Orange Glazed Tempeh Recipe

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/31/22
Orange Glazed Tempeh served over rice in a bowl

The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
679 Calories
11g Fat
130g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 679
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 370mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 130g 47%
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
Protein 17g
Calcium 138mg 11%
*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.)

Like the orange chicken you get at Chinese restaurants? Want to try a vegetarian version at home? One of the secrets which many vegetarians and vegans know is that replicating most meals has very little to do with the meat itself. After all, the most important thing about Chinese restaurant-style orange chicken really isn't the chicken - it's the sweet and tangy orange glaze that makes the dish.

So, this recipe combines all the ingredients of the orange glaze​ and puts it on a great vegetarian meat substitute - tempeh - instead of chicken. The recipe calls for fresh orange juice (it really needs to be fresh for this recipe - don't use concentrate or frozen!), maple syrup for sweetness, soy sauce for saltiness, and a few other spices as well. 

You can serve this orange tempeh over rice or just about any other whole grain, or, if you'd like more a rounder meal, you can double the glaze ingredients and add in some steamed veggies as well - try snow peas, baby corn and bell peppers to keep it Asian-themed, or even broccoli or bok choy, or just about anything, really. Cauliflower might be nice too.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 4 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 4-ounce package tempeh, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 cups cooked mixed wild and brown rice
  • 2 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Orange Glazed Tempeh ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  2. In a bowl, whisk together orange juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, coriander, and ginger. Set aside.

    Orange juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, coriander, and ginger whisked together in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  3. Simmer carrots in lightly salted water about 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Set aside.

    Carrots and water in a saucepan on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  4. In another pot, boil tempeh in unsalted water 10 minutes.

    Tempeh in a pot with water, on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  5. Drain tempeh and pat dry.

    Tempeh cubes on a paper towel lined plate

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  6. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add tempeh and brown on all sides.

    Tempeh cubes in a pan with oil, on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  7. Add carrots and orange juice mixture and simmer until liquid is a syrupy glaze. To serve, spoon tempeh and glaze over rice; sprinkle with cilantro.

    Orange Glazed Tempeh and carrots in a pan on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Tips

Recipe and photo courtesy of Lightlife Foods.