Happy New Year! My 31 Day Vegetarian Challenge officially starts today and I have to say, the first recipe I made for the challenge, Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Bowls, is pretty killer. I chose a bowl meal for my first meal of the month because they’re just so easy and filling, they pack up great for leftovers, and they’re flexible enough to accommodate using leftover refrigerator ingredients. This particular bowl meal features my favorite sweet and spicy spice blend, creamy polenta, black beans, cheddar, avocado, green onion, and a tiny drizzle of tangy ranch dressing. The combo of sweet, spicy, and creamy in this bowl is absolutely to die for!
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What is Tempeh?
Tempeh is basically a block of fermented soy beans, but you can also find tempeh made with other beans and grains, which is great news for people with soy allergies. When it comes to vegetarian protein sources, tempeh is just as versatile as tofu, but has a much better texture (IMHO). Tempeh has a very slight nutty flavor and readily absorbs the flavors of any sauce or marinade it is cooked with, making it extremely versatile. The texture is similar to firm beans, but because they’re in block form you can slice and cut it into a variety of shapes. Want more info on Tempeh? Thekitchn.com has a great article about tempeh.
Is Tempeh Cost Effective?
At about $3 for this 8oz. block of organic tempeh, it’s about the same price as beef, so I do use it sparingly in my recipes. As with any other expensive ingredient, I’ve paired the tempeh with several other inexpensive and bulky ingredients, like polenta and black beans, to help balance the cost and keep the total price of the recipe down.
Doesn’t the Avocado Turn Black??
Haha, if I only had a dime for every time I get this question. 😂 I often add sliced avocado to my meal prep bowls and while they do turn slightly grey on the edges over the few days that they’re in the refrigerator, they don’t totally turn black. This color change is okay with me, since the avocado still tastes the same. If that does bother you, you can add the avocado fresh to the bowls each day (they hold their color best when not sliced and still attached to the skin and pit), or squeeze some lemon or lime juice over the slices.
Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Bowls
Servings 4Ingredients
Sweet and Spicy Tempeh
- 8 oz. tempeh ($3.19)
- 1/2 cup water ($0.00)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.08)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
Polenta
- 1 cup cornmeal ($0.24)
- 3 cups water ($0.00)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.12)
Bowl Toppings
- 1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed ($0.49)
- 2 oz. shredded cheddar ($0.44)
- 1 avocado, sliced ($0.49)
- 2 green onions, sliced ($0.20)
- 4 Tbsp ranch dressing ($0.31)
Instructions
- Cut the block of tempeh into 32 thin triangles. For the block I used, I first cut it into 8 equal-sized squares, then cut each square into two triangles, then cut the thickness of each triangle in half to make the pieces thinner. Add the tempeh triangles to a large non-stick skillet.
- Make the sweet and spicy marinade by combining the water, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, brown sugar, and olive oil. Pour this mixture over the tempeh in the skillet. Turn the skillet on to medium-high and simmer the tempeh, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the tempeh begins to brown just slightly (about 10 minutes). Remove the tempeh from the heat.
- To make the polenta, combine the cornmeal, salt, and water in a medium sauce pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring it up to a boil while whisking. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to simmer 2-3 minutes more, or until the polenta has thickened. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the butter.
- To build the bowls, start with 1 cup of the polenta, add 1/4 of the sweet and spicy tempeh triangles, 1/4 of the rinsed black beans, a pinch or two of shredded cheddar (about 1/2 oz.), 1/4 of the avocado, a sprinkle of green onions, and a light drizzle of ranch. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and reheat later.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Bowls – Step by Step Photos
If you’re unfamiliar with tempeh, this is what the brand I used looks like. This is the brand that I see most often in stores. It’s usually found in the refrigerated produce section, near tofu and other meat alternatives.
This photo shows the progression of how I cut the tempeh, from left to right. First cut the block in half, then in half again to make four rectangles. Cut the four rectangles in half horizontally to make eight squares, then cut each square diagonally to make two triangles. THEN, the most important part, turn each triangle on its side and slice it into two thinner triangles (that part isn’t shown in the photo above). You should have 32 triangles when finished.
Place the tempeh in a large skillet (you probably want to use non-stick of some sort for this). Combine 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp olive oil, then pour that mixture over the tempeh.
Place the skillet over medium-high heat and let the tempeh simmer, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the tempeh just begins to brown slightly (about 10 minutes). Remove the tempeh from the heat.
