Are you looking for a simple, healthy, & delicious way to eat tempeh? Get ready to elevate your salad game with this mouthwatering tempeh tahini salad recipe.
If you love tempeh, then you should check out my tomato tempeh stirfry recipe as well! I also have this simple marinated tempeh recipe that is used in this recipe. Additionally, you may wish to check out these tempeh skewers or this other tempeh salad recipe that I love and specifically made for meal prepping.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Tempeh salad bowl has become one of my favourite vegan tempeh recipes. It is perfect for lunch, or even just as a side salad to any meal. Packed full of flavour and protein, it is truly satisfying and can certainly be eaten alone as a filling and nutritious meal. Combined with a creamy and tangy tahini dressing, this salad is not only good for you but also bursting with flavor.
I especially like to make this recipe as part of my meal prep, making 3-4 salads at a time. Its the perfect high protein, plantbased recipe for meal prep! In fact, you could even say that this recipe is the whole reason I even started Simple Green Soul. Back when I worked in the corporate world, I use to meal prep this salad for my lunches all the time. So much, that some of my colleagues labelled me the "tahini queen" or the "tempeh queen". So yep. I really like this salad! I personally just find the combination of tahini with the tempeh so perfect and so delicious. I hope you do too!
Tips for Preparing and Cooking Tempeh
Tempeh has a slightly nutty flavor and a firm texture, which makes it a versatile ingredient in various dishes. However, if you're new to cooking with tempeh, here are a few tips to ensure that you achieve the best results:
- Marinate the tempeh: To enhance the flavor of tempeh, you can marinate it before cooking. A simple marinade like this one works well, but feel free to experiment with different flavors and seasonings.
- Bake or airfry for a crispy texture: While tempeh can be pan-fried, baking or airfrying it gives it a crispy texture and reduces the amount of oil used in the cooking process. It also allows the tempeh to cook evenly and develop a golden brown color.
It Wouldn't Be A Vegan Tempeh Recipe Without...The Tempeh!
The star of this salad bowl is obviously the tempeh! Traditionally tempeh is fried in a pan with oil. I prefer to cook my tempeh either in the airfryer or baking. Both of these options are oil free, making it a healthier option. For both of these options you can choose to marinate the tempeh with soy sauce, cumin, & chilli powder, and then bake it at 180 degrees for 10 minutes or air fry for 10 minutes. My love for tempeh runs so deep that I don't even marinate it anymore. I just chop it up and then air fry for 10 to 15 minutes to create delicious crunchy tempeh!
My marinated baked tempeh recipe is pictured above. Honestly, I rarely do this anymore and instead just use an air fryer for my tempeh salads.
Health Benefits of Tempeh
Tempeh, a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans, offers a wide range of health benefits. Unlike tofu, tempeh is made from whole soybeans, which are fermented with a natural culturing process. This fermentation process not only enhances the flavor of the soybeans but also increases their nutritional value.
One of the key benefits of tempeh is its high protein content. With approximately 19 grams of protein per 100 grams, tempeh is an excellent source of plant-based protein for vegans and vegetarians. Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, supporting muscle growth, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
In addition to protein, tempeh is rich in dietary fiber, which aids digestion and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Furthermore, tempeh contains beneficial probiotics that support gut health and boost the immune system.
What is Tahini?
Tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds, adds a creamy and nutty flavor to dishes. It is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines and is often used in dips, dressings, and sauces. Tahini is not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients.
Rich in healthy fats, tahini provides a good source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and reducing inflammation in the body.
Quinoa. The Perfect Addition To This Vegan Tempeh Recipe
Quinoa is a crucial ingredient, with the additional carbs providing you the energy you need to last through the day. I prefer to use quinoa because it is light, fluffy, and little bit crunchy / nutty.
Ingredients for the Tempeh Tahini Salad
To make this delicious tempeh tahini salad, you will need the following ingredients:
- ¼ cup uncooked quinoa (½ cup cooked)
- 150 grams of tempeh (cut into cubes and air fried or baked)
- ⅓ spring onion
- ⅓ bunch of fresh parsley
- ⅓ cucumber (diced)
- ⅓ carrot (grated)
- ⅓ large green capsicum
Ingredients for the tahini salad dressing
To make the delicious tahini salad dressing you will need the following:
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon hulled tahini
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon almond milk
Mix for about 1 minute to get a well combined salad dressing. I like to make a larger batch to use for several salads.
Feel free to adjust the quantities based on your personal preference and dietary needs. You can also add other vegetables or toppings of your choice to customize the salad to your liking.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making the Salad
To make this delicious vegan tempeh tahini bowl follow these steps:
- Start by cooking the quinoa according to the package instructions. Once cooked, set it aside to cool. If you have a rice cooker you can follow these instructions.
