In the last few months, Gochujang paste has been a hit ingredient in recipes in our house and the ones I include in Well Britta Meal Plans. I love the complex warm and spicy flavor. It makes the perfect marinade for the tempeh, another one of my current favorite ingredients, in these fresh and flavorful Korean Tacos. Pickled Persian Cucumbers and sliced vegetables make a perfect crunch on top of these flavorful tacos. Want it less spicy? You can easily adjust how much you use in this recipe. Try the Gochujang paste in these Mushroom and Walnut Lettuce Wraps and these Mushroom Bulgagi Bowls, too.
Yield: 8-10 tacos to serve 4-5 people
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
3 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, sliced thin
¾ cup white wine vinegar
1 and ½ tsp salt, divided
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 and ½ Tbsp Gochujang paste, plus more if you like it spicy. If you don’t like as much spice you can start with ½ - 1 Tbsp of Gochujang.
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp neutral flavored high heat cooking oil
1 cup onion, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tsp ginger, peeled and minced
16 oz tempeh (usually comes in an 8 oz package, so use 2 packs)
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2-3 green onions, ends removed and sliced thin
8-10 6 inch flour tortillas. You can substitute with corn or another GF tortilla if preferred
¼ cup carrot, peeled and julienned
¼ cup thinly sliced bell pepper, optional for additional garnish
Chopped cilantro, stems removed, optional for additional garnish
Preparation
Step 1: Add the sliced cucumber to a medium size bowl and pour white wine vinegar on top until the cucumbers are just covered. Add 1 tsp salt and the granulated sugar to the vinegar. Stir and let sit for 20 minutes or until you are ready to eat.
Step 2: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, Gochujang paste, rice vinegar and maple syrup. Set aside.
Step 3: Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the cooking oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and remaining salt. Stir and let cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and let cook for another minute.
Step 4: Break the tempeh into small pieces and add them to the pan to cook. Pour the Gochujang sauce mixture on top of the tempeh and begin to stir, breaking the tempeh up more as it cooks. Cook for 5-7 minutes. You can taste the taco filling now and add more Gochujang sauce based on your spice preference. Add the sesame seeds and the green onions and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn the heat off.
Step 5: Warm your tortillas. If you have a gas stove, turn a burner to low and heat the tortillas one at a time over a direct flame. You will need to tend to the tortillas while they cook to ensure they do not burn. You can also warm the tortillas one at a time in a pan over medium heat.
Step 6: Assemble the tacos. Fill a tortilla with the Gochujang tempeh filling. Add ~ 1 tsp of julienned carrots, pickled cucumbers and bell pepper, cilantro or any additional chopped vegetables you’re using on top of each taco. Enjoy!
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