Tempeh marsala is my vegan take on chicken marsala, the Italian-American classic. A hearty main fancy enough for guests – and simple enough for weeknights.
Thanks to my never-ending quest to find new delicious uses for tempeh, I’m so excited to present to you: tempeh marsala.
A vegazined version of chicken marsala – the Italian-American classic – tempeh marsala is uncomplicated and relatively simple to make, requiring just one pan. Slices of tempeh are first browned, then drenched in a thick mushroom-shallot marsala gravy. It’s absolute heaven! Hearty, “meaty”, and incredibly savory. Let’s dive in!
What’s In This Vegan Marsala Recipe
This dish starts by simmering sliced tempeh (pronounced “tem-PAY”) in a mixture of water and soy sauce, which reduces tempeh’s inherent bitterness and seasons it throughout. The tempeh is then quickly seared. The vegan marsala sauce consists of sautéed shallots and cremini mushrooms, garlic, all-purpose flour, dry marsala wine, and vegetable broth.
Tempeh Marsala Step-by-Step
Simmer the Tempeh: To start, combine 1/2 cup water with a tablespoon of soy sauce in a large skillet. Add sliced tempeh, bring to a simmer, and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes (flipping the tempeh once halfway through).
Brown the Tempeh: [If you notice that the soy sauce residue is browning onto the pan, remove the tempeh and wash the skillet before continuing.] Add oil to the skillet and brown the tempeh on both sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Start the Sauce: Add a splash more oil to the skillet it needed, and add the shallots and mushrooms. Cook until they’re soft and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic at the end.
Finish the Sauce: Stir some flour into the vegetables. Then add the wine and stir to dissolve the flour. Simmer to evaporate the alcohol, 3 to 4 minutes. Lastly, add the broth and cook until the sauce thickens – just a few more minutes.
Serve: Add the tempeh back to the skillet and stir to coat it in the sauce. Cook just until it’s warmed through. Then transfer to a serving platter and garnish with parsley.
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
- Tempeh: Tempeh is made of whole fermented soybeans that are pressed together into a block. It’s an excellent and super versatile source of protein. Look for it in the refrigerated section near things like tofu, hummus, etc.
- Shallot: Feel free to sub with diced white or red onion.
- Marsala: A fortified Sicilian wine that comes in sweet and dry varieties. Sweet marsala is commonly used in desserts. Be sure to get a dry marsala for this!
- Broth: You can use mushroom or vegetable broth for this vegan marsala.
What to Serve with Vegan Marsala
Tempeh marsala goes well with nearly every starchy side, including pasta, risotto, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, or white bean puree. Sautéed veg like green beans – or charred broccoli – are also great ideas.
More Italian-inspired recipes…
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @thenewbaguette with your creation.
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Vegan Tempeh Marsala
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Tempeh marsala is my vegan take on chicken marsala, the Italian-American classic.
Ingredients
- One 8-ounce package tempeh
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- About 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced* (see note below)
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dry marsala wine
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- Parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Cut the tempeh into 8 thin triangles.
- In a large skillet, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce with 1/2 cup water. Arrange the tempeh in the liquid in a single layer. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes, flipping the tempeh once halfway through.
- [If you notice that the soy sauce residue is browning onto the pan, remove tempeh and wash the skillet before continuing.]
- Add about 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and brown the tempeh, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add a splash more oil to the skillet if needed and add the mushrooms, shallots, and pinches of salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are soft and lightly brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Then add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Stir 1 tablespoon flour into the veg. Then add 3/4 cup marsala and stir to dissolve the flour. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Then stir in 3/4 cup broth and continue simmering until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with salt, if needed.
- Add the tempeh back in and cook for a minute to warm through.
- Serve garnished with parsley.
Notes
Feel free to sub with diced white or red onion.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 255
- Fat: 16.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.7 g
- Protein: 11.8 g
Tamra says
I just made this and it was so delicious! Although I’ve been a vegetarian for a few years, I’ve relied on beans and grains as well as more processed things like the Impossible and Beyond meats from the grocery stores. I’ve been trying to get comfortable with alternative proteins. Since I had a bottle of dry Marsala from a seitan recipe I made a few months ago, I decided on a Marsala for my first time cooking with tempeh. I mean, Marsala and mushrooms – how can you go wrong? I chose this recipe because of the way you simmered the tempeh in flavored liquid. I’ve read that it can sometimes be bitter, and I did steam it for 15 minutes before simmering it just to be on the safe side. I also used vegetable broth with some added diy powdered “chicken” boullion that I had just made instead of the soy and water, but other than that, I followed your recipe and was so happy with it. The tempeh had such a great flavor – I’m going to make some to try on a sandwich.The only thing I’ll do differently next time is double the delicious sauce because it’s sooo good!
Thanks for this awesome recipe – I can’t wait to try some of your others!
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Tamra! I love this so much. I live to spread the tempeh gospel haha. So glad this worked out for you. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