Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe and Tangy Power Greens Recipe *VIDEO* (2024)

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Feeling lazy, but want to eat something dee-lish? Then read on for a high-ROI (where investment=cook time) meal you can enjoy any day. Actually, there are two recipes: an Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe and a Tangy Power Greens Recipe. These are great healthy, clean eating recipes that can be made gluten-free if you purchase ingredients that are specifically GF.

On Friday, I enjoyed one of my favorite lunches of recent times. As I started wondering about lunch, I had no idea what to eat. But, I knew I had some homemade BBQ sauce, tempeh, and swiss chard in the garden. I also had some kale on its last legs in the fridge. I wanted to make use of what I already had on hand, but I was already really hungry. So, lunch had to come together quickly and easily. This meal would turn out to be a wonderful surprise in ease and deliciousness.

*NEW VIDEO: How to Cook BBQ Tempeh*

Update: Since this recipe has been so popular, I made a quick video to accompany the below recipe for those of you who like more visuals. Click here to view the video if the above player isn’t working for you.

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BBQ Tempeh Recipe and Tangy Power Greens Recipe Details

After doing so well kicking off my day with lots of veg (spinach and onion in that tasty dill-egg-scramble), I knew I wanted to get a great serving of vegetables with lunch.

I have had swiss chard getting bigger and bigger in my garden for awhile, so I decided to pluck some leaves from that plant. I also knew I had some kale (from the farmer’s market the week before) in the fridge. I combined the two for a powerhouse-combination of great greens. Some chopped onions chillin in the freezer would be a quick addition to add instant flavor.

Here’s the first recipe:

Tangy Power Greens Recipe

Want a quick and easy vegetable side? This combination of nutritious greens come together in less than 10 minutes and without the need of blanching. Use frozen, chopped onions (a staple in the TCL house) to shorten the prep time. Multiply the recipe, as needed, for a larger serving size.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/8-1/4 chopped onion (I used frozen for convenience, but you can fresh-chop some)
  • 6 cups packed greens (I used swiss chard and curly kale, but spinach and other greens that don’t require blanching would work)
  • 1/4 cup broth/stock or water (I used water since I didn’t have any broth, but broth/stock would be more flavorful)
  • 4 sprays of Braggs liquid amino, optional
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook till translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add greens and water and cook till wilted, about 5-6 minutes.
  3. Spray in Braggs, add apple cider vinegar and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute to bring flavors together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Serve with BBQ tempeh (recipe follows).


Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe Ingredients

This is one of my all-time favorite ways to use tempeh. It’s just so easy and perfect for my busy work day dinners, generally busy weeknights, or work from home lunches. You only need two basic ingredients to make this Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe.

Tempeh

I’m a huge fan of tempeh because it’s closer to whole foods than many vegetarian and vegan protein options out there. And as a flexitarian, I love to eat mostly plant-based these days.

Whole soybeans are formed into a cake through a fermentation process. So it has a nice, hearty texture.

Perfect for flexitarians or meat eaters wanting to reduce their meat consumption. This is also great for your plant-based diet.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – probiotics! Although tempeh is a fermented food, it doesn’t necessarily retain the probiotics since the tempeh is typically cooked and can also be lost during pasteurization it sometimes goes through.

Tempeh does have prebiotics, which is a type of fiber that can help probiotics support your gut health.

You’ll need an entire block of tempeh to make this recipe. But you can easily multiply it if you’re entertaining or feeding a crowd.

Tip / Optional Step: I skipped this steaming step because this is a lazy recipe for me. But if you want to remove the bitter taste that tempeh can sometimes have, you can steam the tempeh pieces for 8 minutes. Do this before the marinate step. Simply prepare a pot for steaming by adding about an inch of water to the bottom and bringing it to a boil. Add your tempeh to a steamer basket, cover, reduce heat to simmer, and steam for 8 minutes.

BBQ Sauce

Any type of BBQ sauce will do here. You can make your favorite homemade barbecue sauce recipe or use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce.

Switching up the BBQ sauce you use is a really easy way to take this simple recipe and give it many flavor variations.

I snacked on tortilla chips whilst whipping this dish up. Before serving, I used some smaller broken pieces to garnish the top. Pretty and tasty!

How to Make This Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe in 3 Simple Steps

This is one of my favorite healthy recipes to make because it’s just so easy. I truly make this when I’m feeling lazy but want to eat something healthy still.