- Prepare the tempeh by cutting it into small cubes. You can either air fry or bake the tempeh until it becomes crispy and golden brown.
- While the tempeh is cooking, finely chop the spring onion and parsley. Dice the cucumber and grate the carrot (I like to use a food processor for this). Dice the green capsicum.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, crispy tempeh, chopped spring onion, parsley, diced cucumber, grated carrot, and green capsicum.
- In a separate bowl, prepare the tahini dressing by mixing together lemon juice, hulled tahini, maple syrup, and almond milk. Adjust the quantities of each ingredient according to your taste preferences.
- Pour the tahini dressing over the salad and toss well to ensure that all the ingredients are coated evenly.
- Once the salad is well mixed, you can serve it immediately. or refrigerate it for later use.
Variations and Substitutions for the Tempeh Tahini Salad
This tempeh tahini salad recipe can be easily customized to suit your taste preferences or dietary restrictions. Here are a few variations and substitutions you can try:
- Add more vegetables: Feel free to add more vegetables to the salad to increase its nutritional value and add extra crunch. Some great options include cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, avocado, or roasted sweet potatoes.
- Replace quinoa with other grains: If you're not a fan of quinoa, you can substitute it with other cooked grains like brown rice, couscous, or bulgur wheat.
- Swap tahini dressing for other dressings: While the creamy tahini dressing complements the flavors of the tempeh salad, you can use other dressings such as balsamic vinaigrette, lemon-tahini dressing, or a simple olive oil and lemon juice dressing.
Expert Tips About This Tempeh Tahini Salad
The combination of the following salad ingredients are just right and here are some further suggestions or reasons you should follow my ingredient suggestions:
- Carrot. Make sure to slice / chop finely. I like to to pulse the carrots in the food processor so they are extra fine. You can also try grating the carrot, which will provide similar results to the food processor
- Cucumber. Cucumber adds crunch and freshness! If you don't have cucumber you can substitute for iceberg lettuce
- Green Capsicum. Similar to the cucumber, the green capsicum adds crunchiness & freshness to the salad. If you don't have green capsicum you can also substitute for iceberg lettuce.
- Fresh Parsley. The fresh parsley leaves add flavour to the dish. Don't skip this ingredient! Make sure to completely remove the stem.
- Spring Onion. The spring onion is an essential flavour addition. If you don't have spring onion you can substitute for red onion instead
- Tahini & Lemon: Rich in antioxidants, and highly nutritious, tahini is an awesome vegan spread to add to salads like a salad dressing. Drizzle with some lemon juice and you are all set! If your tahini is not runny, try mixing the tahini with some lemon juice before drizzling over the salad
Further Serving Suggestions
- Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds or crushed nuts on top of the salad for added crunch and flavor.
- Pair the tempeh tahini salad with a side of warm pita bread or garlic naan for a complete and filling meal.
Vegan Tempeh & Vegan Meal Prep
As previously stated, I especially like to make this recipe as part of my meal prep, making 3-4 salads at a time. Its the perfect high protein, plantbased recipe for meal prep! Back when I worked in the corporate world, I use to meal prep this salad for my lunches all the time!
If you want to increase the calories of this meal then add additional quinoa or some tortillas to increase the calories.
Check out this video of me preparing this salad for the week
In this video you can see that I have substituted green capsicum for some iceberg lettuce instead.
Follow me on Youtube, Tiktok, Pinterest and Instagram for more healthy recipes like this one!
Want to read more about marinating tempeh? You can check out my Marinated Tempeh blog post here, or why not try this marinated tempeh skewer recipe?
Tempeh Tahini Bowl. A Vegan Tempeh Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup uncooked quinoa refer to blog for substitutes
- ⅓ a spring onion finely chopped
- ⅓ bunch of fresh parsley leaves finely chopped
- ⅓ a cucumber finely chopped
- ⅓ a carrot peeled and grated
- 1 large green capsicums finely chopped
Tahini Dressing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of runny tahini
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon almond milk
Instructions
- Start by cooking the quinoa according to the package instructions. Once cooked, set it aside to cool. If you have a rice cooker you can follow THESE INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the tempeh by cutting it into small cubes. You can either air fry or bake the tempeh until it becomes crispy and golden brown.
- While the tempeh is cooking, finely chop the spring onion and parsley. Dice the cucumber and grate the carrot (I like to use a food processor for this). Dice the green capsicum.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, crispy tempeh, chopped spring onion, parsley, diced cucumber, grated carrot, and green capsicum.
- In a separate bowl, prepare the tahini dressing by mixing together lemon juice, hulled tahini, maple syrup, and almond milk. Adjust the quantities of each ingredient according to your taste preferences.
- Pour the tahini dressing over the salad and toss well to ensure that all the ingredients are coated evenly.
- Once the salad is well mixed, serve it immediately.
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