This simple vegan Bang Bang Tempeh Bowl is colorful, fresh and full of good ingredients: crunchy vegetables, savory tempeh, edamame, rice and a creamy, spicy Bang Bang sauce. Thanks to tempeh, edamame and brown rice, it is not only incredibly delicious but also nutrient-rich, high in protein and wonderfully satisfying.
Tempeh and my husband had – let’s say – a complicated relationship for a long time.
While I have always loved tempeh, he could never warm up to its nutty, slightly tangy note. Time and again I tried to win him over: marinated and pan-fried in a kale-orange salad, as tempeh bacon, or hidden in curries. With moderate success.
Then came this bowl.
Pan-fried tempeh, a creamy vegan Bang Bang sauce and crunchy, fresh vegetables on the side. After just the first few bites it was clear: this tempeh recipe achieved what so many others had failed to do. My husband is now officially Team Tempeh. And if you’re still among the doubters, just give it a try!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick to make: With pre-cooked rice, dinner is on the table in about 20 minutes.
- High in protein: Tempeh and edamame provide plenty of plant-based protein – around 30 g per serving.
- Fresh, with lots of vegetables: Carrots, cucumber, spring onions and avocado add freshness and crunch.
- Perfect for meal prep: All components can be prepared ahead and keep for several days in the fridge.
Ingredient Notes
The highlight of this veggie tempeh bowl is definitely the vegan Bang Bang sauce – a creamy, sweet-and-spicy sauce that comes from American-Asian fusion cuisine and is made from mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha and, optionally, lime juice or rice vinegar.
- Tempeh: The protein-rich base of the bowl. Use a tempeh made from soybeans, which is a bit milder than tempeh made from black beans, for example.
- Vegan mayo: The creamy base for the Bang Bang sauce. Feel free to use my oil-free mayo made with silken tofu and cashews.
- Sweet chili sauce: I used a version from the health food store sweetened with agave syrup and pineapple.
- Sriracha chili sauce: Adds a wonderful heat.
- Rice vinegar or lime juice: Just a tiny bit for the vegan Bang Bang sauce.
- Rice: I went for the more fiber-rich whole-grain rice, but you can also use jasmine rice.
- Edamame: An additional great source of protein. Use frozen edamame beans.
- Avocado: For creaminess and healthy fats. Make sure it's ripe.
- Spring onions, cucumber & carrots: For freshness and bite. You can also use raw red cabbage.
- Sesame and fresh coriander: The ideal toppings for this delicious vegan Bang Bang bowl.
See recipe card for quantities.
What is Tempeh?
If you’re not familiar with tempeh yet: Tempeh originates from Indonesia and is made from fermented soybeans.
Unlike tofu, the beans aren’t processed into a smooth paste but remain largely intact. This gives tempeh a firmer, chewier texture and a slightly nutty flavor.
The fermentation process also results in a particularly interesting nutritional profile: Tempeh provides high-quality plant-based protein, dietary fiber, as well as various minerals and B vitamins.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Let's start prepping! Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Pour boiling water over the edamame to thaw them.
Slice the cucumber and cut the carrots into fine strips or grate them. Cut the spring onions into fine rings, finely chopping the white part. Dice the avocado or cut it into slices.
Then follow the steps below for the tempeh and sauce.
- Step 1: In a food processor, process the tempeh with paprika, garlic, salt and pepper into crumbs, or grate it with a grater.
- Step 2: Heat a little oil in a large pan and sear the tempeh together with the white part of the spring onions for 8–10 minutes.
- Step 3: Stir together the mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha and rice vinegar. Use more or less sriracha depending on your desired spice level.
Last step is to assemble the bowls: divide the rice among bowls, arrange the vegetables, edamame and tempeh on top, then drizzle with Bang Bang sauce and garnish with black sesame and coriander.
Variations
Adapt the vegan Bang Bang tempeh rice bowl to your taste. You shouldn’t swap out the sauce, though – after all, it’s a Bang Bang bowl.
- Tofu instead of tempeh - If you don’t like tempeh or don’t have any on hand, use extra-firm tofu.
- Pre-cooked rice - The bowl comes together fastest with rice you’ve already cooked. You can also use packaged pre-cooked microwave (whole-grain) rice.
- Vegetables of your choice - Finely sliced red cabbage and bell pepper strips are also a great choice.
- With peanuts - instead of sesame.
FAQ
Yes. Extra-firm tofu works particularly well.
The Bang Bang sauce can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The rice can also be cooked in advance and reheated before assembling the bowls. You can prepare the tempeh too and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. I would cut the vegetables fresh, or at least no more than 1 day before serving for the best freshness.
It’s best to store the individual components of the tempeh bowls separately. When you are ready to eat, simply reheat the parts that need warming and then assemble your bowl.
More Bowl Recipes
Bowls are a wonderful thing. If you feel the same way, you’ll find more delicious vegan bowl inspiration here.
I hope you’ll give my vegan Bang Bang Bowl with tempeh a try. If you love this recipe, be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag me on instagram (#veggiejam) with your recreation.
PrintRecipe
Bang Bang Tempeh Bowl
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 - 45 minutes
- Total Time: 20 - 70 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This vegan Bang Bang Tempeh Bowl is colorful, fresh and full of good ingredients: crunchy vegetables, savory tempeh, edamame, rice and a creamy, spicy Bang Bang sauce. Thanks to tempeh, edamame and rice, it is not only incredibly delicious but also nutrient-rich, high in protein and wonderfully satisfying.
Ingredients
For the tempeh
- 14 oz (400 g) tempeh
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ¼ tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
For the Bang Bang sauce
- ½ cup (120 g) vegan mayo
- ¼ cup (60 g) sweet chili sauce
- 1–3 tsp sriracha chili sauce
- ½ tsp rice vinegar or lime juice
For the bowl
- ¾ heaping cup (160 g) uncooked brown rice (or ~2 cups /450 g cooked)
- 1 ¼ cup (200 g) edamame, frozen
- 2 spring onions
- 1 cucumber
- 2–4 carrots
- 1 ripe avocado
- Black sesame (optional)
- Fresh coriander (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
- Pour boiling water over the edamame to thaw them.
- Cut the cucumber into slices or sticks. Grate the carrots or cut them into fine sticks. Cut the spring onions into rings, finely chopping the white part. Dice the avocado or cut it into slices.
- Meanwhile, shred the tempeh with a box grater or pulse briefly in a food processor. Mix with paprika, garlic granules, salt and pepper.
- Heat a large pan and sear the tempeh together with the white part of the spring onions in the oil for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- For the Bang Bang sauce, stir together the mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha and rice vinegar. Use more or less sriracha depending on your desired spice level.
- Divide the rice among four bowls. Top with edamame, cucumber, carrots, avocado and tempeh.
- Drizzle the Bang Bang sauce on top and garnish with black sesame and fresh coriander to taste.
Notes
- To save time, you can use rice cooked the day before or pre-cooked and packaged rice.
- The heat of the sauce can easily be adjusted by the amount of sriracha.
This post is also available in German (Deutsch).
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