Thai peanut tempeh with rice on while plate with light aqua napkin and chopsticks

Thai Peanut Tempeh with Rice

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Try this quick Thai peanut tempeh with rice for a tasty lunch or dinner with a bit of spice. It is a vegan recipe and high in protein and fiber. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal!

What is Tempeh?

Tempeh is made from fermented soy or other beans. The brand I used also includes barley, brown rice, and millet. It does contain gluten. The satisfying chewy texture in tempeh can be appealing to omnivores who are switching to a plant-based diet. You can slice it thinly, season it, and bake it for a savory bacon replacement. Marinated, grilled slices are great in sandwiches or wraps. You’ll find it in the refrigerated section, but not all grocery stores carry it. While it can be eaten right out of the package, I think it tastes much better cooked. Here are some more cooking ideas for tempeh from America’s Test Kitchen.

rectangles of tempeh sauteing in wok
sauteing tempeh

For the brand I purchased, a serving is 4 ounces (half of a package), although I used 4 ounces for this whole recipe. This Thai peanut tempeh with rice recipe serves 2 for a generous dinner portion, but it could be 3 to 4 lunches, depending on your preference.

Unlike tofu, tempeh freezes very well. I had this half of a package in my freezer for a few months before using it, with no change in texture or flavor. Like tofu, tempeh doesn’t have much flavor on its own. While some describe it as nutty, I don’t really detect that. You also don’t have to press out the water as you would want to with firm tofu: so that saves time.

Nutrition in Tempeh

A 4-ounce portion of tempeh contains about 20 grams of protein, which is a lot for a vegan protein source! It has 9 grams of fiber – way better than meats or cheeses which all have none. One serving provides 15% of the Daily Value for iron and 10% of the Daily Value for iron. This is also especially helpful for vegans. There are only 10 milligrams of sodium. One serving has 16 grams of carbohydrates, 120 calories, and 11 grams of fat. Only 2 grams are saturated, and the rest are heart-healthy unsaturated fats.

Thai peanut tempeh with rice on white plate with chopsticks
Thai peanut tempeh with rice

Thai Peanut Tempeh Ingredient Notes

Peanut oil – this is high in monounsaturated fats and has a high smoke point so it’s a good choice for stir-fries. Grapeseed or canola oil are fine substitutes.

Sesame oil – imparts a wonderful, rich flavor. Just use it in small amounts. it should be stored in the refrigerator for freshness. Take it out a little while before you use it because some of the fat solidifies when cold.

Peanut butter: I prefer creamy, but you can use crunchy if you prefer.

Red curry paste: – this is a staple of Thai cuisine and includes red chilis, lemongrass, garlic, kefir lime leaves, and salt. If you avoid seafood, check the label as some brands may contain fish or shrimp paste. It is not super spicy but provides a little spice important flavor notes. Try the recipe without it if you don’t like spicy foods, and then just mix in a little while eating to see what you think. While you could make red curry paste yourself, I buy it jarred. If you like spicy flavors, use a little more or sprinkle with a small amount of cayenne pepper.

Reduced sodium soy sauce – use this or tamari sauce to limit the sodium from regular soy sauce. If you don’t have these, you can also just use a little less soy sauce.

Asian vegetable blend – we buy this mix of broccoli, mushrooms, mini ears of corn, water chestnuts, carrots, and snow peas for a super-convenient side dish or ingredient in main courses. Did you know that frozen vegetables often contain more vitamins than fresh ones? But if you don’t have this, you can substitute it with a variety of fresh or frozen vegetables.

Brown rice – this is a whole grain and adds fiber and other nutrients that aren’t quite equal in enriched white rice. I cooked this ahead of time in a rice cooker. Because I would burn rice on the stove like half of the time! And the pots were always a pain to clean. This was a wonderful investment! Try cooked quinoa, basmati rice, jasmine rice, or wild rice for variety. It would also go well with cooked noodles.

Thai basil: I had never tried this before! It had a bit of an anise flavor with a little spiciness at the end. Just substitute regular (Genovese) basil if you can’t find it, or use chopped cilantro, green onions, or chives for a garnish.

Cooking Tips

After hearing the oil and stir-frying the tempeh for a couple of minutes, I added the vegetables, soy sauce, peanut butter, and red curry paste. This cooks for about 5 minutes, or until hot. If the frozen broccoli is not heated through, cover the pan for a few more minutes.

mixing vegetables. tempeh, peanut butter, and red curry paste in wok
mixing vegetables. tempeh, peanut butter, and red curry paste

Then, add in your cooked brown rice, stir, and heat for another 3 minutes.

mixing Thai peanut tempeh with rice in wok
mixing vegetables and tempeh with rice

Add the fresh black pepper and Thai basil garnish, and you’re ready to enjoy it!

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Thai peanut tempeh with rice on while plate with light aqua napkin and chopsticks

Thai Peanut Tempeh with Rice

Melissa Altman-Traub MS, RDN, LDN
Try this quick Thai peanut tempeh with rice for a tasty lunch or dinner with a bit of spice. It is a vegan recipe and high in protein and fiber. It's perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
5 from 13 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 2
Calories 448 kcal

Equipment

  • Wok or large frying pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 teaspoon peanut oil
  • 4 ounces tempeh chopped into squares
  • 1 red bell pepper large, chopped
  • ¼ onion large, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen Asian vegetable blend
  • 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon natural creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon red curry paste
  • 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • A few Thai basil leaves

Instructions
 

  • Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tempeh and cook for 2 minutes. Mix as needed to prevent burning.
  • Add peppers, onions, frozen Asian vegetables, and soy sauce to the wok. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add peanut butter, red curry paste, cooked rice, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir and cook another 3 minutes or until hot.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Portion onto plates and garnish with the Thai basil leaves.

Notes

Regular (Genovese) basil can be substituted for Thai basil.
In place of brown rice, you can use cooked quinoa, basmati rice, jasmine rice, wild rice, or noodles for variety.
The nutrition estimate is from Spoonacular, which is based on USDA data.

Nutrition

Calories: 448kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 21gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 189mgPotassium: 799mgFiber: 9gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 8264IUVitamin C: 90mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Peanut butter, Red peppers, Rice, Tempeh
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16 thoughts on “Thai Peanut Tempeh with Rice”

  1. 5 stars
    How fun! I just tried tempeh for the first time last week and I really needed a new tempeh recipe. This sounds outstanding. I’ve been trying to eat less meat and I’m going to try to use tempeh more often. It’s a great substitute and is economical as well. Thank you for the recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    I love Thai food and this recipe is just packed with flavor! My whole family absolutely loved it and I’ll definitely be making it again soon! Thanks for sharing!

  3. 5 stars
    I have never cooked with tempeh before, but after reading this post I am going to buy some today and make this dish! It looks so healthy!

  4. 5 stars
    I was a bit funny about tempeh but this recipe completely changed my mind, it was so good and full of flavour!

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