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That’s my kind of bowl. Leafy greens + rice (carbs!) + this freakin’ good peanut tempeh. Introducing Sesame & Peanut Tempeh Skewers!
If you didn’t know by now I love tempeh, maybe even more than tofu, honestly I’m not sure. The thing is I always end up making a tempeh scramble, or simply stir-fry with a bit of soy sauce and some ground chili. To change things a bit this time, I put the tempeh on skewers, shallow-fry, and coat with a rich, spicy, and peanut-y sauce. Serve over a cozy bowl of rice, and you’re good to go!
This recipe has two steps: start out by marinating the tempeh with soy sauce, sesame oil, cumin, and smoked paprika for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Put it on skewers (or not!) and shallow fry until golden brown. And then, coat it with that ah-mazing peanut sesame sauce. The sauce is obviously the secret that makes these skewers taste so good.
For the peanut sauce, I used crunchy peanut butter because that’s how I like mine, crunchy. Peanut butter is mixed with more toasted sesame oil, lime juice, coconut milk, maple syrup, and chili paste. For the chili paste, I went with Sambal Oelek, which has a subtle touch of vinegar and is usually less garlicky than sriracha. You can use sriracha if you prefer.
Now, regarding the tempeh, I recommend you get the best quality you can find. From my experience, some brands have a very strong flavor. Some are bitter, while others have a pleasant, delicate flavor. If your tempeh is on the bitter side, steam it or simmer in boiling water for 10-15 minutes before marinating it; it usually helps get rid of the bitterness.
Personally, most of the time, I make mine. It’s cheaper and tastes a lot better, trust me! If you have never tried making tempeh, don’t worry, it’s not that complicated. I have a recipe for chickpea tempeh and plan to release another recipe to make it in the Instant Pot.
These tempeh skewers are delicious served with quinoa or rice and leafy greens. You get carbs from the rice, protein from the tempeh, and healthy fats from the sesame and peanut sauce, making it a complete meal!
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Sesame & Peanut Tempeh Skewers
Ingredients
Tempeh
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 7 ounces tempeh
Peanut Sesame Sauce
- 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 3 tbsp full-fat coconut milk (or almond milk for a lighter sauce)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp chili paste I used sambal oelek
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger
To Serve
- Rice or quinoa
- Greens: sautéed pak choi, kale, spinach, etc
- toppings: toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, chives
Instructions
Tempeh
- Prepare the marinade by combining the soy sauce, sesame oil, ground cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
- Cut the tempeh into about 2-inch cubes. Transfer to a baking dish or deep plate and pour the marinade on top. Stir to coat the tempeh with the marinade. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Thread the tempeh pieces on skewers. I made 4 skewers with 5 pieces of tempeh each. If your skewers are too long, cut them in half to make them smaller.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the skewers to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly charred.
- Transfer the skewers to serving bowls and generously brush (or spoon) with the sesame and peanut sauce. Top with more peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.
Peanut Sesame Sauce
- Combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl and mix until fully combined. Add 1-2 tbsp water if needed until you get a creamy consistency.
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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omg! yaaas, please! that sounds soo good that I won’t stop thinking about it until I make them 🙂 love peanut butter flavours in my savory meals! and tempeh is such a good product – definitely my favourite 🙂
Thomas, you are an artist, food carfter/genius! You make eating plant based exciting, adventurous and beyond tasty–delicious. Your creations pay attention to every nuance of not only flavor, but texture and appearance as well as mouthfeel. I literally feel sorry for others who are not plant based because they miss out of this fare. I declare you and FULL of PLANTS, the best Food Blogger/Blog out there in cyberspace You get many more stars then five in my ratings. Please stay humble and real. I can tell everyone of your recipes are yours!!! Thank you for your authenticity. Will you please put out an App? I want a direct mainline to everything you share. I would gladly pay a monthly to readily access your recipes.
I GIVE YOU 5 YUM THUMBS UP!!!
MO GREEN
i’ve been making my own tempeh in my instant pot- and it is delicious, and so much cheaper and tastier than storebought! i’ll try this with it 🙂
Thank you for this delightful recipe. I had it for lunch and dinner with white basmati and rapini. Delish!
Thanks for the feedback Régine 🙂
LOVED this recipe. The sauce and marinade are delcious. Thank you for sharing!
Happy to hear you loved these skewers Alyssa!
We’re sitting down to eat it, now. Delicious!!!!!!
Thanks for the feedback Linnea 🙂
Iliked this dish. Husbandsays add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.
Glad you like it Lori!
Do you think this would work outside on the grill on a copper grill mat that’s been lightly oiled?
Sure, you can grill the tempeh on the grill and then brush with the peanut sauce!
I don’t know much about tempeh.What brands are the best?
I’m afraid I can’t recommend you any brands as it depends on where you live and what your store has in stock. I usually make my own so I don’t buy tempeh anymore.
Yum!! We loved this. I’d never cooked with tempeh before and stumbled across this recipe. Glad I did. We didn’t have chilli paste but I do have a large bag of 50+ chillis so we chopped those up finely and that did the job. Everything else was done as instructed and the balance of flavours and amounts were perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!
Great! I’m happy to hear you discovered tempeh!
Thanks for your feedback Gordon!
wow I love the sauce! But I’m still not really a fan of tempeh. But I keep trying 😀
I really like your blog! so many creative recipes! Please, keep going 🙂
Thanks Conny! 🙂 Not everyone loves tempeh.
Absolutely delicious, and my fiance loved it too. I served it with quinoa (cooked in a mixture of water and coconut milk) to increase the protei furthest but would probably try it with rice next time. I also warmed the satay sauce slightly in the microwave before serving. This is definitely getting added as a regular weekday meal as it’s so quick and easy to make.
Thanks for your feedback Linda! 🙂
Shared this dish with a couple non vegans who loved it. The sauce is so perfect!
Thank you!!
Love this recipe, I make it alot! It goes really well with shredded fried brussels sprouts and brown rice! And topped with a dribble of sriracha!
Thanks for your rating Walter!
Can these be cooked on a grill?
It should work!
One of the best vegan meals I ever made! Thank you.
Oh thank you so much Gidget!
Gonna try this with extra firm tofu