Sweet & Spicy Tempeh Peanut Noodle Bowls

These tempeh noodles are made with crispy, pan-fried tempeh strips smothered in a sweet-and-savory glaze, then served with a mixture of recent and stir-fried veggies over heat noodles in a lightweight peanut sauce. They’re hearty, comforting, and excellent for meal prep or straightforward weeknight dinners.

I really like doing every kind of inventive issues with tempeh. I make it into tempeh bacon, tempeh ribs, and even tempeh burgers. All scrumptious! However typically it is good to simply let tempeh be tempeh. Tempeh is a staple in Indonesian delicacies, and in Indonesia, you are not prone to discover it masquerading within the type of a meat substitute. As an alternative, you would possibly discover it fried and seasoned with substances like candy soy sauce, chili paste, and fragrant spices. That is precisely how I ready it for these tempeh noodle bowls!

Soar to:

I am not going to faux this recipe is 100% genuine Indonesian delicacies, however it’s undoubtedly impressed by it, and it is a few of the tastiest tempeh I’ve ever eaten!

Kecap manis, often known as candy soy sauce, is the star seasoning, and it caramelizes superbly on pan-fried tempeh strips, giving them pleasant crispy edges and wonderful taste. This tempeh is delicious by itself, however right here we’re serving it over heat noodles tossed in a sweet-and-savory peanut sauce with stir-fried cabbage and bell pepper. Juicy cherry tomatoes and crisp cucumber strips add the proper recent distinction. It is probably the most wonderful mix of flavors and textures, and I do know you are going to find it irresistible.

Substances You may Want

Under you will discover a listing of substances on this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way in which to the underside of the publish to see the total recipe, together with the quantity of every ingredient.

Noodles. You may actually use any number of noodles right here, so long as they’re vegan. I like to recommend wheat noodles, and I developed the recipe with ramen noodles. Lo mein and yakisoba noodles are wonderful (verify the substances for eggs), and even spaghetti will work in a pinch.
Kecap manis. That is an Indonesian candy soy sauce. You should buy it in an Asian market or on-line, and I’ve included a hyperlink within the recipe card. A mixture of common soy sauce with some sugar will work if you cannot discover kecap manis.
Lime juice. Stick to freshly squeezed lime juice for one of the best taste.
Sambal oelek. That is an Asian chili paste that loads of common supermarkets carry within the worldwide aisle. You can even get it in an Asian market, or substitute sriracha if wanted.
Peanut butter. Stick to peanut butter that is pure (runny) and creamy (not chunky). This can give your sauce one of the best texture and taste.
Soy sauce.
Water.
Vegetable oil. Any impartial excessive warmth oil will work, comparable to peanut, canola, or avocado oil.
Tempeh.
Inexperienced cabbage. Crimson cabbage is ok, if you happen to desire it.
Crimson bell pepper.
Garlic.
Cherry tomatoes. Be at liberty to cube up a big tomato as a substitute.
Cucumber.
Scallions.
Cilantro.

Tip: To make this dish gluten-free, substitute rice noodles or 100% buckwheat soba noodles and use gluten-free tamari instead of the soy sauce. Rather than the kecap manis, use 3 tablespoons of gluten-free tamari and 1 tablespoon of natural sugar.

How It is Made

Under is an in depth photograph tutorial on the way to make this dish. Scroll all the way in which down if you would like to skip proper to the recipe!

Steps 1 and a pair of: Put together. Begin your noodles — you will simply prepare dinner them till al dente. Combine the kecap manis, lime juice, and sambal oelek in a small bowl. You may add the remainder of the sauce substances later.

Glazed tempeh strips cooking in a skillet.

Steps 3-5: Put together and prepare dinner the tempeh. Slice the block into skinny strips whilst you warmth some oil in a skillet. Add your tempeh strips to the skillet and prepare dinner them for a couple of minutes on either side, till golden. Pour the sauce over them and prepare dinner them about 2 minutes longer, till the sauce is thick and caramelized on the tempeh. Take away them from the skillet.

Tip: In the event you usually discover tempeh too bitter to your style, strive steaming it earlier than cooking. This tutorial on how to steam tempeh will let you know precisely what to do.

Step 6: End the sauce. Whisk within the peanut butter and soy sauce, then skinny it with a little bit of water.

Step 7: Cook dinner the shallots. Add some extra oil to the skillet, let it warmth up, then add sliced shallots. Cook dinner them for a couple of minutes, stirring usually, simply till they soften and begin to brown. Take them out of the skillet once they’re carried out.

Cabbage and peppers cooking in a skillet.

Step 8: Cook dinner the veggies. You may add extra oil to the skillet if wanted, then add your cabbage and pepper. Stir-fry the veggies for a few minutes till they turn out to be tender-crisp.

