How do I cook tempeh so it isn't bitter?

Tempeh's slight bitterness comes from fermentation. Steam the cubes for about 10 minutes over simmering water (or briefly simmer them) before frying – this draws out the bitter by-products and helps the tempeh soak up the marinade. Then pan-fry until golden and crisp.

How do I make it vegan?

The stir-fry is almost vegan – only the sauce may contain honey. Swap the honey 1:1 for maple syrup or agave and the dish is fully vegan. Also check that your teriyaki sauce is vegan.

Which vegetables work best in the stir-fry?

We use bell pepper, zucchini, carrot and spring onions because they stay crisp-tender and cook fast. Broccoli, snow peas, pak choi, mushrooms or baby corn work just as well – just cut everything to a similar size so it cooks evenly and stays crunchy.

Can I meal-prep this stir-fry?

Yes. The sauce and chopped vegetables can be prepped 2 to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge. The finished stir-fry keeps in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days and reheats quickly in a wok or pan – great for batch cooking.

What should I serve with the tempeh cashew stir-fry – rice or noodles?

Rice (jasmine, basmati or brown) is the classic match and soaks up the sauce. It's equally good over soba, rice or mie noodles, or – for something lighter – cauliflower rice. Finish with sesame seeds and fresh spring onions.

3 JULY 2026

Tempeh & Cashew Stir-Fry with Crunchy Veggies

Name: Tempeh & Cashew Stir-Fry with Crunchy Veggies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 200 gr (7 oz.) tempeh; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 Tbsp sesame oil; 1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce; 2 Tbsp cashews; 1 red bell pepper; 1 zucchini; 1 carrot; 2 spring onions; 2 garlic cloves; 1 piece ginger; 2 Tbsp vegetable oil for frying; sesame and spring onions; 3 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce; 1 tsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp maple syrup or honey; 1 tsp sriracha; 1 Tbsp cornstarch

By Verena Frei

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Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4 servings

Hello lovelies,

when it needs to be quick yet properly filling, I almost always end up at this tempeh and cashew stir-fry with crunchy veggies. It's ready in about 30 minutes, packed with protein and, with that glossy teriyaki sauce, so good that even the tempeh sceptics at our table are won over, and the leftovers win them a second time cold, scattered over my black rice salad with crispy tempeh.

Tempeh and cashew stir-fry from a three-quarter angle in a green bowl with rice, glossy vegetables, sesame and spring onion

The most important trick with tempeh: I steam the cubes briefly first, which removes the slight bitterness and helps them soak up the marinade of soy sauce, sesame oil and teriyaki. Then I fry them golden and crisp all over – that turns them into the secret star of the pan. At roughly 18 g of protein per 100 g, tempeh is the strongest source in our fridge. How much other dishes actually deliver is something I worked out in my vegan meals with 20 g protein.

Close-up of glossy tempeh, cashews, bell pepper and zucchini in a soy glaze with sesame next to white rice

Then come the vegetables: I fry the bell pepper, zucchini and carrot only briefly so they stay nicely crisp-tender, whereas the zucchini in my green vegetable curry with coconut milk is allowed to simmer all the way soft. Back into the pan go the tempeh and roasted cashews, plus the sauce, which thickens as you stir and coats everything glossily. The cashews give that essential crunch.

Tempeh and cashew stir-fry with rice from a low angle in soft daylight, glossy vegetables and sesame

Tempeh and cashew stir-fry and rice from above in a green bowl with a gold spoon on grey stone

We serve the stir-fry with rice, which soaks up the sauce – but noodles work just as well. If you love Asian pan and wok dishes, do try my vegan lettuce wraps with tempeh, kohlrabi and hoisin, the quick wok stir-fry noodles and my warming vegan umami ramen. Zero-prep tempeh is exactly the kind of trick my 30-minute dinners are made of, and the full toolbox lives there.

Yours, Verena

TIPS

Verena's notes

Tip from my kitchen: steam the tempeh briefly before frying – it removes the slight bitterness and helps it soak up the marinade. Then fry it really crisp before the vegetables go in. I like the vegetables crisp-tender, so I add them late. For a vegan version I use maple syrup instead of honey and a vegan teriyaki sauce.