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Vegetarian Recipes

Vegan Fish Tacos

By request! Vegan fish tacos. Or maybe it needs to be vegan “fish” tacos. Either way, here’s why I’m sharing the details today. A few weeks back I published the coleslaw recipe I’ve been making on repeat all year. In the post I mention one of my favorite ways to enjoy it – piled into these tacos. Specifics were requested, and here we are! The recipe is a bit of a weirdo, and came together one day when I was pulling things from the fridge – slaw, tofu, tortillas. This was a meal without much of a plan, and it has since become one of my favorite ten-minute lunches. Quick-marinated slabs of tofu are coated in a dusting of cornstarch and cooked until you get a golden crust. Tacos are assembled with a good slather of avocado, the tofu, tempeh bacon (if you want to double down), and finished after browning in a pan with a couple generous scoops of this spicy sesame coleslaw.

Each component can be prepped ahead of time, and will last for days in your refrigerator. When it’s taco time – cook up the tofu and/tempeh, assemble your taco, and finish with the slaw. I’ll also add another photo down below. I sometimes make a bowl-situation with the components of the vegan “fish” tacos swapping out tortillas for soba noodles.

Tofu: Puffy vs. Not

Tofu steps in for the fish component in these tacos. I use a strong, simple marinade plus a quick pan-fry. I should mention, on occasion, I’ll sometimes make a more puffy, beer-battered version of these – where you coat the tofu with a much thicker batter and then fry it in more oil than you see in todays recipe. But, the process is messier, a lot more decadent, and for an average weekday lunch or dinner, I prefer this version. I suspect you might too? It’s lighter and you get a lot of interesting flavors from the spicy sesame coleslaw dressing as well as the tofu marinade.

Can I Bake the Tofu?

Yes! If your oven is already going, and you don’t want to cook the tofu in a pan, bake it. Rub the pan with a bit of olive oil, skip the cornstarch step, and bake at 350F until the tofu is golden and bouncy in texture. Flip once along the way. You won’t get as much crispiness, but it’s still all good.

Vegan “Fish” Tacos: Make Ahead Components

The three main components for these tacos are the tofu, the coleslaw, and the tortillas. Tempeh bacon is optional, but I actually really love it in this recipe. It lends a nice smoky depth to the whole taco. Wayne often buys it, and the brand is Lightlife. If you don’t have it, or can’t get it, just leave it out – still so good! I make these often without the tempeh, but love them extra extra much when I have it.

  • Coleslaw: this is the coleslaw I’m talking about. It’s the only one I use for these tacos. The spicy sesame dressing is the magic that pulls everything together. Don’t skimp, pile on the slaw. The spicy sesame creaminess from the slaw dressing, the sweetness of the apple, and crunchiness of the cabbage is what makes these tacos special. Slaw can be used up to 4 or 5 days after making. So, slaw made on Sunday can be used throughout the week.
  • Tofu: You can whip up the marinade and add the tofu up to 3-4 days in advance. Or, start some on Sunday, and use throughout the week.

I hope you try these and enjoy them as much as I do! let me know if you play around with any variations.

Continue reading Vegan Fish Tacos on 101 Cookbooks

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Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada sauce is one of my very favorite things, ever. I love when it soaks into tortillas while baking and makes everything all tangy, spicy, and good. Mmmmm. 🤤 But when the selection at my local grocery store was less than impressive, I decided it was high time to try making some myself. This Easy Red Enchilada Sauce is a total game-changer, and now I can never go back to store-bought. It has ten times more flavor than anything I’ve ever had from a can and literally takes minutes to make. It’s a total winner.

red enchilada sauce dripping from a wooden spoon into a glass jar.

“INCREDIBLE! Super easy, made with common pantry staples, and way tastier than store bought.”

Sarah

Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

This EASY enchilada sauce is not an authentic recipe made with dried chile peppers that you’ll find in Texas or Mexico, but it’s a quick and easy version that anyone can whip up in their kitchen using basic pantry staples. But I promise, once you taste it, you won’t regret the shortcuts. It’s still bursting with flavor, and you’ll want to pour it over everything. However, if you want a made-from-scratch sauce with dried chiles in the mix, check out this Authentic Enchilada Sauce recipe from Isabel Eats.

close up of enchilada sauce dripping off a wooden spoon into a jar.

