Vegetable Tempeh Stir-Fry (Printable)

Nutty tempeh and crisp colorful vegetables tossed in a savory Asian-inspired sauce. Ready in 30 minutes for a healthy weeknight meal.

# 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
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 cilantro leaves

# How to Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tempeh gets nutty and golden while the vegetables stay crisp and bright, giving you the best of both textures in one bowl.
  • It's genuinely fast enough to make on a tired evening, yet impressive enough to serve when someone asks what's for dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the tempeh separately; it changes the entire texture and flavor profile in ways that matter more than you'd think.
  • The vegetables need to hit a hot wok and keep moving, because the moment they stop is the moment they start releasing their water and steaming instead of frying.
03 -
  • Have everything prepped and within arm's reach before you start cooking; stir-frying moves fast and there's no time to chop mid-wok.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after cooking, mix another half teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and add it while everything's still hot; it'll thicken as it cools slightly.
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