Vegetable Tempeh Stir-Fry (Printable Version)

Nutty tempeh and crisp colorful vegetables tossed in a savory Asian-inspired sauce, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 8.8 oz tempeh, cut into 1 cm cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
05 - 3.5 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed
06 - 3.5 oz broccoli florets
07 - 2 spring onions, sliced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 0.8 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

→ Sauce

10 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
11 - 2 tbsp water
12 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
13 - 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
14 - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
15 - 1 tsp cornstarch

→ Cooking

16 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil (e.g., sunflower or canola)

→ Garnish (optional)

17 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
18 - Fresh coriander or cilantro leaves

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh cubes and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden on all sides. Remove tempeh to a plate.
03 - Add the remaining oil to the wok. Stir-fry garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add the bell peppers, carrot, sugar snap peas, and broccoli. Stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until vegetables are just tender but still crisp.
05 - Return tempeh to the wok. Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour it over the stir-fry. Toss everything together and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and evenly coats the tempeh and vegetables.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in spring onions and garnish with sesame seeds and coriander if desired. Serve hot, with steamed rice or noodles if preferred.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • You get restaurant quality results in under 30 minutes with minimal prep work
  • The tempeh stays tender while developing these gorgeous crispy edges that soak up the savory sauce
  • Its endlessly adaptable based on what vegetables you have on hand
02 -
  • Let your wok get properly hot before adding ingredients. That intense heat creates the wok hei flavor that makes stir fry taste like it came from a restaurant kitchen.
  • Crowding the pan drops the temperature and leads to steaming instead of stir frying. Cook in batches if necessary, though this recipe fits nicely in a large wok.
  • The sauce continues thickening off the heat, so remove the pan when it still looks slightly thinner than your desired consistency.
03 -
  • Cut your tempeh and vegetables to roughly the same size so everything cooks at the same rate. This makes such a difference in the final dish.
  • Keep a small bowl of water near the stove. If things start sticking or the pan gets too hot, a splash of water creates steam that releases food and cools things down instantly.
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