Garlic cooking in a skillet with cabbage and peppers.

Step 9: Cook dinner the garlic. Push the cabbage and pepper apart, then add your minced garlic to the skillet. Cook dinner it very briefly, stirring the entire time to forestall burning, till it will get very aromatic.

Peanut noodles and veggies cooking in a skillet.

Step 10: Add the noodles and sauce. Add the noodles first, together with the cooked shallots, then the sauce. Cook dinner the whole lot for a minute or two till it is scorching, and the noodles are properly coated in sauce.

Tempeh Noodle Bowl with bowl of limes and skillet in the background.

Step 11: End and serve. Take the skillet off the warmth, then cut up the noodles up amongst bowls. Add your tempeh, halved cherry tomatoes, and julienne-cut cucumber, then sprinkle the whole lot with chopped scallions and cilantro. Dig in immediately!

Variations

Rice bowls. As an alternative of noodles, add some leftover cooked rice to the skillet in step 10. Do the whole lot else precisely the identical. You may find yourself with a peanut-flavored fried rice base for the tempeh and veggies.
Veggie swaps. Substitute the cabbage and peppers with broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or snap peas. Substitute the tomatoes and cucumbers with carrots, radishes, or recent greens.
Add toppings. The sky is the restrict right here! Add sliced avocado, chopped peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, chili crisp, or mainly no matter sounds good to you.

Leftovers, Storage & Meal-Prep

If doable, retailer the parts of this recipe individually — noodles in a single hermetic container, uncooked veggies in one other, herbs in one other, and tempeh in one other. Every part will hold within the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The noodles may be reheated in a skillet on the range or within the microwave, including a splash of water if the sauce has gotten dry. The tempeh is greatest reheated within the microwave.

You may prep the whole lot utterly upfront if you happen to like, then simply reheat and assemble earlier than serving. Alternatively, combine the sauce, prep the veggies, mince the garlic, then simply do the cooking components of the recipe earlier than serving.

Extra Tempeh Recipes

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Recipe

Tempeh Noodle Bowl with cherry tomatoes, cucumber strips, and fresh herbs.

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Candy & Spicy Tempeh Peanut Noodle Bowls

Delicacies American, Indonesian

Prep Time 15

Cook dinner Time 20

Complete Time 35

Substances

6 ounces dried wheat noodles, comparable to ramen noodles

For the Sauce

¼ cup kecap manis (candy soy sauce, Observe 1)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sambal oelek
2 tablespoons creamy pure peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons water, or as wanted

For the Bowls

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, plus a splash extra if wanted
1 (8 ounce/227 gram) bundle tempeh
2 cups sliced inexperienced cabbage
1 cup sliced shallots
1 medium pink bell pepper, sliced into strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ medium cucumber, julienned
2 scallions, chopped
¼ cup chopped recent cilantro

Directions

Deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and prepare dinner them in line with the bundle instructions, till al dente. Drain them right into a colander once they’re carried out.
Make the sauce whereas the noodles prepare dinner. First whisk collectively solely the kecap manis, lime juice, and sambal oelek. You’ll add the opposite sauce substances later. Set the combination apart for now.
Place a big skillet over medium warmth, then add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Swirl it round to coat the underside of the skillet, then let the oil warmth up for a minute.
Reduce the tempeh into about 18 skinny strips (minimize parallel to the quick facet), whereas the oil heats up.
Add the tempeh strips to the skillet in a single layer. Cook dinner them for about 4 minutes on either side, till golden brown and crispy. Rigorously pour solely about half of the sauce over the tempeh strips. Cook dinner them for about 2 minutes longer, flipping as soon as, till the sauce thickens and caramelizes on the tempeh strips. Take away the tempeh from the skillet and switch it to a plate.
Whisk the peanut butter and soy sauce into the remaining sauce, then skinny the combination with 2 tablespoons of water, or as a lot as you could make it simply pourable.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and lift the warmth to medium-high. Give the oil a minute to warmth up, then add the shallots. Cook dinner the shallots for about 4 minutes, stirring continuously, till they soften and start to crisp across the edges. Take away the shallots from the skillet and switch them to the plate with the tempeh.
Add a splash extra oil to the skillet if it appears dry, then add the cabbage and bell pepper. Cook dinner the veggies for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously, till they brighten in colour and turn out to be tender-crisp.
Push the cabbage and pepper to the edges of the skillet, then add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously, till it turns into very aromatic.
Add the cooked noodles and shallots to the skillet, then rigorously pour the sauce over them. Cook dinner the noodles and veggies within the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes, till the whole lot is heated and the sauce clings to the noodles.
Take away the skillet from warmth. Divide the noodles amongst 3 bowls, then high the noodles with the tempeh, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle every bowl with scallions and cilantro, then serve instantly.