Next, make the polenta. Combine 1 cup cornmeal, 3 cups water, and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium sauce pot. Heat the mixture over medium-high while whisking until it begins to boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook and whisk until it thickens (another 2-3 minutes). Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in 2 Tbsp butter.
And then it’s time to build the bowls! Start with 1 cup cooked polenta, then top with 1/4 of the sweet and spicy tempeh, 1/4 of a sliced avocado, 1/4 of a can of black beans (rinsed), a pinch or two of shredded cheddar (about 1/2 oz.), a few sliced green onions, and a light drizzle of ranch.
Dig in! I am SERIOUSLY looking forward to eating these Sweet and Spicy Tempeh Bowls all week (or at least for the next few days until they’re gone).
I was looking for a different kind of gf recipe, so I thought I’d give this a try! Unfortunately this recipe didn’t do it for me. The polenta lacked any flavor it felt like I was eating paper. I even added more butter and spices into it. I’d definitely want to cook it with chicken/veggie stock if I were to make it again. Overall, the flavors were sort of all over the place (cheese, avocado…ranch?!) and weren’t cohesive at all. Big bummer.
Thank you Tiffany! I kept wondering exactly the same especially the polenta. It seemed like it would be too bland and the texture just would not work for me. My silly self was over here wondering if a cheesy grits would work but still that texture would be wrong. I didn’t even think of rice. Rice actually sounds perfect. I’ll just only add the avocado once it’s ready to eat.
But you did mention the entire thing was bland. Does that mean the tempura was also bland?
Despite other reviews, this recipe was not good for meal prep. While the tempeh alone was flavorful (reason for 2 star rating), the polenta and everything else was bland. The polenta did not reheat well it was like a hard pancake and didn’t really make sense with the other ingredients. If I ever made this again I would use rice instead and skip or replace the avocado because that doesn’t obviously reheat well either.
Nearly all of the recipes I’ve made with budget bytes have been great so I was having faith here but my gut feeling was correct.
I’d hoped to like this. I certainly enjoy all the component parts, but mixing them together like this, the flavours and textures just didn’t work. My entire family refused to finish, and although there are leftovers I won’t be eating them.
The tempeh marinade was good though, so I’ll be doing that again, but serving with something else.
I absolutely love this recipe! It’s so delicious!!
I also added corn to the bowl and it was super yummy! Will definitely make this 100 more times.
Yum! I’ve made these twice now as an easy lunch prep. I find split into 4 it’s not quite enough food for me, so I split it into 3 portions instead. The second time I made this I was in a rush and accidentally added the margarine to the polenta before boiling it, but thankfully it turned out just fine. I love this for a quick, easy, and healthy meal, thank you!
I had to come back and say I heated this up for lunch today and tried sriracha mayo instead of ranch as was recommended by a few people. Absolutely delicious! This meal is perfection with sriracha mayo on top.
This was amazing!! First time cooking tempeh and this recipe was such an approachable way to start cooking with it! :) The flavors came together so perfectly. Love this! Thank you for sharing!
This was my first time cooking with tempeh and honestly…I’m shocked. I’ve tried to buy into the hype that tofu can be good if it’s “just cooked properly,” and while I have found a few recipes I like, at the end of the day, it’s still tofu. But this tempeh is a whole different story and I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to try it as a meat alternative! The flavor and texture are wonderful.
I haven’t made this full recipe yet (although it looks phenomenal), but the tempeh recipe here has become the go-to tempeh recipe in our household. It is juicy and absolutely delicious! We’ve been cooking with tempeh for years and this is the best tempeh we’ve ever made. Thank you!!
I also couldn’t find tempeh, so sliced cauliflower and used it instead which worked well. Very filling,
This was my first time trying tempeh and this recipe is delicious. I’m already looking forward to eating it again.
This looks delicious, but I’m wondering if it’s possible to sub tofu for the tempeh, and if so, how would I alter the cooking process? I’m the adventurous foodie in my household, and there are only so many newfangled things I can get my housemate to try – tempeh isn’t one of them. Thanks!
I don’t think you could do tofu with this cooking technique because it wouldn’t hold up. You’d need to use a different method to get the spices to stick. I’d probably need to do some experimenting before advising on this one. But we do have plenty of other tofu recipes if you want to check them out!
Thanks so much for your reply, Beth! I’ve got a whole list of your recipes to try – maybe by the time we work our way through some of them, my housemate will feel adventurous enough to try the tempeh!
This looks great, but I’m wondering if it might be possible to substitute tofu for the tempeh, and if so, what alterations should I make to the cooking process? I’m the adventurous foodie in my household, and there are only so many new things I can get my housemate to try – tempeh isn’t one of them!
