Vegetable Tempeh Stir-Fry (Print Version)

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

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 8.8 oz tempeh, cut into 0.4 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 - 0.75 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

→ Sauce

10 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
11 - 2 tablespoons water
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
14 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
15 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch

→ Cooking

16 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Garnish

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

# How To:

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 tempeh cubes and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden on all sides. Remove to a plate.
03 - Add remaining oil to wok. Stir-fry garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add bell peppers, carrot, sugar snap peas, and broccoli. Stir-fry 4-5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
05 - Return tempeh to wok. Stir sauce and pour over stir-fry. Toss everything together and cook 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats ingredients.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in spring onions and garnish with sesame seeds and coriander if desired. Serve hot with steamed rice or noodles.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tempeh gets genuinely crispy and nutty, not rubbery like when I first tried cooking it years ago.
  • You can have dinner on the table in thirty minutes, which means weeknight stress actually melts away.
  • The sauce is perfectly balanced—savory, slightly sweet, with just enough sesame to make you crave another bite.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the wok when you first add tempeh—give the pieces space to brown properly instead of steaming themselves into submission.
  • The cornstarch in the sauce is non-negotiable; without it, you'll have a thin, slippery coating that slides right off instead of clinging to your vegetables and tempeh.
03 -
  • Make sure your wok or skillet is genuinely hot before tempeh hits the oil—hesitation is the enemy of crispy exteriors.
  • Prep all your vegetables before you start cooking; stir-fries happen fast and there's no time to stand there chopping mid-sizzle.
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