This tempeh stir-fry with peppers and onions is coated in a luscious, homemade garlicky sauce.
A colorful veggie stir-fry is one of my favorite weeknight dinner formats. It lets me use up whatever vegetables I have in my fridge, and with a homemade stir-fry sauce, it’s tastier, healthier, and often faster than takeout.
I’ve been incorporating tofu into my stir-fries for years, but for some reason have never considered tempeh for this purpose until now.
This savory, saucy tempeh stir-fry comes together entirely in one pan and is ready in just 30 minutes. While I love the simple combo of peppers and onions, you can certainly include other veg too (ideas below). Add a side of rice or noodles, and dinner is served.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Tempeh: Look for this high-protein soy product in the refrigerated section, near items like tofu, kimchi, etc. Lightlife is the most common brand, and some chains (like Wegmans, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods) carry a house brand.
- Vegetables: I love the simple combo of bell peppers and onions, but you can also toss in broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and/or carrots – just be sure to keep the total volume of vegetables roughly the same.
- Soy Sauce: Forms the base of the savory sauce.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce, helps it adhere to the veg and tempeh, and gives the dish that irresistible glossy look. It can be subbed with arrowroot starch.
- Fresh Garlic + Ginger: Give the sauce its signature fragrant personality – do not substitute with dried.
How to Make Tempeh Stir-Fry (Step-by-Step Photos)
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Simmer the Tempeh
Cut tempeh into thin bite-size pieces and arrange in a single layer in a large skillet. Add soy sauce and water, and simmer until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
Why? This step softens the tempeh, tames its inherent bitterness, and seasons it throughout. Do not skip it.
Step 2: Sear the Tempeh
Add oil to the pan and cook undisturbed until the tempeh is golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Then flip and brown the other side.
Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables
Remove the tempeh from the pan and set aside. Then add the vegetables and cook until they’re lightly golden but still crunchy, about 8 minutes.
Step 4: Make the Sauce
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together all the sauce ingredients.
Step 5: Finish the Stir-Fry
Add the tempeh back in, along with the sauce, and stir to incorporate.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this tempeh stir-fry with jasmine rice, brown rice, or any Asian-style noodles of your choice.
Notes on Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 1 to 2 days. While the stir-fry will still be edible after that, the vegetables will become soggy.
FAQ’s
I recommend simmering tempeh in a flavored liquid (like this recipe) before pan-frying to soften its texture, reduce its inherent bitterness, and season it throughout. This step adds just 10 minutes to the recipe and dramatically improves the results.
Sure, but the process will be quite different. I recommend making this tofu bok choy stir-fry or this peanut butter tofu stir-fry instead.
Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
Sure! Toss about 1/3 cup roasted cashews into the stir-fry in step 7.
Other Tempeh Recipes to Try
- Barbecued Tempeh Sandwiches
- Thai-Inspired Tempeh Curry
- Tempeh Reuben Sandwiches
- Vegan “Chicken” Marsala (with Tempeh)
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
Tempeh Stir-Fry
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This garlicky tempeh stir-fry is made entirely in one pan and ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Stir-Fry
- One 8-ounce block tempeh
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce* (see note below)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or another neutral oil
- 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1-inch pieces*
- 1 green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium white, yellow, or red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the Sauce
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced*
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the tempeh into 1/4-inch-thick strips, then cut the strips in half to create thin bite-size pieces.
- Arrange the tempeh in a single layer in a 12-inch non-stick skillet. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 cup water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Then simmer until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
- While the tempeh is simmering, chop the peppers and onion.
- Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil to the skillet and cook undisturbed until the tempeh is golden on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Then flip with tongs and brown the other side. Remove tempeh from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of avocado oil to the skillet, along with the peppers and onions. Raise the heat to medium-high and sauté, stirring a couple of times but not too often, until the vegetables are lightly browned but still crunchy, 7 to 8 minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking, make the sauce by whisking together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, making sure to dissolve the cornstarch.
- When the veg are ready, add the tempeh back in, along with the sauce. Immediately stir to coat the ingredients and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, 30 to 60 seconds.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- If sodium is a concern for you, use “reduced sodium” soy sauce here.
- To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Feel free to toss in broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and/or carrots – just be sure to keep the total volume of vegetables roughly the same.
- Fresh ginger is a key flavoring here. You may substitute with store-bought ginger paste, but do not substitute with dried ginger.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe (without rice)
- Calories: 265
- Sodium: 630 mg
- Fat: 16.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 13.9 g
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