Sticky Tempeh Recipe
This sticky tempeh recipe is simple, fast, and tasty. It requires only a few ingredients, and the result is absolutely delicious.
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Servings: 1
Calories: 346kcal
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Nonstick skillet or grilling sheet
- 1 Medium bowl
- Measuring spoons and a measuring cup
- 1 Whisk or fork
- 1 Spatula or tongs
- 1 Absorbent paper
- 1 Serving plate
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package tempeh cut into 1-inch/2.5 cm-thick slices (Notes)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
- 2 inches fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon) or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Marinade
- ¼ cup tamari sauce soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar or another sweetener
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (Optional)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (Optional)
Garnish
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- Cilantro leaves
- Green peppers thinly sliced (Optional)
- White sesame seeds
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once simmering, add the tempeh slices and cover. Steam the tempeh for 10 minutes. Boiling tempeh helps to reduce or remove any trace of bitterness.
- Meanwhile, whisk the tamari, coconut sugar, sriracha, and lime juice into a small bowl. Reserve.
- Remove the tempeh from the pan with tongs and place it on a plate to cool. Empty the pan and wipe it to cook the tempeh later.
- Dab the steamed tempeh with a clean cloth or paper towel to dry, if necessary. (At this point, the slices can be kept as is, halved, cubed, or crumbled.)
- Return the pan to the stove on medium-high heat and pour oil into it. Add the tempeh to the pan and stir. Sauté the tempeh until the pieces are lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant enough, about 30 seconds.
- Pour the tamari marinade into the pan and stir, peeling off the tempeh (or scraping the brown crumbled tempeh from the bottom) from the pan with a spatula if necessary. Continue cooking the tempeh until the sauce has slightly caramelized and browned more deeply, about 6-7 minutes. Season the tempeh with salt and pepper and stir.
- Serve the sticky tempeh with a side dish of your choice, and sprinkle the top with the desired topping.
- Placed in an airtight container, this sticky tempeh will keep for up to 4 days.
Notes
- The tempeh was sliced to speed things up. However, if it is rather crumbled, it will be even tastier.
- For maximum flavor, let the tempeh marinate for at least an hour, or even overnight, and cool slightly after cooking.
- Add a little salt before cooking to bring out the flavor of the tempeh. This helps intensify the other flavors of the marinade and adds a little touch of perfection.
- For an even stickier tempeh, increase the cooking time and add a little more sugar.
- Distribute the heat well so that the tempeh is cooked evenly regardless of whether it is grilled, roasted, or sautéed. Turn it regularly to get an even golden color and crispy texture.
Variations
- Sticky Tofu: Substitute tempeh for tofu.
- Tempeh in a sticky orange sauce: add orange sauce instead of the sauce ingredients above.
- Low-FODMAP Vegan Sticky Tempeh: try replacing coconut sugar with xylitol or erythritol; omit the garlic and cook the tempeh with a tad of asafœtide or garlic-flavored oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 3717mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 264IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg
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