While I was preparing the spiced tempeh & black bean mixture for these burrito bowls, my husband came over and snuck a taste and said, “wow, that actually reminds me of meat!”. Yes! Vegetarian and even vegan options can still be incredibly delicious and satisfying – I promise you won’t miss the meat in these burrito bowls.
Instead of meat, I opted to use tempeh, a fermented soy product. Tempeh is an excellent source of both protein and fibre- and the fact that it is fermented also means that it is a source of probiotics (i.e. happy gut!). I’ve not been able to find unflavoured tempeh in the grocery store- it usually comes in a teriyaki or other flavour (read: loads of sodium and other weird ingredients!). I tend to purchase unflavoured tempeh at a natural food store. I typically buy 4 or 5 packages and keep them in the freezer to use whenever the desire strikes!
This recipe is so delicious and is entirely customizable. What are your favourite veggies? What do you like to put on your burritos or tacos? What do you have in the fridge that needs to be used up? Use whatever your heart desires!
This dish packs really well for lunches for the workweek. I made this recipe and portioned it out into 3 containers for lunches, and had some for dinner a few nights too! Talk about a meal prep success :).
Enjoy!!!!
Tempeh, Black Bean & Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Ingredients:
For the tempeh-black bean filling:
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed for a milder flavour, or included for more heat, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
Sprinkle of red chili flakes (if desired)
1 tsp low-sodium tamari
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1-19oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-240g package unflavoured tempeh, crumbled
~3-4 tbsp water
Additional ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
A variety of the following (you choose! Or customize with your favourites!):
Thinly sliced or shredded red cabbage
Sliced bell peppers
Avocado
Chopped tomatoes
Shredded carrot
Sliced radishes
Red or green onion
Cilantro
Salsa
Greek yogurt
Hot sauce
Directions:
1) Prepare quinoa according to package directions.
2) Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add the jalapeno and garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
3) Add the spices and stir until well combined and fragrant. Add the tamari, lime juice, tomato paste and nutritional yeast and stir to combine, releasing any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan.
4) Add the black beans and tempeh and stir until well mixed. Add a little water to loosen up the mixture, I used about 4 tbsp. Cook until heated through.
5) Assemble the bowls! Place a few scoops of quinoa, the tempeh-black bean mixture and veggies into a bowl. Top with avocado, cilantro, salsa and plain Greek yogurt, if desired. This dish is delicious with warm quinoa and tempeh alongside the cold veggies, and it’s also great served cold as leftovers!
