Is there a way to make this soy-free?

Yes, there are a couple of options! First make sure you are using a soy-free soy sauce like coconut aminos. You can then focus on the major replacement, which is the tempeh. LightLife just launched a soy-free tempeh made from chickpeas, which you can find here . If you don’t have access to that, you can also try this recipe using seitan or chickpeas. If using chickpeas, I would first make sure to dry the chickpeas really well in a clean kitchen towel before using. Then sauté the chickpeas similar to the tempeh. Do note, that this step may take longer as chickpeas have more moisture to them compared to the tempeh.

Can this be meal prepped?

Yes! I would recommend storing the tempeh without the herby salad. Place cooked tempeh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, you can either microwave for 1-2 minutes or until fully heated through. You can also pan fry it again with a little oil to help with sautéing. If you can, please try to make the herby salad fresh when serving. If not, top with a handful of fresh herbs or scallions if available.

How can I make this higher in protein?

A serving of tempeh already provides 17g of protein on its own. Adding peas adds additional protein as well as the pistachios. To bump up the protein further, consider serving with a higher protein grain like farro or quinoa, or stuff into a high protein wrap.

Sticky Ginger Tempeh with Charred Corn & Scallion Salad

Description

This Sticky Ginger Tempeh with Charred Corn and Scallion Salad is easy to make and packed with bold flavors. High-protein and the perfect weeknight summer meal.

Ingredients

Sticky Tempeh

2 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp five spice
1/2 tsp vegetable bouillon paste or an extra 1/2 tbsp tamari (optional)
3 tbsp avocado oil or more if needed
1, 8 oz block of tempeh
1 corn on the cob
3 scallions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, grated or minced
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed (optional)

Herby Salad

1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced (omit if spice intolerant)
1 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Kosher salt

For Serving

Cooked Jasmine rice or cilantro lime rice
Lime wedges for serving

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Instructions

To a separate bowl, add the tamari, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, five spice, and bouillon paste if using. Whisk until the paste has fully dissolved then set aside.
With a sharp knife, cut the tempeh into thin strips along the length of the tempeh block. Then, with the strips stacked together, thinly cut again crosswise into small bite-sized strips. The pieces should be small, which will help them better crisp up nicely in the pan. At this time, cut the corn, prep the garlic, ginger, scallions, and cilantro, so they are ready to use.
Heat about 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat, making sure the oil coats the bottom of the pan. Add the tempeh and spread it out into a single layer in the pan. Let it cook undisturbed for 3 minutes or until it smells nutty and the bottoms appear more golden in color. From here stir occasionally until the rest of the tempeh is golden in color, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Cut the corn kernels away from the cob and prep any additional veggies and aromatics as needed. To the same pan, add another 1 1/2 tbsp of oil to heat through. Add the corn and spread it out evenly over the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, give the corn a toss and sauté for 2 minutes until the corn starts to lightly char around the edges.
Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then, add the ginger and the white portion of scallions, continuing to sauté for about 1 minute.
Add the cooked tempeh back to the pan then pour in the sauce you made from earlier. Stir to completely coat the tempeh, scraping any bits away from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spatula to avoid sticking.
Continue stirring until the sauce has caramelized around the tempeh, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the thawed peas if using, then remove the pan from heat.
For the scallion salad, add the cilantro, scallion, pepper, and pistachios. Before serving, add the sesame oil and a pinch of salt, then carefully toss to combine.
To serve, divide the tempeh between bowls of rice then top with a sprinkle of the scallion salad on top and a squeeze of lime juice overtop. Enjoy!

Notes

Change up the veggies. I used corn and peas because they help add extra fiber to this dish, but this recipe can work with a lot of veggies. For example skip the corn and peas, sauté the garlic and scallions, then stir in some shredded kale before adding back the tempeh and pouring in the sauce. You can also use different herbs based on what you have available to you.

Make tempeh less bitter. The best way to do this, is to steam or boil your block of tempeh for 10 minutes. For even more improvement, try boiling the tempeh in vegetable broth to help infuse more flavor into your tempeh. Let it cool completely before cutting the tempeh and using in this recipe.

To get a nice crisp on your tempeh, make sure you use a large pan. This will help you spread the tempeh out evenly in the pan. Cooking it undisturbed for a few minutes allows for the bottoms to properly brown and crisp. Give it a stir, and stir occasionally from here until all sides are golden.

Make ginger easier to grate by freezing it. Not only will freezing stop your ginger from going bad, but it also helps freeze the natural fibers in the ginger, which are easier to shave when grating.