Vegan Carne Asada Tacos With Seitan Recipe

Served with pico de gallo and vegan queso fresco

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/4/22
seitan tacos

The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Marinating: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4
Yield: 8 tacos

Juicy, vegan carne asada tacos are super easy to make and will satisfy all of your meaty taco cravings using "wheat meat." Seitan is marinated in a delicious citrus mojo sauce, then grilled and served topped with pico de gallo and vegan queso fresco. Add a squirt of lime and serve alongside your favorite Mexican rice or guacamole. 

All you need is a blender, grill pan, and a little time to marinate. There's no fussy ingredients or complicated instructions, just delicious vegan tacos.

If you’re gluten free, you can substitute the seitan for soy curls, just make sure to reconstitute them according to the instructions on the bag before adding to the marinade.

Ingredients

For the Mojo Marinade:

  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1/4 cup orange juice

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 pound seitan

For the Tacos:

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather your ingredients.

    seitan tacos ingredients

  2. Add all of the mojo ingredients, except for the seitan to the blender.

    mojo ingredients in a blender

  3. Blend all of the ingredients until mostly smooth.

    mojo ingredients in a blender

  4. Add the seitan to a plastic bag or bowl, then pour in the marinade. Seal and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

    seitan marinating in a bag

  5. Remove the seitan from the bag and discard the marinade. Pat the seitan dry.

    marinated seitan on a plate

  6. Brush your grill pan with oil and heat over high. Add the seitan to the pan and cook for 2 minutes per side or until you have a nice char.

    seitan grilled on a grill pan

  7. Allow the seitan to rest for 1 minute, then slice it into strips.

    sliced grilled seitan

  8. Char the corn tortillas over an open flame or in a skillet over medium-high heat until pliable.

    charred tortillas

  9. Place the sliced seitan over the charred tortillas, then top with pico de gallo and queso fresco. Add more chopped cilantro, if you wish, and serve immediately.

    setian tacos with toppings

Recipe Tips

  • You can easily make the marinade ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for three days.
  • You can marinate the seitan overnight, then grill when ready to cook. 
  • The cooked seitan will hold in the fridge for three days, but won’t stay as juicy the longer it is in the fridge, so it’s best to serve right away.

What do I serve with seitan tacos?

There’s tons of tasty vegan sides you can serve up alongside your tacos. Some include: