Vegan Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad can be enjoyed on for lunch or dinner. Serve it on bread for a healthy sandwich or on a bed of mixed greens as a simple salad. This easy recipe is vegan and gluten-free.
My Chickpea Salad Sandwich is usually my go-to when I want a vegan chicken style salad. This tempeh salad is a fun twist on that recipe, using tempeh instead of chickpeas. I’ve used apples and pecans to give it a fall feel.
What is Tempeh?
Tempeh is an under-appreciated vegan food. It’s an Indonesian food made with soybeans. The soybeans are fermented, which fuses them together, creating a cake-like block. Sometimes grains are added to give it a little extra texture. Since it’s fermented, it’s easier to digest than other soy foods. It has a heart texture and a slightly nutty flavor.
Tempeh can usually be found by the tofu in the grocery store.
Cooking With Tempeh
I can eat tempeh right out of the package, but others have old me that the fermented flavor bothers them. To get rid of that taste, steam the tempeh for 10 minutes. It can also be simmered in a bath of stock or water. Steaming or simmering tempeh also helps open it up, allowing it to absorb the flavors of whatever it’s cooked with. I have steamed the tempeh in this recipe, which makes it tender and helps it crumble easier. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip that step, but know that it will have a little bit if that fermented taste and won’t be as soft. You can also steam the tempeh ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to make the salad.
Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad
I love making sandwiches with Apple-Pecan Tempeh salad in the fall months. They travel well, so they’re perfect for lunch at the office or in school.
If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure your tempeh isn’t made with any glutenous grains. If you follow a nut-free diet, sunflower or pumpkin can be used instead of pecans.
I like to use my homemade vegan mayo in this recipe, because it’s low in fat, but if you’re in a rush, you can use store-bought vegan mayonnaise.
Making Tempeh Salad is Super Easy!
- First, you steam the tempeh and allow it cool slightly.
- While the tempeh is steaming, you can chop the rest of the ingredients.
- Then, you mix everything together and allow it chill in the fridge a little.
- Then serve it on sliced bread for sandwiches or on lettuce for a salad!
I recently took a tempeh salad sandwich outside to enjoy in the sunshine, and I made a friend who was very interested in my food. I shared an apple with her, and she seemed just as pleased with it as I was with my sandwich.
Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce package tempeh
- 1 small apple diced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon low-sodium tamari
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the tempeh by steaming it for approximately 10 minutes. I used a steaming insert in a bot with boiling water, but you can use a bamboo or electric steamer. Use whatever you would steam veggies with.
- Allow the tempeh to cool, then crumble it into a bowl.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together thoroughly.
- Place in the fridge in a sealed container and allow to chill for an hour or two.
- Serve on sandwiches or in salads. You can also serve as a snack with cut veggies or crackers.
Other Tempeh Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:
oh, SWEET deer! I love this kind of sandwich – great flavors in your version!
Thank you, Kristina!
Always looking for more ways to sneak tempeh onto the dinner table, and this looks delish! Will probably add some halved grapes too, can’t wait to make this. Thanks!
Thank you, Eric! I hope you enjoy it!
looks so good, can’t wait to try! would it work to replace the pecans with cashews, or do you highly recommend pecans? thanks so much!
I hope you enjoy it! I’ve never tried it with cashews. Pecans complement the apples really nicely. If you decide to use cashews, I’d suggest toasting them, as they might be too soft raw, and the nuts add a nice crunch to the salad.