  1. Cut tempeh into short strips, about 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Add tempeh to a bowl and lightly cover with BBQ sauce, turning until all pieces are well coated. Marinate for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Cook with a little oil over medium heat until tempeh is warmed through and just golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side. Note: I would avoid medium-high heat because the tempeh may burn before it’s warmed through.

The end result is perfectly golden brown with a delicious savory-sweet flavor.

See the recipe card below for details.

Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe Variations

Here are some ideas for variations for this Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe

  • BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches: Try adding pieces of this BBQ tempeh to a toasted bun or bread to make BBQ tempeh sandwiches.
  • BBQ Tempeh Sliders: Similar to the above idea, but use smaller buns, rolls, or cut up pieces of bread to make them BBQ Tempeh Sliders.
  • Baked BBQ Tempeh: Put marinated tempeh pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, flipping once halfway.
  • BBQ Tempeh Bowl: Add cooked BBQ tempeh over rice and add your favorite side and favorite toppings to make this a bowl-style meal.

Any way you whip this up…Enjoy!

Best Side Dishes to Go with This Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe

This BBQ tempeh is very versatile and can go with any number of sides.

Here are some side dishes that would go well with this Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe:

  • Tangy Power Greens (recipe above)
  • Homemade Potato Salad
  • Quick Summer Squash Sauté Recipe
  • Sesame Ginger Snow Peas Recipe
  • Sautéed Kale with Garlic and Shallots Recipe
  • Simple Sautéed Radishes Recipe
  • Steamed green beans

Sometimes I like having simple brown rice as the side. Since the tempeh is pretty flavorful, I’ll sometimes put a bite of tempeh with some rice on a fork and let the flavors mesh together. Gotta love a good Clueless reference too!

Happy eating!

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Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe and Tangy Power Greens Recipe *VIDEO* (5)

Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe

★★★★★5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Diana of thechiclife.com
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 2 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe couldn’t be simpler. The flavor is best when combined with homemade BBQ sauce, but the bottled kind will work just as well. This is the easiest way I’ve ever prepared tempeh before, and it packs a lot of flavor with very little effort. Talk about high ROI! Gluten-free options are available for all ingredients – check the labels when you’re grocery shopping.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 8-ounce package of tempeh, sliced to make short strips, 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 cup homemade BBQ sauce, click to see which one I used (or sub bottled BBQ)
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Combine tempeh and BBQ sauce in a bowl. Gently stir to coat all sides of tempeh slices. Marinate for 5-10 minutes (while you prep the greens for the previous recipe)
  2. Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add tempeh and cook till each side is golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side.
  3. Serve with Tangy Power Greens (previous recipe). Enjoy!

Notes

Time-saving tip: Marinate the tempeh while you prep the greens for the previous recipe.

Note: Feel free to marinate your tempeh longer for extra flavor – from 1 hour to overnight.

Recipe Card powered byEasy BBQ Tempeh Recipe and Tangy Power Greens Recipe *VIDEO* (6)

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Click here to view a list of more easy and delicious recipes. Are you more visual? Click here to browse The Chic Life recipes by picture.

More Tempeh Recipes You May Like

  • Teriyaki Tempeh Bowls
  • Green Curry Tempeh Bowl with Green Peas
  • Maple Dijon Baked Tempeh
  • Vegetarian (or Vegan) Tempeh Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
  • Tangy Tamari Tempeh Noodles Recipe

More Greens Recipes

  • Kale Chips – plus my tips on how to make these successfully
  • Piña Colada Green Monster Smoothie
  • Kale, Sweet Potato, Lentil Soup
  • Chicken, Barley, Swiss Chard Soup

Click here for 10 easy kale recipes

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy this Easy BBQ Tempeh and Tangy Power Greens Recipes blog post and video!

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Easy BBQ Tempeh Recipe and Tangy Power Greens Recipe *VIDEO* (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook tempeh so it tastes good? ›

Steaming the tempeh will remove some of the bitterness before cooking it further. This step isn't always necessary, especially if you're pairing the tempeh with a boldly-flavored sauce. You can steam tempeh using a steamer basket in a saucepan or a microwave-safe dish covered with water or vegetable broth.

How to cook lightlife tempeh? ›

Cooking Instructions

Cut into 1/4″ thick slices; pan fry in a moderate amount of hot oil until crispy brown around the edges.

