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).
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.