Sticky Maple Chili Tempeh (Printable)
Crispy glazed tempeh with sesame cabbage and fresh vegetables in a sweet-spicy maple chili sauce, ready in 40 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Tempeh & Sauce
01 - 14 oz tempeh, cut into bite-sized cubes
02 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
03 - 2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or canola)
04 - 4 tbsp pure maple syrup
05 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
06 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
07 - 1 tbsp chili paste (sambal oelek or sriracha)
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
→ Sesame Cabbage
11 - 1/2 medium red cabbage, thinly sliced
12 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
13 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
14 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
15 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
16 - 1 tsp maple syrup
17 - Pinch of salt
→ Bowl Components
18 - 7 oz cooked brown rice or quinoa
19 - 1 large carrot, julienned
20 - 1 small cucumber, sliced
21 - 2 spring onions, sliced
22 - Fresh cilantro or mint, for garnish
23 - Lime wedges, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine the sliced cabbage, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Toss thoroughly and set aside to marinate while preparing the remaining components.
02 - Toss the tempeh cubes with cornstarch until evenly coated. Heat neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, minced garlic, grated ginger, and smoked paprika until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the sauce over the browned tempeh in the skillet. Stir to coat evenly and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the tempeh with a sticky glaze. Remove from heat.
05 - Divide the cooked rice or quinoa among 4 bowls. Top each with the sticky maple chili tempeh, marinated sesame cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced cucumber, and spring onions.
06 - Finish each bowl with fresh cilantro or mint and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sticky maple chili glaze clings to every crispy edge and converts even the most committed tempeh skeptics at your table.
- Sesame cabbage quick pickles while you cook, so every component comes together in under forty minutes without any waiting around.
02 -
- The sauce moves from perfectly sticky to burnt in seconds once it thickens, so stand at the stove and stir constantly during those final two minutes.
- Pressing the tempeh cubes flat against the pan without moving them for the first three minutes creates a crust that the glaze adheres to far better than constantly flipping would.
03 -
- Let the cabbage marinate for at least fifteen minutes while you cook the tempeh, because the vinegar needs time to soften those raw leaves into something tender yet still crisp.
- Use the largest nonstick skillet you own so the tempeh cubes have space to crisp rather than steam in a crowded pile.