This honey soy tempeh salad bowl is fresh, crunchy, and packed with plant-based goodness. The tempeh is caramelized with a sticky, savory-sweet glaze, and the whole bowl is loaded with vibrant veggies, toasty cashews, and a punchy lime dressing. Fast, nutritious, and ridiculously good.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make |👩🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Plant-Based Recipes
I’ve been loving these tempeh salad bowls lately—warm, crispy tempeh coated in a sticky, savory-sweet glaze, crunchy spiralized veggies, and a zippy lime dressing that ties it all together. It’s a little sweet, a little tangy, and loaded with texture.
Each serving is packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats, making it super satisfying while keeping things light and fresh. It’s kind of like a wholesome tempeh buddha bowl.
What makes this recipe extra special? Let’s face it, tempeh can taste like cardboard and needs a little love to make it taste good. The quick marinade used in this recipe adds depth and caramelizes beautifully in the pan, and it makes the tempeh super yummy. Plus, the toasted cashews? They take it over the top.
If you’re looking for a meal that’s nutritious, hearty, and straight-up delicious, this healthy vegetarian recipe is for you.
👩🍳 You might also like my avocado and beet salad (with edamame beans), this rainbow superfood salad, my Ukrainian beet salad, or this corn and quinoa salad.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this tempeh recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Tempeh: This is a fermented soybean cake that’s firm, nutty, and slightly chewy—kind of like tofu’s more textured, robust cousin. It absorbs flavor like a champ, making it perfect for marinades and stir-fries. You can find it in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores, usually near the tofu. If tempeh isn’t your thing, you can swap it out for firm tofu, chickpeas, or mushrooms.
- Tempeh marinade: Tamari or soy sauce (coconut aminos will also work), honey (or maple syrup for a vegan version), sesame oil, lime juice, garlic, and ginger.
- For the salad: beets, carrots, salad leaves, cilantro (fresh coriander), and green onions (scallions). Plus, cashew nuts! And for the dressing, it’s more lime juice, tahini paste (or sesame oil), olive oil, soy sauce, and honey (or maple syrup).
- PS. Leftover tahini can be used for my roasted cauliflower with tahini recipe.
How To Make Tempeh Salad Bowls
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to cook tempeh for this salad buddha bowl.
- Marinate tempeh: Whisk together tamari (or soy sauce), honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and lime juice. Reserve 2 tablespoons for later. Toss diced tempeh in the marinade and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Toast cashews: Heat a dry pan over medium-high heat, toast cashews for 3 minutes, then set aside.
- Cook tempeh: Add oil to the pan, cook tempeh for 2-3 minutes until browned. Add cashews and reserved marinade, stir until caramelized.
- Assemble salad: Divide greens, grated carrot, and beet into bowls. Top with cooked tempeh and cashews.
- Make dressing: Whisk together tahini, lime juice, olive oil, tamari, and honey.
- Serve: Drizzle dressing over salad, garnish with green onions and cilantro. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Tempeh
Marinate the tempeh as above. Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Place tempeh in a single layer (don’t overcrowd) and cook for 10 minutes, shaking halfway through. In the last 2 minutes, toss with the reserved marinade (in a bowl) and air fry until caramelized, another 2 minutes.
Recipe Tips/Variations
- Make it extra crispy: For even crispier tempeh, toss it with a little cornstarch before cooking.
- Switch up the nuts: Swap cashews for almonds or peanuts for a different crunch.
- More veggies? Yes, please! Add sliced cucumbers, edamame, or avocado for extra freshness.
- Spice it up: Drizzle with sriracha or add a pinch of chili flakes to the marinade for heat.
- Make it gluten-free: Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Storage Tips: Store everything separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tempeh is best reheated in a pan to keep it crispy. Freezing isn’t ideal for this one—the veggies will lose their crunch.
- Make Ahead Tips: You can marinate tempeh up to 24 hours ahead—the longer, the better! Pre-toasted cashews can keep in an airtight container at room temp. Spiralized or grated carrots and beets will stay fresh in the fridge for a day or two and the dressing can be made ahead as well.
Serving Suggestions
This tempeh salad buddha bowl is a full meal on its own, but if you want to bulk it up, serve it with brown rice, quinoa, or a side of roasted garlic sweet potatoes. You could also wrap everything up in a warm tortilla for an epic plant-based wrap.
💬 If you’ve tried this tempeh buddha bowls or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.
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Ingredients
For tempeh marinade
- ¼ cup Tamari sauce coconut aminos or soy sauce can be used
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- Juice of ½ lime
For Cooking Tempeh
- 7 oz fresh tempeh diced into cubes, about 200 grams
- ⅓ cup cashew nuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
For The Salad
- 1 medium beetroot spiralized or grated
- 1 large carrot spiralized or grated
- 4 cups mixed leafy greens of choice
- ⅓ cup chopped green onions scallions
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
For The Dressing
- 1 teaspoon tahini light paste, can replace with sesame oil
- 1.5 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Tamari soy
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the tempeh marinade. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a separate small bowl. Add the diced tempeh to the marinade and mix through. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the cashews (no oil at this stage) and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring a few times, until lightly toasted, remove. Then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or coconut oil) and once hot, add the tempeh. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times, until browned on all sides. Add back the cashews and the reserved marinade. Stir through until caramelized slightly. Set aside.
- Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl or two serving bowls. Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Drizzle the salads with the dressing and top with the cooked tempeh and cashews. Serve with an extra wedge of lime and fresh coriander or scallions on top.
Notes
- What to use instead of tempeh? Firm tofu is the best replacement or cooked chickpeas.
- Swap cashews for almonds or peanuts for a different crunch.
- Feel free to add sliced cucumbers, edamame, or avocado for extra nutrients and textures.
- Drizzle with sriracha or add a pinch of chili flakes to the marinade for heat.
- Make it gluten-free: Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Storage Tips: Store everything separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tempeh is best reheated in a pan to keep it crispy. Freezing isn’t ideal for this one—the veggies will lose their crunch.
- Make Ahead Tips: You can marinate tempeh up to 24 hours ahead—the longer, the better! Pre-toasted cashews can keep in an airtight container at room temp. Spiralized or grated carrots and beets will stay fresh in the fridge for a day or two and the dressing can be made ahead as well.
- Can I bake the tempeh instead of pan-frying? Yep! Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through for even crispiness.
- Can I use a different dressing? Absolutely! A peanut dressing or a miso-ginger dressing would work really well here. Feel free to use a store-bought dressing for a speedy hack.
- How do I keep my salad from getting soggy? Store the dressing separately and toss just before serving. Keeps everything fresh and crisp!
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