Vegan Tempeh Bourguignon

Vegan Tempeh Bourguignon is the perfect date night meal. It's made with protein-rich tempeh and savory mushrooms, and it comes together quickly. It's easy enough for weeknight dinner, too! This flavorful recipe is vegan with a gluten-free option.

Vegan Tempeh Bourguignon

Tempeh Bourguignon is the kind of classy dish that you can serve on date night or at a dinner party, and your guests will think that you toiled away in the kitchen for hours. In reality it only took a few minutes to throw together. (Shhhh.... I won't tell!)

Since it's a stew, I think of it as a comfort food. But it's made with red wine, which elevates it to fancy dinner party status.

This recipe comes from Heather Nicholds's book Protein from Plants. The book came out a few years ago, but I recently decided to revisit it, because I found myself with a hankering for bourguignon, and because people are STILL asking where I get my protein. (From my food, you guys!)

What is Bourguignon?

Bourguignon sounds all fancy-schmancy, because it's a French word, but it's just a stew that's traditionally made with beef that's  braised with stock and red wine. It's usually also made with carrots, onions, garlic, and mushrooms.

I've only ever had vegan versions, and each one has been bowl-licking delish.

How to Make Tempeh Bourguignon

This recipe is super easy to make!

• First you cook the rice by placing it in a small pot with 1 cup of water and a pinch of sea salt. You bring the mixture to a boil for a couple of minutes, then turn down to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
• While the rice is cooking, you heat a large pan to medium-high and sauté the mushrooms in the coconut oil. Cook them for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they've softened and released their juices. Then you add the onion and the garlic to the pan.
• Once the onions and garlic are softened, you either remove them from the pan or push them to the outside and add the tempeh.
• You sprinkle some flour over the tempeh and allow it to seal around the tempeh and brown on the bottom of the pan for a few minutes.
• Next you add the wine and the water, and stir the vegetables in with the tempeh.
• You add the seasonings, and cook for a few minutes.
• Serve your tempeh bourguignon over the cooked brown rice and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• In this recipe, the bourguignon is served with brown rice, but you can serve it over mashed potatoes, too.
• You can use pre-cooked rice to speed up your cooking time.
• If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure your tempeh is gluten-free, and use a gluten-free free flour.
• Some say that they don't like the fermented flavor of tempeh. If it bothers you, too, you can either simmer it in a bath of vegetable stock for about half an hour or steam it for 10 minutes before using it in the recipe.

Protein From Plants

How many times have you been asked, “Where do you get your protein?” I know I’ve been asked that question a lot. We live in a protein-obsessed culture, and for some reason most people think that it can only be derived from meat. Fortunately, Heather Nicholds's book Protein from Plants is here to set the record straight.

Protein from Plants is part nutrition resource book and part cookbook. In it, Heather debunks the top protein myths, explains why we need protein and how much we really need, and gives tips on transitioning to veganism. Heather includes an entire chapter devoted to those times when you may need more protein than normal, such as pregnancy and lactation, training, and post surgery. She even explains how much protein your pets need!

Heather also breaks down the different types of plant protein food groups, including beans and legumes; soy, tofu, and tempeh; grains; and greens. And then she includes a plethora of recipes in which to use those foods. The recipes will get your through a protein-feud day from breakfast and lunch all the way to dinner and dessert, with some snacks to graze on in between meals. Heather’s delicious dishes include Maple Dijon Burgers, Pesto Pizza, and Cranberry Quinoa Cookies.

Chapters in Protein from Plants include:

• Understanding Your Protein Needs
• Additional Protein Needs
• Plant Protein Food Groups
• Protein-Rich Recipes

Protein from Plants is an excellent resource book. It will reassure new vegans that that they are indeed getting enough protein in the diets, and it will arm seasoned vegans with plenty of information to answer that pesky question we’re all tired of hearing.

Tempeh Bourguignon

Heather Nicholds

Packed with protein and rich in flavor, Heather Nicholds's Tempeh Bourguignon just might be your new go-to comfort food meal. It's terrific for date nights or dinner parties, but it's also great dinner dish for weeknights, too

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine French

Servings 2 servings

Calories 292 kcal

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup brown rice dry
• 1 cup mushrooms sliced
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 8-ounce tempeh sliced
• 1 tablespoons whole grain flour
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or dried
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Put the rice in a small pot with a lid, add 1 cup of water and a pinch of sea salt, bring it to a boil for a couple of minutes, then turn down to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Rice is fully cooked when it is dry and fluffy. Do not stir the rice while it is cooking.
• Heat a large pan to medium-high and saute the mushrooms in the coconut oil. Allow them to soften and release their juices before adding the onion, then the garlic.
• Once the onions and garlic are softened, either remove the vegetables from the pan or push them to the outside and add the tempeh. Sprinkle some flour over the tempeh and allow it to seal around the tempeh and brown on the bottom of the pan for a few minutes. Add the wine and the water, and stir the vegetables in with the tempeh. Add the seasonings, and allow everything to merge on the heat for a few minutes.
• Serve the tempeh bourguignon over brown rice, with a glass of wine to enjoy it with.

Notes

Recipe from Protein from Plants by Heather Nicolds. Reprinted with permission.

Originally posted Aug 9, 2017. Updated January 23, 2022.

More Tempeh Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:

• Tempeh Marsala
• Pumpkin Noodle Bowl with Tempeh
• Tempeh Piccata
• Coconut Tempeh with Pineapple Salsa