So many delicious textures and flavors I wouldn’t have thought to put together.
I love this recipe and have made it several times now. It’s so simple and easy and comes together really quickly. I like to roast a ton of veggies and throw those in there too. It ends up being a total explosion of flavor and makes for great left overs! Even my boyfriend loves this one!
We loved this recipe! We ended up doubling the tempeh and marinade because I accidentally bought too much tempeh and wanted to use it up. I think I’d do it again the same way next time because it was so filing! Also, thank you for continually putting out so much creative content! Your recipes really help us step out the box (especially for me, even outside of COVID times I have a hard time eating at restaurants due to low FODMAP dietary restrictions). Your ideas are always relatively simple to make, use common ingredients, are easy to follow, and taste good! It’s been fun over the past few months trying new things I never would have thought of. I don’t usually comment online but it really needed to be said. I appreciate you guys!! Thank you and please keep it coming!
Will the polenta work well to reheat the next day? For like meal prep purposes?
Yes that would be just fine.
Thanks so much for sharing! I thought the tempeh was absolutely fabulous – the flavors were perfect. However, I found the rest of the bowl pretty bland in comparison. I think in the future, we will use sweet potatoes instead of polenta and add some seasoning to the beans. Love recipes you can make your own!
This looks amazing! I am sadly allergic to avocado, is there something else you would use to substitute for it in this recipe? Or do you think the rest of the bowl stands alright on its own without the avocado?
You can just leave it out!
Does anyone know the nutritional facts for this meal? I made it and it’s so delicious but I count calories everyday so I was just wondering
We only recently brought on a Registered Dietician to our team. She’s working hard behind the scenes to update the entire recipe database, over 1500+ recipes, with nutritional information. She’s working her way from the newest recipes back and it takes some time to update them all. Stay tuned!
This flavor combination is AMAZING! Added roasted Brussels to mine to for extra veggies. Love this recipe.
Oh man yes I’m going to try the roasted brussels next time too!
So good! I discovered we were out of brown sugar so I replaced with 1 Tbsp of granulated sugar + 2 tsp of honey. And I replaced the ranch with sriracha mayo and added some tomatoes. I had this for dinner last night and lunch today… I’m trying to keep myself from having another portion for dinner! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!! :)
Great swaps Tess!
I LOVE this recipe. This introduced me to tempeh and I’m so glad because it is far less fussy than tofu.
I literally made this as my lunches every week for 6 weeks straight. The only thing I do differently is add some chopped tomatoes and use a cilantro avocado ranch dressing instead of plain ranch.
Thanks for a winner!
Thanks, Rebecca! I’m glad you enjoyed it so much! :)
THIS IS AMAZING! Instead of polenta, I use white basmati rice, black beans, corn, scallions, and cheddar cheese. I’m not a fan of the ranch, but I haven’t figured out a different sauce that would go with this yet. Maybe a siracha yogurt sauce or chipotle mayo?
Great mix of flavours! Our new favorite tempeh recipe. I always get it at Trader Joe’s and it sits and sits. Lol!
Liked the polenta as a different base from the usual grains. Will definitely be putting this in rotation.
Thanks!
Just made this dish tonight, and we were not a huge fan. We’ve loved all budget bytes dishes that we’ve made so far, but like others have said it’s an odd flavour combo. Maybe I’d try roasted yams on the bottom rather than the polenta. Would probably be pretty cheap too.
This was my first venture into tempeh, and I loved it! The texture is much more appetizing than tofu. As a vegetarian, I struggle to find dishes that keep me full from dinner until bed. This one did the trick. I used it as a meal-prep for the week and it worked out well.
The reason it isn’t five stars is the way all the ingredients came together. It felt like too much of a mish-mash of flavors and textures. The ranch helped the flavors, but it still didn’t taste quite right on everything.
I realized polenta is like oatmeal, which I’m not a fan of, so I would use couscous or quinoa in the future, but the recipe is great– I loved the tempeh and photos showing each step. Thanks!
Yum! The tempeh in this is so good and it’s a great combo of ingredients I wouldn’t have thought of. I had extra time so I simmered the beans with garlic, onion, and cumin. Otherwise I followed the recipe pretty exactly and it was a hit! Thanks!
I normally love ALL of Budget Byte’s stuff but I guess Tempeh is not my thing. Very odd taste, but I would love to try this with the same marinate but with Tofu instead.
My chef friend did suggest to steam Tempeh before cooking it though in the future so maybe I’ll try it again.
