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
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.)

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.