Warm vegetable salad with tempeh is the perfect way to enjoy fresh veggies for lunch or dinner.
A beautiful warm vegetable salad featuring all of summer's bounty. Roasted potatoes, baked tempeh, fresh green peas, sweet tomatoes on top of healthy crunchy greens. A super delicious spicy cashew butter dressing adds the perfect zest to this amazing salad!
Packed with flavor, my creamy cashew butter dressing is so easy to make - it takes the fresh veggies to the next level. With the addition of the baked tempeh for protein and perfectly roasted potatoes, you will have a healthy and filling meal!
And have I mentioned, that this warm vegetable salad is not only gluten-free, is also vegan and whole 30 compliant. So good for you, and super delicious!
WHAT IS TEMPEH
Have you tried tempeh? Tempeh, pronounced "tem-pay" is an ancient plant-based protein food originating in Indonesia. It is made from fermented soybeans that have been formed into small blocks and is available in most grocery stores. Besides its great source of plant-based protein (about 16 grams of protein per 3 ounces serving), it is also rich in iron, calcium, manganese, phosphorous, fiber, and also naturally low-sodium. Tempeh is similar to tofu in that both are made with soybeans, but differently processed and is fermented. The texture and flavor of the two are also different. Tempeh is firm and has a nutty flavor, versus tofu is soft and mild almost flavorless.
HOW TO COOK TEMPEH
I love baking my tempeh in the oven along with other roasting veggies. It is really easy and convenient. The tempeh strips become nice and crispy and caramelized while they're baking.
This is how I do it:
- First, cut your tempeh into 1 inch slices.
- Second, marinade your tempeh in two tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, and a little salt/pepper. Leave marinating for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight. Flip the pieces at least once half way through the process.
- Once the tempeh has marinated, you can arrange the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (don't skip this step, this will prevent the tempeh to stick to the pan)
- Bake for about 20 minutes, at 350 degree F, until golden and crispy. After 10 minutes flip them around and drizzle the rest of the marinade.
These little crispy nuggets are perfect for a salad topping or can be served with steamed white rice, and sautΓ©ed vegetables. It can be tossed into stir-fries or layering on sandwiches. However you try it, I hope you love it too!
Don't care for tempeh? Another option is using halloumi cheese. Simply cut halloumi in 1- inch slices, using the same marinade. Heat a little oil in a non-stick frypan on medium/high heat, remove halloumi from marinade. Coat in a little flour, or corn starch. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy.
LETS TALK ABOUT THE SALAD DRESSING: My vegan spicy cashew butter dressing is made from homemade cashew butter, lime juice, grated ginger, garlic, salt & pepper, cilantro, and a little bit of chili pepper. The dressing is bright and creamy with a light tangy flavor. to make it, just add the ingredients to a blender, and puree until smooth. Then enjoy!
Recipe
Warm Vegetable Salad with Tempeh
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 10 baby creamer potatoes halved
- 1 cup green peas Alternatively - edamame, or sugar snap peas.
- 5 oz mixed green salad (about 2 cups)
- Β½ cup cocktail tomatoes - halved
- 4 radishes - sliced
- 8 oz tempeh Alternatively - Halloumi
Spicy Cashew Butter dressing:
- 2 tablespoon cashew butter
- Β½ teaspoon garlic -finely minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger - freshly grated
- β tsp salt
- β teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cilantro - finely chopped
- β teaspoon cayenne pepper Alternatively - crushed red chili flakes
- Β½ teaspoon honey - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Β°F ( 180Β° C)1. On a small baking sheet, arrange halved potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Coat lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with some fresh rosemary. To the same sheet add the marinated tempeh slices. Drizzle a little olive oil on them as well. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and fully cooked through. After 10 minutes, flip the tempeh and potatoes around.Tip: If using halloumi cheese instead: Lightly coat the marinated halloumi in a little flour and cook on medium heat (stovetop) with a little oil for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, just until they are golden brown and crispy. 2. Bring a small saucepan with water to a boil, and quick-blanch the peas or edamame for about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water.3. Arrange mixed salad greens on a platter. Top with potatoes, tempeh/halloumi, and peas. Add all the fresh vegetables. Top with salad the dressing. Enjoy!To make the spicy cashew butter dressing, add all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until fully incorporated. Although, whisking the dressing in a small bowl works perfectly fine.
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