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Easy Red Enchilada Sauce

It only takes 10 minutes to make this super easy red enchilada sauce that is bursting with flavor.
Course Sauce
Cuisine Mexican, Southwest
Total Cost $1.32 recipe
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 ¼ cup each
Calories 53kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil $0.08
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.02
  • 2 Tbsp chili powder $0.60
  • 2 cups water $0.00
  • 3 oz. tomato paste $0.47
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin $0.05
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
  • 3/4 tsp salt or pepper to taste, $0.03

Instructions

  • Add the cooking oil, flour, and chili powder to a sauce pot. Turn the heat on to medium and whisk the ingredients together. Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to bubble. Whisk and cook the mixture for one minute once it begins bubbling.
  • After one minute, whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer it will begin to thicken slightly.
  • Starting with a 1/2 teaspoon, add salt to taste. I used about 3/4 teaspoon total. The sauce is now ready to use!

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Notes

*The water can be replaced with either vegetable broth or chicken broth for more depth, just be sure to reduce the salt added at the end to compensate.

A Note on the Spice Level

The “chili powder” listed in this recipe is a store-bought mix of spices used to season chili. It is not straight chile powder, or pure ground chile peppers, which can be extremely spicy. The brand of chili powder I use is completely mild, but other brands can sometimes carry some heat. If you are using a spicy chili powder, simply reduce or eliminate the cayenne powder from this recipe to compensate. The heat level of this recipe, using McCormick’s chili powder, is medium spicy, like a medium salsa.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25Cup | Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 338mg | Fiber: 1g

How to Make Enchilada Sauce Step-By-Step Photos

chili powder, flour, and oil in a sauce pot.
Toast the flour: Start by adding 2 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp chili powder, and 2 Tbsp oil to a pot. I use McCormick’s chili powder, which is not spicy, just flavorful, so don’t be frightened by the large quantity in the recipe. All of the heat comes from the cayenne pepper.

boiling chili powder and roux in a sauce pot with a whisk.
Whisk these ingredients together and allow them to come up to a bubble over medium heat, whisking the whole time. Whisk and cook for one minute. This will toast the flour and chili powder, adding to the flavor depth and making sure that the flour doesn’t taste like paste.

water being poured into the pot with tomato paste and spices.
Add the wet ingredients: After one minute, add 3oz. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and whisk in 2 cups water (or broth).

Simmered enchilada sauce in the sauce pot.

Simmer: Let the sauce come up to a simmer and it will begin to thicken. Taste the sauce and add salt to your liking. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon and add more if needed. The salt will really help bring out the flavors. If you’re using broth in place of water, you might not need to add any at all.

close up of enchilada sauce dripping off a wooden spoon into a jar.

And now you’re good to go! Drizzle this thick and flavorful enchilada sauce over all of your favorite foods and enjoy!

side view of a jar of enchilada sauce with a spoon.

How to Use Enchilada Sauce

Of course, the main thing you can make with this sauce is enchiladas! (Chicken enchiladas are a favorite). But I’m here to tell you that’s not the only thing you can make. Here are some other great ways I like to use my red enchilada sauce:

  • as a simmer sauce for meat (in a slow cooker or skillet)
  • as a rich sauce to smother burritos
  • combined with eggs and fried tortillas for Migas
  • combined with sour cream to make a creamy and spicy dip
  • as a replacement for taco sauce
  • a soup base (chicken enchilada soup or 30 minute posole)
  • to sauce up casseroles like Mexican lasagna, enchilada casserole, or taco stuffed shells

How to Store

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or portion out and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge (or, if you forget to set it out, run the freezer bag/container under hot water until it thaws!) Use it as directed in your chosen recipe.

Our Enchilada Sauce recipe was originally published 8/4/12. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 4/25/25.

The post Easy Enchilada Sauce appeared first on Budget Bytes.

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