Crunch Salad with Tempeh

Baked tempeh cubes, shredded red cabbage, ribbon carrots, edamame, chopped green onion, quinoa, chopped mint, and peanut dressing in a white bowl.

5 from 16 votes

This High-Protein Crunch Salad with Tempeh doubles as a warm grain bowl. It is the ideal meal-prep recipe that tastes delicious both warm and chilled. Make this salad in mason jars to get your plant-based protein for the week. It's good for up to 5 days.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main, Salad

Cuisine: Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: to 5 people

Calories: 551kcal

Author: Nisha Melvani

Ingredients

16 ounces LightLife Organic Original Tempeh (2 packets) cut into ½-inch cubes*
Drizzle of olive oil
Dash of garlic powder
Salt to taste
⅔ cup dry quinoa or 2 cups cooked

For the peanut dressing:

⅓ cup smooth peanut butter or almond, or cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for nut-free
¼ cup tamari or soy sauce (preferably low sodium)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 lime juice

Other salad ingredients:

2 cups shredded red cabbage
2 medium-large carrots ribboned using a vegetable peeler (or grated on the largest holes of a box grater)
1 cup frozen shelled edamame thawed (or 1 cup sliced sugar snap peas, or snow peas)
1 bunch green onion thinly sliced (green and light green parts) (about 1 cup)
½ cup chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)
½ cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Optional: Simmer the blocks of tempeh in a saucepan or microwave in water to cover for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. This helps to bring out the natural nuttiness of tempeh while dialing down the stronger flavors.
Bake the tempeh: Transfer the tempeh cubes to a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, garlic powder, and salt. Bake the tempeh for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the packet. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
Make the dressing: Transfer the peanut butter, tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and lime juice to a medium jar or bowl. Whisk well until fully incorporated.
Make jars (optional): Place 4 (24-ounce) Mason jars in a row. Divide the dressing evenly between the 4 jars, and then the carrot ribbons. Add ½ cup red cabbage, ½ cup quinoa, ¼ cup edamame, ¼ cup green onion, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (if using). Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For serving:
Jars: Invert the jar and shake it over a medium bowl. Mix to combine.
Skip the jars and combine the salad and dressing in a large bowl instead. Mix well to combine.

Notes

Tempeh: Use 12 ounces (one and one-half packets) tempeh, or up to 2 (8-ounce) packets, depending on how much tempeh you would like in the salad. Simmer the tempeh for 5 minutes before using if you find the flavor of tempeh too strong.
Tempeh croutons: Place the tempeh cubes in an even layer on the baking sheet so they cook evenly. The smaller the pieces, the more quickly they get crispy. Keep an eye on them so they do not burn. Add more spices to the tempeh as desired, such as paprika, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, chili powder, and onion powder.
Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Crunch Salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For a warm grain bowl, simply heat it in the microwave or on a stovetop.

Nutrition