What is the flavor of tempeh? ›

Tempeh has a chunky texture and a slightly nutty, mushroom-y flavor. Because it is a fermented protein, tempeh is loaded with umami, which gives it a savory meatiness. Plain, it contains no salt, so it's often marinated in soy sauce to enhance the meaty qualities.

Does tempeh need to be cooked? ›

Tempeh should be cooked before being eaten and should not be eaten raw. Prior to being cooked, tempeh has almost no nutritional value and doesn't have a very pleasant taste. Before adding tempeh to anything you should cook it to ensure you get the most flavor and nutrition out of your food.

Is tempeh good or bad for you? ›

It is a complete source of plant-based protein, provides prebiotic fibres and offers a wide range of vitamins and minerals as well as protective plant compounds. Unless you have an allergy to soy, tempeh offers a nutritious option to include as part of a balanced and varied diet.

How to get the bitterness out of tempeh? ›

The Science of Steaming Tempeh

Simply put, gently heating it helps to reawaken the tempeh's flavours while also removing that bitter taste. It's like how spices gain a livelier flavour if they are gently warmed before being added to a dish, or how toasted sesame seeds taste more intense than raw sesame seeds.

Why do you put vinegar in tempeh? ›

Adding vinegar lowers the pH and prevents the growth of unwanted bacteria. Add the tempeh starter: Sprinkle the tempeh starter over the beans and mix for about a minute to distribute evenly.

Can I eat tempeh raw? ›

Can tempeh be eaten raw? Yes. There is nothing wrong with eating it raw. However, when raw tempeh is coated with any oily mix like mayonnaise moisture gets sealed in and air gets sealed out and this creates a favorable environment for some anaerobic bacteria which will give tempeh an unpleasant taste.

Can you eat tempeh straight from the packet? ›

Because of this potential, to ensure food safety, all tempeh should be pasteurized or cooked before it's eaten (FYI, pasteurization and thorough cooking are pretty much the same thing). This is why tempeh, though fermented, should not be considered a probiotic food. But don't worry!

Why is tempeh so expensive? ›

Later, it was popular only among the rich (the complex production process and imported white soybeans led to its high price).

Why does my tempeh taste bad? ›

Similar to tofu, tempeh takes on the flavors of whatever it is seasoned with + it does not have much flavor straight out of the package. In fact, it has somewhat of a bitter flavor. It is best to marinate it or add it into a good sauce, and always boil it before cooking with it to remove the bitter flavor.

Which is better tofu or tempeh? ›

Tempeh contains the most fiber and more protein than tofu because it contains the whole bean. The soy protein in tempeh is more digestable because of the fermentation process. Tempeh is often prepared in thin slices and fried, producing a crispy crust with a soft interior.

Can you eat tempeh every day? ›

It's completely safe and healthy to eat up to two to three servings of soy products, such as tempeh, daily,” says Palmer. Of course, if you're allergic or sensitive to soy, you'll want to avoid it.

When preparing a dish with tempeh What first step is recommended? ›

Don't skip this step! Steaming tempeh before baking or grilling it helps it soak up a marinade and infuse it with extra flavor. Steam the cubes for 10 minutes, and whisk together a marinade while they cook.

Can you overcook tempeh? ›

When cooked, tempeh should have a chewy, meat-like texture. If it's rubbery, that means it's probably overcooked. It's a delicious and healthy way to replace meat in stir-fries, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and Bolognese dishes, but it may take time and practice to get it right.

How do you cook tempeh without killing probiotics? ›

Doesn't cooking tempeh kill the good bacteria? Just on the outside. As long as the internal temperature doesn't get too hot the probiotic stimulators will remain alive. That's why we recommend you don't cook in the microwave.

Does boiling tempeh make it taste better? ›

Then cover the tempeh in water, and either simmer it in boiling water for 5 minutes, or microwave it for 5 minutes. This step helps to bring out the natural nuttiness of tempeh while dialing down the stronger flavors that some people find objectionable.

Can you eat tempeh straight from the package? ›

Bottom line is, tempeh that is cooked or pasteurized is extremely safe. Raw tempeh can be harmful and has no nutritional benefit compared to cooked tempeh. In Indonesia, the birthplace of tempeh, hundreds of years of experience have shown that tempeh should always be cooked or pasteurized before consumption.

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