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Kung Pao Tempeh

Kung Pao Tempeh

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Kung pao tempeh recipe
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Tiamongla Kasar
Written by
Tiamongla Kasar
Contributer Intern

Tempeh Recipes: Flavourful
Kung Pao Tempeh
Packed With Plant-Based Protein

37 mins
Cooking Time
Intermediate
Difficulty
20
Ingredients
Vegan
Diet
Tempeh recipes are a great way to incorporate more plant-based protein into your diet, and this Kung Pao Tempeh recipe is a delicious one to try. The original Kung Pao was made with chicken, dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns, which are traditionally thought to impart spicy and hot flavours. In this version, the meat is replaced with tempeh but all the ingredients that make the dish worth eating are maintained. It has the numbing heat and the sticky-savoury sauce, roasted peanut crunch and charred chilli smokiness. This vegan stir fry is easier to make than it sounds. The tempeh is lightly blanched, cubed and then set aside in a simple marinade. They are then tossed with crunchy peanuts, bell peppers, and aromatic ginger. Each step is brief, yet they all rely on the previous step and end up making the dish taste like it took a long time when it really didn't. This is also a fantastic recipe for a busy week. The sauce may be prepared one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. You can keep leftover kung pao tempeh for up to 3 days if stored well in an airtight container in the fridge. It reheats without losing too much texture. Marinate the tempeh overnight if you want to get dinner on the table faster.

Ingredients

UNITSIngredients
225 gTempeh (For Tempeh Marinade)
1 tspSoy sauce
1 tbspRice cooking wine (optional)
1 tspCornstarch
1 tbspSesame oil
2 tspSoy sauce (For Stir Fry Sauce)
1 tbspSugar
1½ tspBalsamic vinegar
1½ tspRice vinegar
1 tspSesame oil
¾ tspCornstarch
1 tspWater
2 tbspCooking oil (For Stir Fry)
2 tbspDried red chilies, divided
1 tspSichuan peppercorns
1 tbspFresh ginger, minced
6Scallions (white parts), chopped
½ pepperRed bell pepper, diced
½ cupRoasted peanuts
From 1 scallionScallion greens, thinly sliced

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Directions

Description - Step 1

Step 1: Prep the tempeh

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and blanch the tempeh for 1–2 minutes. Once blanched, pat the tempeh dry and cut it into ½ inch cubes. Transfer to a bowl, pour over the soy sauce, rice cooking wine, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Stir well until every cube is evenly coated. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Step 1
Step 1: Prep the tempeh
20 Minutes
Step 2
Step 2: Make the stir fry sauce
3 Minutes
Step 3
Step 3: Bloom the spices
3-4 Minutes
Step 4
Step 4: Build the aromatics
1 Minute

FAQs

Blanching pulls out tempeh's natural bitterness and softens the texture slightly, helping it absorb the marinade more deeply.