Vegetable Tempeh Stir-Fry (Print)

Nutty tempeh with crisp colorful vegetables in savory Asian-style sauce

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 8 oz tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch 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 - 3/4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

→ Sauce

10 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
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

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl until cornstarch dissolves completely. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add tempeh cubes and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
03 - Add remaining oil to the wok. Stir-fry garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn them.
04 - Add bell peppers, carrot, sugar snap peas, and broccoli. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp and vibrant in color.
05 - Return tempeh to the wok. Stir sauce briefly and pour over stir-fry. Toss everything together and cook for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats evenly.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in spring onions and garnish with sesame seeds and fresh coriander. Serve hot with steamed rice or noodles.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce thickens into this glossy coating that makes everything taste restaurant-quality
  • You can prep all the vegetables in advance and the actual cooking takes barely fifteen minutes
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day when the flavors have had time to mingle
02 -
  • Crowding your wok makes everything steam instead of stir-fry, so use your largest pan and cook in batches if necessary
  • The sauce will look terrifyingly thin when you first pour it in, but it thickens rapidly once it hits the hot pan
  • Tempeh varies by brand, some are more bitter than others, so taste a raw cube first and consider steaming it for 10 minutes if it seems very bitter
03 -
  • Cut your tempeh and vegetables into uniform sizes so everything cooks at the same rate
  • Let your wok get properly hot before adding oil, you should see faint wisp of smoke rising
  • If your sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water to loosen it back to a glossy consistency
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