Tempeh is a delicious plant-based protein that is perfect flavoured with spices in a refreshing salad

**prep time** 20 mins
total time Approx 30 mins
**serves** 4

Tempeh is one of my favourite plant based proteins. If you haven’t heard of it or tried it before, it’s basically fermented tofu. It has a more dense texture, so it has a yummy meaty texture that I love! I particularly love it paired with a cold and refreshing salad during the warmer months.

For this salad you’ll need:

Tempeh
Broccoli
Sugar snap peas
Shallots or spring onions
Tomatoes
Carrot
Celery
Bean sprouts
Crispy lettuce
Coriander
Red chilli
Olive oil
Soy sauce
Curry powder

For a yummy dressing, I’ll mix together:

Olive oil
Lemon juice
Chilli flakes
Salt and pepper

We’ll start by chopping up the tempeh into bite-sized chunks, and marinading it in the sauce in the fridge. You could leave this for an hour or two, or if you’re making as you go, just while you prep the salad. It will soak up more flavour the longer you leave it, but it isn’t necessary for making it taste amazing.

Blanch the sugar snap and broccoli, just so that they’re bright green, yet still crispy. Then get to work chopping all of the salad ingredients and adding these into a large bowl. You should have a really good portion of this if you follow the recipe, so it’s perfect for meal prep, or if having people around to eat. Adjust the amounts depending on who you’re serving for.

INGREDIENTS

1 block of tempeh (you can do two blocks for more protein)
Small head of broccoli (or half a large head), cut into small florets
100g sugar snap peas
6 shallots or spring onions approx, finely chopped
200g tomatoes, cut into small chunks
1 carrot, grated
2 sticks of celery, sliced
200g fresh bean sprouts
Half a crispy lettuce shredded
2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
Half a red chilli, finely chopped

Marinade

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
Half a tsp of medium curry powder (can add more if you wish!)
Sea salt & black pepper

Salad dressing

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Sprinkle of chilli flakes
Sea salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

Place the tempeh in a bowl, pour over the marinade and mix in, making sure all the chunks are nicely coated. Leave to one side whilst prepping the salad.
Blanch the broccoli florets and sugar snap peas for 2 mins, and then drain.
Meanwhile, mix the dressing ingredients together and whisk. Or place them in a small jar and shake to mix.
Heat a frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil, and add the marinated tempeh. Cook on a medium/high heat turning until browned. Remove and set aside.
Put all the vegetables and herbs in a large bowl and toss to combine. Top with the tempeh and mix.
Pour over the dressing, toss and serve immediately, sprinkled with the remainder of the herbs.