Teriyaki Tempeh

The other day for lunch, I whipped up some super easy teriyaki tempeh to put on our salad. Some of you might be thinking, “What the heck is tempeh?” We often have buddha bowls or salads for lunch, and on of the main components of them is a flavorful tempeh or tofu. Tempeh is a traditional soy product coming from Indonesia. It’s made by a culturing and controlled fermentation that binds soy beans together. 

What’s cool about tempeh is that it’s packed with protein and easier to digest than other soy products thanks to the fermentation process. This is because the Rhizopus culture reduces the oligosaccharides known for causing gas and indigestion.  It also really soaks up whatever you marinate or cook it in, so it’s easy to put in dishes in place of traditional meat options. 

You can make your own tempeh, but it’s kind of labor intensive and we don’t do it often. You also need to get a special culture and ideally a dehydrator. BUT tempeh is widely available at most grocery stores, right next to the tofu. There are also many other types of tempeh, made from things like chickpeas or black beans instead of soy for those who might be allergic. 

When we keep healthy food choices on hand in the fridge, we are more likely to make healthy food choices on a regular basis. This teriyaki tempeh recipe comes together in about 20 minutes, and would be a great option for meal prepping and keeping in the fridge for weekday lunches, like the salad pictured above. Toss it with a rice vinaigrette and avocado, carrots, and wonton strips over some crispy romaine for a filling, healthy midday meal. Another great idea would be to add this to some brown rice and serve with broccoli and snap peas. 

Teriyaki Tempeh

Recipe by The Friendly Feast Quick, flavorful tempeh that’s good for adding to many dishes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Dish, Staples

Cuisine American, Asian

Servings 12 strips

Ingredients

  

• 1 package tempeh
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 T brown sugar
• 2 T mirin
• 3 T low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• 1 T cornstarch
• 2 T cold water
• 2 T neutral oil
• sesame seeds (optional)
• chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions

 

• Cut tempeh block in two. Add to a medium saucepan and cover with water and bring to a boil. Parboil for 5 minutes as you prepare the teriyaki sauce. This serves to reduce the bitterness inherent in most store-bought tempehs.
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk water, brown sugar, mirin, soy sauce, garlic and ginger powders until well combined. In a separate small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water and then add into the bowl with the other sauce ingredients and whisk until very thoroughly combined.
• Remove tempeh from the stove and drain. Slice or chop into whatever shapes you desire.
• Add oil to a large frypan and set to medium-high heat. Add sliced tempeh and brown for 3 minutes per side, splashing with a little soy sauce halfway to deglaze.
• Pour teriyaki sauce into the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir to coat and let sauce thicken as it cooks, about 3 minutes.
• Remove teriyaki tempeh from heat and add sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired.

Keyword tempeh, teriyaki, teriyaki tempeh