Tempeh has been a meatless meal component in our family since I was a kid. There are hundreds of ways to prepare tempeh. One version that my sister and I love is grilled tempeh with barbecue sauce and grilled vegetables. This recipe, while without barbecue sauce, has lots of flexibility. You can literally add whatever greens or lettuce you prefer. And any vegetables, garnishes or herbs are welcome on the plate. The only thing I would not change is the tempeh seasoning and the dressing. Although, if you wanted to do a different flavored tempeh, like a teriyaki tempeh for example, you could use a sesame ginger shoyu dressing. There are so many ways to make this salad. Try this version and see what you think.
Make 2 large salads
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE TEMPEH
- 8 oz package of organic tempeh, TJ’s has 8 oz packages for $2.99
- 1 T smoked paprika
- 1 T Chili Lime seasoning (we used TJ’s)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fresh lime zest
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 T extra virgin olive oil
In a small mixing bowl, add in all ingredients and mix well. Set aside until tempeh is ready to be coated.
FOR THE SALAD COMPONENTS
- 2 C green or red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 4-5 leaves rainbow chard, stems removed, cut into thin ribbons
- 4–5 leaves of lacinato kale, stems removed, cut into thin ribbons
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp fresh lime zest
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 large organic cucumber, skin on, cut lengthwise into ribbons
- 1 C sweet corn, cooked and kernels cut off the cobb
- A handful of heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced in half.
- 1/2 C red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Lime wedges
FOR THE DRESSING
Makes 1 cup
- 1/2 C sour cream
- 1/4 C full fat yogurt (or mayonnaise)
- 1 C organic cilantro (optional – you’ll see by my photo that I forgot the cilantro! It’s a good component if you’re a fan)
- 1 avocado
- 2 T fresh garlic, minced
- 3 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 C fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp fresh lime zest
- 1/2 tsp organic granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
In a food processor of blender, add in all ingredients and blend until creamy and smooth. Put in glass jar and refrigerate until ready to assemble salads.
In a medium size sauce pan, add water and bring to a boil. Add sliced tempeh. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes, uncovered. This step helps soften the tempeh. Remove tempeh from water and pat dry, pour out water, dry out pan and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. With remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, gently coat each piece of tempeh and coat with chili lime spice mixture. Bring the olive oil up to a medium high heat. Add spice coated tempeh slices and sear on both sides until lightly crisped. Remove from pan and set aside until ready to assemble salads. Try to resist eating pieces!
In a medium size mixing bowl, add cabbage and kale ribbons and toss with lime juice, lime zest, a teaspoon of olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Massage for a couple of minutes to soften cabbage and kale. For assembly, plate equal amounts of ingredients, beginning with cabbage and kale, and then use your creative juices. Each plate should have 4-5 pieces of tempeh, one half of a sliced avocado, cucumber ribbons, corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion slices and a small dish of the dressing. Serve with lime wedges and sprinkle more seasoning mixture over the top of everything. Since I forgot the cilantro in the dressing, we garnished with a little cilantro as well.
COOK’S NOTES:
- You’ll see that our dressing isn’t green. I forgot the cilantro! It was good, but if you’re a cilantro fan it’s so much better with cilantro in the dressing.
- Adding some of these ingredients would be a nice addition to the salad : radishes, red bell peppers, roasted poblanos, sliced jalapeno, spiced tortilla chips, grilled squash or potatoes (we did add potatoes to our plate – so good with the dressing)
- We had a bit of leftovers and made wraps for lunch the next day. They were delicious. Simply top a large tortilla with all the ingredients, drizzle with dressing, wrap and enjoy!
- Double the dressing recipe so you can have extra for dishes like the wrap or to enjoy with grilled chicken or fish. It will last up to one week in a glass jar in the fridge.