Vegetable Tempeh Stir-Fry (Printable)

Nutty tempeh and crisp vegetables in a savory Asian-inspired sauce, ready in 30 minutes.

# 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 for gluten-free
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 such as sunflower or canola

→ Garnish

17 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
18 - Fresh coriander or cilantro leaves

# How To Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and cornstarch until well combined. 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 to 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 to 5 minutes until vegetables reach tender-crisp texture.
05 - Return tempeh to wok. Stir sauce mixture, pour over stir-fry, and toss until evenly coated. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in spring onions and garnish with sesame seeds and coriander if desired. Serve hot with steamed rice or noodles.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, so even exhausting work days don't mean settling for mediocre dinner.
  • Tempeh gets genuinely crispy and flavorful here, which might change your mind about plant-based proteins if they've disappointed you before.
  • The sauce is balanced and never cloyingly sweet, with that savory-tangy combo that keeps you reaching for another bite.
02 -
  • Cornstarch is non-negotiable here—without it, your sauce will be thin and runny no matter how long you cook it, but mix it with cold liquid first so it doesn't clump.
  • High heat is your friend; a lukewarm wok will steam the vegetables instead of stir-fry them, and you'll lose that crucial textural contrast between crispy and tender.
03 -
  • Prep everything before the wok comes out—stir-frying moves fast enough that fumbling for a vegetable mid-cooking will throw off your whole timing.
  • If your stir-fry looks too wet after adding the sauce, you probably didn't heat it long enough; the cornstarch needs 1–2 full minutes of heat to do its thickening work.
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