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Tempeh is not famous for a few reasons. The first one is that not many good recipes are available compared to tofu, for example. Second, if not cooked and seasoned correctly, it tends to have a bitter aftertaste and can taste very bad.
It’s a shame because tempeh is protein-rich, minimally processed, and fermented, which is good for your digestion! Plus, it’s a cheap option when bought at Asian markets!
This salad is SO easy to prepare. You have to make it ahead to let all the flavors merge. Serve it cold with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. I swear this tempeh salad won’t disappoint!
It all starts with onions, garlic, shallot, and ginger that are lightly sautéed until soft. Don’t omit ginger. By the way, it really contributes to the freshness of the salad. Then come the red bell peppers and carrots to add a nice crunch.
Tempeh is then added to the skillet with soy sauce for the savory note and maple syrup to balance with the tang of lime juice. Regarding tempeh, if you are not a soy fan, you can find chickpea tempeh in some organic stores. I find it a bit mushier, but it can still do the job!
For the greens, I went with kale but you can use baby spinach, collard greens, or lamb’s lettuce.
If you are looking for a protein-packed salad (almost 30g per serving!), this salad is for you! It’s easy to prepare and keeps very well in the fridge for up to 4 days, perfect for meal planning.
I hope you will all love this tempeh salad. Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Refreshing Marinated Tempeh Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp plant-based oil
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 1- inch fresh ginger grated
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1 carrot peeled and chopped
- 15 ounces tempeh finely diced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups chopped greens (kale, spinach, etc)
- juice from 1 lime or lemon
- optional toppings: red pepper flakes, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onion, garlic, shallot, and ginger. Cook for 5-7 minutes, occasionally stirring until onions are soft.
- Add diced red bell pepper, carrots, and tempeh. Cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring regularly until carrots are cooked. I prefer to slightly undercook the vegetables to keep some crunch, so I cooked mine for about three minutes,
- Stir in the soy sauce, maple syrup, and ground coriander. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed, adding more soy sauce for saltiness, and/or sriracha for heat.
- Remove from heat, transfer to a large serving bowl, and stir in the chopped green onions, kale, and lime juice. Let cool completely, cover with plastic film and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, overnight is better to let the flavors merge.
- Serve cold with an additional squeeze of lime juice.
- The salad will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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Sounds great, but the instructions need some clarification. In step #3, it says to add the tempeh along with the carrots and red pepper. Then in step #4, it says to stir in the tempeh along with the soy sauce, etc. Which is correct?
Ah sorry about that Linda! My mistake, I corrected it and made the recipe clearer.
Hi Thomas,
you’ve done it again, looks like another amazingly healthy recipe. You are right, there are not enough good recipes out there for tempeh. I can’t wait to try this recipe with yummy kale, and easy to get ingredients—excellent lunch idea
Keep up the amazing work 🙂
Hi Susana,
Thank you so much for your kind words!
I hope you will like this salad 🙂
Loved this salad! Ate it warm. I decreased tempeh to 8 oz which was perfect. Thanks. I’m a new Vegan and this was very satisfying.
Thanks for the feedback Beth!
Just want to say thank you for this recipe! It’s my favourite tempeh recipe and I make it all the time. Excellent “fast food” straight from the fridge!
I’m happy to hear you like this salad Janet! Thanks for your feedback!
This is a great way to eat tempeh. I have made it many times with a few changes. I usually use half as much Tempe and many more vegetables. But the sauce is a wonderful combination. I also like to put it on shredded cabbage.
Thanks for sharing Judy!
This was such a great warm salad! I’m sure it’d be great cold too (and I will be making it again). Really good with avocado on top!
Thanks for your feedback Hilary!
Hey there!!! Sound yummy! How many portions is this recipe for?
I x
Hey Irini,
It serves 3 people.
This is awesome!! You’re right… we need more tempeh recipes. And I have already added this to my list! We ate this hot – added the kale and green onions right to the hot mix. I did add the sriracha, extra soy sauce, and sesame seeds. It was so so good!!! I will definitely double this recipe next time. Definitely sending this to family and friends and recommending that they make it! Thank you so much!!
This is amazing! SO yummy and healthy – I used water instead of oil just because I am trying to eat less fat. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your feedback Kelly 🙂
Not great, lots of stuff doesn’t make sense and it’s off balance.
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe!
I mixed the warm tempeh mixture with the greens, spinach and romaine. It was delicious!! The flavors are so good !!
Glad you liked it Judy 🙂
For the serving size, it says 1g. Is that true?
It is actually 1 serving, not 1g. I will update this recipe soon 😉
I made this last night for dinner. I had added a bit too much soy sauce so served this chilled salad on piping sushi rice with a slight sriracha drizzle. It was delicious. So nutritious, so healthy to boot. Now on to the next recipe.
Glad you liked it 🙂 Thanks for your rating!