Tempeh stir-fry

Browned tempeh with broccoli and red pepper in a ginger soy glaze.

  • A proper home cook
  • Vegan
  • Chinese
  • Dinner
  • Tempeh
  • High protein
  • Low carb
  • High fiber
  • One pan
Hands-on
20 min
Total time
29 min, show breakdown
  • Prep 12 min
  • Cook 12 min
  • Clean up 5 min
Pans
1
Ingredients
13
Cost/serving
$3.32

Per serving

Calories
382
Protein
28 g
Fiber
10 g
Net carbs
13 g
Fat
23 g

High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin C 180%, Vitamin K 110%, Riboflavin (B2) 46%, Vitamin B6 39%, Magnesium 32%, Folate 31%, Niacin (B3) 30%, Iron 26%, Potassium 21%, Vitamin E 20%

Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.

Already vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free.

Ingredients for 2

Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.

  • 1 block tempeh (227 g)
  • 2 cups broccoli (182 g)

    Same amount as: 480 mL, about ½ crown.

  • 1 medium red bell pepper (120 g)
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed (6 g)

    Same amount as: 2 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1 tsp jarred minced garlic, ¼ tsp garlic powder.

  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (6 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL, ¼ tsp ground ginger.

  • 2 medium green onions (30 g)
  • 1½ tbsp soy sauce (24 g)

    Same amount as: 20 mL.

  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar, unseasoned (15 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL.

  • 1 tsp cornstarch (2.7 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • 3 tbsp water (45 g)

    Same amount as: 45 mL.

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (canola) (14 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL.

  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (4.5 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

  • 1 tsp sesame seeds (3 g)

    Same amount as: 5 mL.

Find alternative ingredients

Healthier swaps

Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.

  • soy sauce
    • coconut aminos: About 65% less sodium, and gluten-free. A little sweeter (1 g sugar per teaspoon).
    • liquid aminos: Gluten-free and unfermented. Sodium is about the same as soy sauce.

Quantities are for 2 servings. More than 2 servings crowds the pan and steams. Cook in two rounds.

Nutrition Facts

2 servings per recipe

Serving size 1 plate (340 g raw)

NutrientPer serving% DV*Whole recipe
Calories382
Total fat23 g29%
Saturated fat3.5 g18%
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Sodium706 mg31%
Total carbohydrate23 g8%
Dietary fiber10 g36%
Total sugars4.5 g
Net carbs†13 g
Protein28 g56%
Vitamin D0 mcg0%
Calcium209 mg16%
Iron4.7 mg26%
Potassium1,007 mg21%
Vitamin A130 mcg14%
Vitamin C162 mg180%
Vitamin E3 mg20%
Vitamin K132 mcg110%
Thiamin (B1)0.22 mg18%
Riboflavin (B2)0.6 mg46%
Niacin (B3)4.8 mg30%
Vitamin B60.66 mg39%
Folate126 mcg31%
Vitamin B120.09 mcg4%
Magnesium134 mg32%
Zinc2.1 mg19%
Selenium3.6 mcg6%

Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.

* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.

Steps

  1. Cut the tempeh into 1 cm (½ in) cubes. Cut the broccoli into small florets and the pepper into strips. Mince the garlic, grate the ginger and slice the green onions.

  2. Stir the soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch and water in a cup.

  3. Heat the vegetable oil in the pan on high until it shimmers. Add the tempeh in one layer. Cook 4 minutes, tossing every minute.

    Done looks like: Golden brown on most sides.
  4. Add the broccoli and pepper. Toss 3 minutes.

    Done looks like: Broccoli bright green and crisp-tender.
  5. Push everything aside. Add the garlic, ginger and white parts of the green onion to the gap. Stir 30 seconds.

  6. Stir the sauce again and pour it in. Toss 1 minute.

    Done looks like: Sauce thickens, turns glossy and coats everything.
  7. Take off the heat. Add the sesame oil, green onion tops and sesame seeds.

Equipment

Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60

What to look for

  • Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
  • Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat

Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.

Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50

What to look for

  • Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
  • Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years

Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.

Cutting board $10–30

What to look for

  • At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
  • Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher

Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.

Silicone spatula $5–12

What to look for

  • One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
  • Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick

Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.

What goes wrong

WhatCauseFix
Bitter tempehSome brands taste bitter straight from the pack.Next time, simmer the cubes in water for 10 minutes and drain before frying.
Soggy vegetablesPan not hot enough, or crowded.Preheat until the oil shimmers. Cook in two rounds for more servings.
Lumpy sauceCornstarch settled in the cup.Stir the sauce right before pouring.

Versions

VersionChangesPer serving
OriginalAs written. Hands-on 20 min, total 29 min.382 kcal
28 g protein
10 g fiber
13 g net carbs
23 g fat
Gluten-freeTamari instead of soy sauce. Hands-on 20 min, total 29 min.383 kcal
28 g protein
10 g fiber
13 g net carbs
23 g fat
Higher carbAdd cooked white rice (microwave pouch). Hands-on 20 min, total 29 min.545 kcal
31 g protein
11 g fiber
48 g net carbs
23 g fat

Notes

Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.