These seitan tacos are a favorite recipe for #tacotuesdays. They suit meat-eaters and vegetarians alike (seitan seems to be a favorite plant-based meat replacement for carnivores). They are light and delicious while also infused with the wonderful rich flavors of chipotle and adobe. The melted cheddar, a touch that normally appears in quesadillas as opposed to tacos, takes this recipe over the top. Feel free to add some homemade guacamole to your taco and serve some of my cumin-infused black beans on the side. Your taco Tuesday will suddenly be elevated beyond all expectation!
Serves 2 (4 tacos)
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
¼ cup Veganaise
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle, plus additional, if desired, for more heat
½ teaspoon Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers (for heat and added flavor; optional)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups seitan, sliced into strips
Fine grained sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste
4 cups spinach, washed and spun
4 white corn tortillas, 4 inches in diameter each
4 ounces organic hard white cheddar cheese, medium sharp, sliced into thin strips or grated
Preparation
In a small bowl, stir the Veganaise, chipotle, yogurt, and adobe sauce (if using) together until well combined. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the seitan strips. Sear the seitan strips turning them with tongs as each side becomes golden. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside over very low heat to keep warm.
In a separate sautee pan, heat the second tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Reduce the heat to medium and add the spinach. Sautee the spinach until just wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a third pan, heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tortilla (s) and cook on both sides until warm, about 45 seconds on each side, until you can see golden dimples but the tortillas remain soft. Then, add the cheese and cover your pan with a clear lid. Once the cheese is melted, transfer the tortilla(s) to a plate. Add a thin layer of spinach and a few strips of seitan. Repeat if you’re making one taco at time.
