Tempeh Stir-Fry With Bell Peppers in Teriyaki Sauce

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 07/26/19
Vegetarian tempeh teriyaki stir-fry

John Block / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 3 servings

In this simple recipe, tempeh is cooked in a lightly sweetened teriyaki sauce along with honey, garlic, and ginger, as well as plenty of traditional stir-fry vegetables, including onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. You can also toss in some pineapple to sweeten it up.

Tempeh–like tofu–is a fermented soy product, but unlike tofu, it originates from Indonesia. On the island of Java, tempeh is a significant source of protein. It's often aged, which increases its earthy flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce (or hoisin sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil
  • 8 ounces tempeh (chopped into cubes)
  • 1 medium onion (chopped)
  • 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
  • 2/3 cup pineapple (diced), optional
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
  • 3 tablespoons scallions (chopped), for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. In a small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, teriyaki or hoisin sauce, maple syrup or honey, garlic, and ground ginger. Set aside.

  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet and add tempeh. Heat for a few minutes on each side until lightly browned. If you have a non-stick skillet, you can omit the oil and just pan-fry the tempeh a bit to give it a head start.

  3. Add the onion and green and red bell pepper and heat for a minute or two, then add the rice vinegar mixture, stirring to coat the tempeh and vegetables well.

  4. Cook until vegetables are just tender, about 3 more minutes, then add in the pineapple and heat for another minute or two, stirring frequently.

  5. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and scallions over the top of the stir-fry.

Tips

  • Serve your teriyaki tempeh and veggies over rice, noodles, quinoa, or another whole grain and garnish with sesame seeds for a little extra texture and presentation. If you're in a hurry to get dinner on the table, serve up this tempeh teriyaki alongside instant rice or on top of quick-cooking rice noodles instead of rice or quinoa.
  • This tempeh teriyaki stir-fry recipe with bell pepper and pineapples is both vegetarian and vegan, but not necessarily gluten-free. That's because most teriyaki sauce brands are not gluten-free, and some tempeh contains gluten. If you need a celiac-friendly recipe, you'll need to make sure you have a gluten-free teriyaki sauce and tempeh. You'll also need to swap out the regular soy sauce for a gluten-free substitute, such as Nama Shoyu or tamari. 
  • For extra protein and a little bit of crunch, add a 1/2 cup of cashews or peanuts to the top of the stir-fry.

Recipe Variations

  • Tofu stir-fry: Replace the tempeh with the equivalent amount of extra-firm tofu.
  • Stir-fry with homemade teriyaki sauce: Instead of using bottled teriyaki sauce, replace it with 2 tablespoons of homemade sauce. Make it by combining a 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, and 4 tablespoons water. Whisk well. Put the remaining teriyaki sauce in an airtight container and store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
317 Calories
15g Fat
30g Carbs
19g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories 317
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 20%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1133mg 49%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Protein 19g
Calcium 124mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)