This Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Stir Fry is a plant based update to an old recipe of mine using pork. It's full of flavour and quick and easy to make. Get the recipe below.
My blog has been home to recipes for over a decade and in that time I've switched to a fully vegan diet. In this post I take one of the dishes I used to love getting from my local Chinese takeaway (Sweet and Spicy Pork Stir Fry) and use tempeh for a plant based alternative.
The sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. It glazes the tempeh in a really satisfying way!
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Ingredients
The list of ingredients for this dish is incredibly short and all of them can be found in the average supermarket. You'll need:
- Tempeh
- Maple syrup
- Soy sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Chinese five spice
- Red and yellow peppers
- Spring onions
- Sesame oil
Step-by-step Instructions
Just follow these 2 simple steps and you'll be enjoying my Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Stir Fry in no time:
- Step 1: marinade the tempeh in the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Chinese 5 spice and maple syrup.
- Step 2: heat a little oil in a wok and add the tempeh with any leftover marinade and the peppers and spring onions. Cook until the tempeh and vegetables are cooked through and sticky in the sauce.
Substitutions
If you need to make one or two swaps then don't worry! You can make the following changes to the recipe:
- Tempeh: swap tempeh for tofu for a slightly different texture
- Soy sauce: try tamari or coconut aminos instead
- Maple syrup: another liquid sugar like agave nectar will also work
- Chinese 5 spice: if you can't get a pre-made Chinese 5 spice you can make it yourself with star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon (cassia), Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds
Equipment
To make this recipe you just need a mixing bowl, chopping board and knife, as well as a wok to cook it in.
Storage
I don't recommend making this dish ahead of time. You can leave the tempeh marinading overnight for maximum flavour but once cooked it's best enjoyed immediately.
Top Tip
Keep the tempeh moving in your wok to avoid the maple syrup catching and burning. If it does the tempeh will become bitter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tempeh is a plant-based source of protein that is made from fermented soybeans.
Tempeh is now available in most UK supermarkets in the fridges where you will find tofu and other plant-based meat alternatives.
Not strictly, but I do think it gives the final dish extra flavour so avoid skipping this step.
Serving suggestions
One of the great things about this recipe is that it can be presented in a number of ways. You can add vegetables to the stir-fry if you so choose. You can serve it with rice, or noodles! Or alternatively if you’re being really healthy, you could serve it on a bed of steamed bok choy! It really is up to you. Some more serving suggestions are set out below:
The recipe
Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Stir Fry
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 chopping board
- 1 knife
- 1 wok
Ingredients
- 300 g tempeh diced
- 1.5 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon Chinese five spice
- 1.5 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 0.5 red pepper thinly sliced
- 0.5 yellow pepper thinly sliced
- 4 spring onions sliced lengthways
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Thoroughly mix together the maple syrup, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and Chinese five spice.
- Cover the tempeh in the marinade and leave in the fridge for at least half an hour.
- Finally, stir fry the tempeh and vegetables in some sesame oil and the marinade for 10 mins or until the tempeh and vegetables are cooked through!
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