Vegan Chorizo
Crumbled tempeh takes on the deep color and smoky heat of chorizo without collapsing into a paste. A few minutes in the skillet leave little seasoned pieces ready to scatter through a taco.

Recipe link
Prep time15 min
Cook time20 min
Total time35 MINUTES
- Course
- Main Course
- Cuisine
- Vegetarian
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Est. calories / serving
- 246
Ingredients
Tempeh
- 2 pounds tempeh patties (crumbled into pea-sized pieces)
Spices & Seasonings
- ⅓ cup granulated garlic
- ⅓ cup granulated onion
- ¼ cup fennel seed (toasted & ground)
- ¼ cup smoked paprika
- ½ cup oregano (dried)
- ½ cup crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (ground)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
- ¼ cup kosher salt
Cooking Liquid
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup avocado oil
Instructions
Instructions
- Crumble the Tempeh: Crumble the tempeh patties into small pea-sized pieces and set aside.2 pounds tempeh patties
- Mix the Seasoning: In a bowl combine the granulated garlic, granulated onion, toasted fennel, smoked paprika, oregano, crushed red pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and kosher salt.⅓ cup granulated garlic, ⅓ cup granulated onion, ¼ cup fennel, ¼ cup smoked paprika, ½ cup oregano, ½ cup crushed red pepper, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ cup kosher salt
- Build the Chorizo: Add the crumbled tempeh, seasoning blend, water, and avocado oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven. Stir thoroughly until the tempeh is evenly coated.2 pounds tempeh, seasoning blend, ½ cup water, ½ cup avocado oil
- Simmer Until Coated: Cook over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring regularly, until the liquid reduces and the tempeh is deeply seasoned.prepared chorizo
- Cool or Serve: Serve immediately, or transfer to a shallow container and cool completely before refrigerating.
Notes
- Tempeh Patties: The original restaurant recipe used scallopini patties, which refers to tempeh patties in this collection.
- Texture: Crumbling the tempeh into pea-sized pieces gives the chorizo a better bite and keeps it from becoming pasty.
- Toast the Fennel: Toasting and grinding the fennel seed gives the seasoning a deeper, more traditional sausage-style flavor.
- Serving Suggestions: Use in tacos, burritos, breakfast scrambles, nachos, quesadillas, rice bowls, or alongside Scrambled Tofu.
Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)
Yield
About 4 cups chorizo — Serving size: ½ cup
- Calories
- 246
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Protein
- 18 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Sodium
- 742 mg
- Potassium
- 412 mg
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Total Sugars
- 1 g
- Vitamin A
- 1240 IU
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Calcium
- 86 mg
- Iron
- 4 mg
Equipment
- Large skillet or Dutch oven
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Spice grinder
- Measuring cups and spoons