These tempeh pesto wraps are my take on the classic chicken pesto wrap and they make for a delicious and filling lunch or snack. I love keeping this recipe simple by using a store bought pesto sauce and minimal ingredients. Now, you might be wondering… what is tempeh?! Tempeh is a healthy soy product that is made from whole soybeans that have been cooked, fermented and pressed into blocks. It has a somewhat bland and nutty taste that is great for adapting just about any flavor you pair with it. Tempeh is well noted in the plant kingdom for its numerous health benefits and an impressive nutrient dense profile. It’s not only high in protein but the quality of its protein is excellent. Tempeh is also a good source of B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and fiber. It will help to keep you feeling full longer and as mentioned earlier, it is a fermented food so great for gut health as well! You may notice the white mycelium and maybe even some dark spots on your tempeh… these are both totally normal and edible, however if the dark spots really bother you, you can cut them out. It is actually thanks to the mycelium in tempeh that makes it easily digestible and its nutrients highly bioavailable! These pesto wraps are one of my favorite ways to use tempeh so without further ado, let’s get into the recipe!

Ingredients

1 package tempeh, sliced
5 large flour tortillas or gluten-free tortillas of choice
1 jar plant-based pesto or pesto of choice
1 medium tomato, sliced
1-2 avocados, sliced
5 handfuls of dark leafy greens
5 tablespoons hemp seeds

Recommended Additions

sun dried tomatoes
fresh basil leaves

Method

Slice tempeh into thin strips, about 1/4 inch each.
Preheat a skillet to low-medium heat. Place tempeh slices on the skillet, cooking for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Tempeh does not actually require cooking and is edible straight out of the package so you can totally skip this step if you’re short on time however, I find that lightly browning it helps to bring out a pleasant nutty flavor.
Next, briefly warm the tortillas on each side helping to make them more pliable.
Now for the assembly. Lay a warmed tortilla on a clean surface and for each wrap, spread out 2-3 tablespoons of plant-based pesto along with the remaining ingredients: 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, 1 handful dark leafy greens, 2-4 slices of tempeh, 1 tomato slice, 1-2 slices of avocado, along with any extra ingredients such as sun dried tomatoes or fresh basil leaves.
Tightly roll up each wrap like a burrito and using clean hands, spread a small amount of pesto sauce onto the outside of the wrap!
Return wrap to the skillet seam-side down and allow the heat and pesto to seal the seam for a few moments. Gently turn the wrap to lightly heat the remaining sides.
Finally, transfer to a cutting board and cut each wrap in half. Allow a moment to cool and enjoy!

Makes 5 wraps, 10 halves.

Jennah Jensen is a vegan, blogger and recipe extraordinaire! You can follow along her adventures, find her recipes and be inspired by her musings here and follow along on Instagram @jennahjensen

Recipe: Pesto Tempeh Wraps by Jennah Jensen