Not a huge fan of ranch. Any other suggestions for dressings or sauces for this bowl?
Something like a Green Goddess dressing might be good. I would definitely stick to something creamy to balance out the other flavors.
I’m slowly trying to transition my family into a more vegetarian-based lifestyle, so we’ve been branching out and trying more recipes using tempeh and tofu. My husband and I are both really enjoying tempeh (surprising for my husband since he’s about as carnivorous as they come, haha). He and I both really enjoyed this recipe! There were many “Mmmm” sounds coming from our table last night – it was quite delicious. Thank you!
So I am not a vegetarian, but trying to eat more vegetarian meals. This recipe was so insanely good! And filling! My complaint with most vegetarian food is that I’m hungry an hour or two later, but this meal really sticks with me and gets me through my afternoon without feeling like I need a snack. I’ve eaten it for lunch almost every day this week!
This is so delicious and filling, and is perfect for bringing to work for lunch. I had never eaten tempeh before but I like it very much. I will be making this many times to come. (I did substitute my typical grits recipe for the polenta but otherwise made it as written.) Thanks, Beth!
I tried this last night! I’ve never had tempeh before but I hate the texture of tofu and I gotta say I like tempeh SO MUCH MORE. I added some ghost pepper hot sauce because I really like things hot, but it came out really well! I do think next time I’ll use some instant mashed potatoes instead of polenta though, just because I like the flavor/texture better.
This was so good. I appreciated not spending my life chopping vegetables (I take forever to chop vegetables). It was my first time working with a soy product, so I tried one of the tempeh triangles while the polenta was cooking. I had to restrain myself from eating the rest. This might be a silly question, but do you reheat the bowls? I wasn’t sure because of the avocado.
Nevermind, I finally saw it.
I just pop it into the microwave. I don’t do anything special for the avocado. :)
Thank you for mentioning TJ’s tempeh, Christina. It was my first time purchasing a soy product and the price is great!
This meal prep is so amazing! The recipe came together fast and the prepped lunches were *almost* too pretty to eat! I wonder if there would be something I could substitute for the polenta if I want a lighter carb version of this? I was thinking cauliflower rice since some other commenters mentioned using rice but I wonder if the texture would work? Would love some suggestions!
Sure, I think cauli would work, or even just a bed of salad greens! :)
I made this again and substituted wilted spinach for the polenta and it was delicious! Just thought I would give that update!
Really tasty! I got to the store and realized that they didn’t carry tempeh. I successfully substituted extra firm tofu by pressing out the water for 30 minutes, cutting the block into two thin sheets and then into triangles, and then following the same cooking method. The tofu soaked up all the marinade while it simmered and developed a really nice caramelized crust.
Thanks for posting this! We were planning on trying to substitute tofu tomorrow night so glad to know it works the same.
This looks so great! I’ve been looking for some yummy tempeh recipes and this is definitely taking the cake!
Thanks a lot Beth! The first times I tried tempeh I was actually disgusted! But the way it tastes with that marinade and the other elements of the plates actually pleases me a lot! I regained faith in this strange meat substitute
I’m so glad you liked it!
Amazing! Had to use tofu since they didn’t have tempeh at the store but this marinade is insane! I’m going to use it for everything I make. I crisped up the tofu by adding a little cornstarch after the marinade evaporated and it’s probably the best I’ve ever made. Thank you for including so many vegetarian recipes on your blog.
Oooooooomg thank you SO MUCH for this recipe! Made it for dinner tonight (my bday dinner!) and just finished scarfing it down. I didn’t realize until skimming through the comments that I forgot the ranch. Sadness, but it was clearly delicious without it. I’ve only ever purchased premade polenta so I want to do like *praise hands emoji* x 12 for introducing me to homemade polenta. It kicks so much ass, is dead simple, and blows packaged polenta out of the water. Love your marinade! I added the full 1/2 tsp cayenne but next time I will add more. I added sauteed bell peppers and spiralized carrots because there weren’t enough veggies for me. :)
I really hate avocado so I was wondering if you had any suggestions on what to use as a replacement for it or if you would simply omit it? I also love that you’re doing this now since the husband and I just decided to switch to weekday vegetarians for health reasons on his side.
I think I’d add a dollop of sour cream if I omitted the avocado. That little bit of extra creaminess really goes a long way with this dish. :)
Perfect, I will do that! Thanks :)
I get my Tempeh at Trader Joes – it’s really good and only $2! Makes a really affordable substitute to meat and is also really really good for you since it’s fermented, high in protein, AND high in fiber (which so many people lack in their diets! everyone worries about protein protein protein and most people don’t get nearly enough FIBER!).
