coat in flour mixture, & then briefly re-dip into milk. Toss with panko crumbs, coating well. Set on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tempeh strips.

6.    Once all are coated & on baking sheet, lightly spray all strips with olive oil cooking spray. Place in oven & bake for 10 minutes. Flip strips over & bake for an additional 10 minutes.

7.    While they are baking, place wing sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Cover with saran wrap & heat in microwave on medium-high setting for a minute & a half. Remove from heat & whisk ingredients together until homogenous.

8.    Wash & cut your lettuce & red cabbage; set aside.

9.    When wings are finished baking, toss with sauce.

10.    Assemble your buffalo tempeh tacos!! Take a lettuce cup, add thinly sliced red cabbage, place your buffalo strips on top, & drizzle with vegan ranch (or regular)!