The perfect go-to recipe: a one-dish meal made with convenient ingredients so it’s both flavorful and fast. Perfect for busy and hectic nights, including post-vacation meal crises.
Step 1: Simmer Tempeh and Kale
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 8 oz. pkg. unflavored tempeh, cut horizontally into 1/4” strips and then vertically into 1/2” squares
- 2 pkgs. (10-12 oz.) frozen chopped kale
In a small (10-12”) skillet, stir together water, soy sauce, tempeh and kale. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer about 5-10 minutes, until kale is almost cooked and tender to taste. Remove lid and continue cooking until water is evaporated.
Step 2: Saute Aromatics and Make Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. neutrally flavored oil
- 1-2 Tbsp. chopped garlic (fresh or jarred), to taste
- 1 Tbsp. lightly packed grated ginger (fresh or jarred)
- 2 Tbsp. tahini
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth, plus more if needed
Push kale and tempeh mixture to sides of pan. Warm oil in center, then stir in garlic and ginger and saute just 3-4 minutes, until fragrant.
Add tahini to garlic and ginger, then gradually pour in broth, using a fork to blend broth, tahini, ginger and garlic, adding additional broth if necessary to make a smooth sauce.
Step 3: Finish Skillet and Serve
- 2-4 shakes cayenne pepper, more or less, to taste
- 1-2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (optional)
Gently stir sauce into kale and tempeh mixture until combined thoroughly. Simmer another 3-5 minutes for flavors to meld. Season with cayenne, vinegar and additional soy sauce, to taste.
Serve immediately, alongside brown rice, if desired.
Pictures and Notes
- Buying Tempeh I like LightLife’s Original Tempeh which is unflavored. Its Three-Grain variety would also work, but it is not gluten free, as barley is one of the three grains. Don’t buy a flavored varieties (like Smoky), which might not pair well with the flavors in this dish.
- Moldy Tempeh? After a week or so in the frig, tempeh can develop light to dark gray spots. Don’t panic. That is a completely normal. Tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans. Those black spots are spores that indicate the fermentation process is complete. Your tempeh is still perfectly edible and safe. However, tempeh can go bad eventually. This post shares the signs to watch for.
- Kale Option Frozen chopped collards or spinach could each be substituted for the kale, but the cooking time must be increased by 5 minutes or so for the collards, and reduced by about 5 minutes for the spinach. Be sure to keep an eye on whatever green you’re using and cook just until it tastes good to you.