Will be adding this to a list of things to try soon! We love using tempeh in sushi, as sausage crumbles for pizza, and as bacon for BLT’s. It’s really versatile. For those who say they don’t like the taste, it may be worth trying to steam it first for 5-10 minutes. That makes it more mild somehow.
Made variation of this today. Didn’t have any cornmeal to make polenta so made rice instead. My avocados were past ripe so used cucumber and sliced up a tomato and added it in as well. The tempeh was good, but think I will use soy sauce instead of water next time as the marinade base. Even with this awesome marinade the sweetness/nuttiness of tempeh was still a bit strong (I generally prefer tofu instead). Despite the changes that I made it was still very good and being a recent convert to the vegetarian lifestyle due to health issues, I will definitely add this into my rotation (next time with polenta!).
When you eat tempeh a lot-like me-you can finally run out of ideas on how to cook it. This recipe helps a lot and it looks delicious hopefully it will taste amazing. Can’t wait to try.
A nice western way to cook tempeh.. I wonder the taste.
Made this last night with brown rice (not a polenta fan) and added some chopped tomato. Great way to cook tempeh and have a ton of variety in a bowl.
PS, in the ingredients list you have “1/ tsp salt” instead of 1/2.
Thanks for the heads up! Fixing now. :)
I know it may not seem appealing, but you can add a bit of mayo when you mash an avocado and the oil from the mayo will keep it from turning dark. As long as you are light on the mayo it also does not alter the taste.
We made this last night with a few exceptions – used rice instead of polenta (forgot to buy cornmeal) and tofu instead of tempeh (couldn’t find it at our WM!). Still came out delicious! We only grazed on it last night as it wasn’t ready til after dinner, but looking forward to eating it tonight! The sweet and spicy sauce is delicious!
How long does cooked tempeh last in the fridge? :)
When I cook tempeh by itself to add to dishes throughout the week, I keep it for about 4-5 days in the fridge.
I saw this recipe yesterday and realized that I had everything at home already! I made it for dinner last night and it was a big hit with my vegetarian self and my omnivore boyfriend. He had never had tempeh or polenta before and loved them both. I am such a big fan of your site because you cook a lot like I do – inexpensive and healthy. I am so stoked for the rest of the vegetarian recipes to come this month!
I made this for dinner tonight and loved it! I only got 3 portions of polenta out of the 1 cup dry though? The little kitchen scale I’m using might be off? Anyway, the recipe was super good!
Beth, amazing recipe as per usual. You helped my carnivore husband like a vegetarian meal. Delicious. Soon to become a regular in our dinner lineup. I had never made polenta before – super easy! Thank you!
All of those questions about avocado–I buy little ones, so there is less to worry about protecting. I use half at a time, so there is less potential wastage to worry about. I save the shell from the half I used, and plop it over the unused half, pit still intact, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. I used to squirt lemon juice over the exposed flesh, but no longer bother with that. The avocado, tightly wrapped, will last a couple of days in the fridge with only slight discoloration on the exposed edge. I can get bags of 2 small avocados at my local supermarket for $1.79, or purchase even cheaper at Walmart or Aldi. I buy them hard and green, keep them in the fridge so they ripen slowly, putting one out on the counter a day or two before I expect to use it to soften slightly.
These look great! I think the sturdy texture of tempeh is a good compliment to the creamy polenta, and the sweet and spicy seasoning sounds just right.
I have tried several times in several ways and just don’t care for tempeh. What/how would be a substitute? I know this is part of a vegetarian plan, but even a meat substitute would be fine. Thanks in advance!!
If you prefer tofu, you could do this with extra-firm tofu that has been pressed to remove as much liquid as possible.
You could definitely do this very easily with chicken. :) Here is the same sweet and spicy blend used on chicken, so just cook the chicken that way and add them to the bowls. :)
Awesome. Thanks Ms. Beth!
This looks great! Can I ask what kind of ranch dressing you use? I’ve tried several and yet to find one that I really like. Thanks!!
Sure! I usually dislike ranch as well because it’s usually just really sweet or thin and gross. But I recently found Ken’s Steakhouse Buttermilk Ranch and I love it. It’s not sweet and it’s super rich and creamy. :)
Thank you! I will check it out.
I love tempeh! I use it in your chili garli. Tofu bowls instead of the called for tofu. I can’t wait to try this!