Vegetable Tempeh Stir-Fry (Printable)

Nutty tempeh and crisp colorful vegetables tossed in savory sauce. Ready in 30 minutes for a healthy weeknight meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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
11 - 2 tablespoons water
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
15 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch

→ Cooking

16 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Garnish

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

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh cubes and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden on all sides. Remove tempeh to a plate.
03 - Add the remaining oil to the wok. Stir-fry garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add the bell peppers, carrot, sugar snap peas, and broccoli. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are just tender but still crisp.
05 - Return tempeh to the wok. Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour it over the stir-fry. Toss everything together and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and evenly coats the tempeh and vegetables.
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 Advice:

01 -
  • Tempeh develops a gorgeous golden crust while staying tender inside, giving you that nutty, meaty texture that makes you forget you're eating plants.
  • Everything happens in one pan in under 30 minutes, so it's genuinely weeknight-friendly without feeling like a shortcut.
  • The sauce is perfectly balanced—savory, slightly sweet, with that sesame whisper that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
02 -
  • Don't skip crisping the tempeh first; that golden exterior is where all the flavor lives, and raw or barely cooked tempeh tastes like a missed opportunity.
  • High heat is your friend here—a timid flame means steamed vegetables instead of stir-fried ones, and the whole dish loses its energy and appeal.
  • The cornstarch needs to be fully dissolved in the liquid before you pour it in, or you'll get little starchy bits that refuse to incorporate smoothly.
03 -
  • Have all your ingredients prepped and lined up before you start cooking, because stir-frying happens fast and there's no time to chop once the wok is hot.
  • If you don't have a wok, a large skillet works perfectly—what matters is surface area and high sides so vegetables don't scatter everywhere when you toss them.
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