I love the idea of tempeh. It’s a nutrient dense, high protein, high fibre, wholesome fermented food but I have to be honest. I’ve found very few tempeh recipes that actually make this stuff taste good! This is one heck of a delicious exception!
For those new to tempeh, it’s usually sold in a rectangular cake and can be found in the refrigerated or frozen section of the grocery store (oh and it’s super cheap!) It’s a traditional Indonesian food that is made from partially cooked whole soybeans that are left to ferment in warm temperatures until a thick white fungus multiplies and binds the beans together. Sounds yummy right? If you have a Trader Joe’s near you it comes in a package that looks like this.
There are many health benefits to eating fermented soy or tempeh as the fermentation process actually adds nutrition, and minerals such as calcium, iron and zinc become more available for the body to use. Still it has to taste good or who cares, right?!
I don’t know how many times I’ve read a recipe’s preamble that states something along the lines of ‘if you think you don’t like tempeh, wait until you try this! This will win you over’. I dutifully make the recipe and then decide (again) that I’ve had it with this stuff. I will stop wasting my time. I beg my husband to eat another plate of the god awful stuff so that I don’t have to throw it out and the rest of us (the lucky ones) reach for the box of cereal.
So if this sounds like you and you too no longer believe that tempeh can taste good, this sandwich (eureka!) will change your mind. We make this all the time and even the fussy kid likes it. It’s super yummy, hearty, sweet, spicy and has crunch. It can be used as a tasty plant based alternative to a chicken salad sandwich.
Steam your tempeh in a steamer basket for about 10 minutes to remove the bitterness. Remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool. Add the mayo, chopped celery, apple, raisins, walnuts, salt and curry powder to a large bowl and stir to combine them. Shred the cooled tempeh with a cheese grater into the same bowl and mix again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate. Use it as a sandwich filling or serve it on a bed of lettuce.
What’s YOUR favourite way to eat tempeh?
Adapted from Patrick-Goudreau, Colleen. ‘Better Than Chicken Curried Salad’. The 30 day Vegan Challenge. 1st edition.
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- 2 packages of plain tempeh
- ½ cup Just Mayo
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 chopped apple
- handful of raisins
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tsp curry powder (or more to taste)
- ¼ tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- Steam the tempeh in a steamer basket for 10 minutes to remove the bitterness.
- Cool the tempeh.
- Add all other ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.
- Shred the tempeh with a cheese grater into the bowl and mix well.
- Refrigerate.
- Use as sandwich filling or serve on a bed of lettuce.
Love the addition of fruit and nuts. Brings this “chicken salad” to a whole different (aka better) level.
Must run…. Heading out to replenish my tempeh supply.
LOL!!! Reading your introduction to tempeh had me laughing out loud as that is exactly how I felt about this very nutritious item. BUT after having indulged in this delicious recipe I am now a huge fan and will be making this sandwich often. It is definitely time to take my tempeh out of the freezer and show it a little more warmth!! This very well might be what I serve for lunch when the girls come over.