• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Vegan Health & Lifestyle Coach

  • Home
  • Meet Dianne
  • Health Coaching
    • Testimonials
  • Cooking Classes
  • Events
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
  • Cookbooks
    • Eating Vegan
    • The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook
  • Work with Me
    • Coaching and Classes
    • Partner with Me

Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad

September 3, 2019 By Dianne 4 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet

Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad sandwich with text overlayVegan 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.

Tempeh, apple, celery, pecans, and mayoWhat 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.

tempeh salad ingredients in mixing bowlCooking 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.

making tempeh salad in mixing bowlApple-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. 

Double stack of sandwichesMaking 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!

Deery MeI 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.

two Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad sandwiches

Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad with salad and apple square
Print

Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad

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.

Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword tempeh salad
Prep Time 20 minutes
Yields 4 servings
Calories 176 kcal
Author Dianne

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

  1. 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.
  2. Allow the tempeh to cool, then crumble it into a bowl.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together thoroughly.
  4. Place in the fridge in a sealed container and allow to chill for an hour or two.
  5. Serve on sandwiches or in salads. You can also serve as a snack with cut veggies or crackers.

Apple-Pecan Tempeh Salad with salad and apple squareOther Tempeh Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:

  • Buffalo Tempeh Salad
  • Sloppy Joes with Tempeh and Mushrooms
  • Tempeh Piccata
  • Tempeh Tacos

sandwich horizontal

Filed Under: Vegan Recipes, Vegan Salad Recipes, Vegan Sandwich Recipes Tagged With: apple pecan tempeh, how to prepare tempeh, tempeh recipe, vegan recipe, Vegan Salad, vegan sandwich

About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

Previous Post: « Fast and Easy Vegan Cashew Tempeh Stir-Fry
Next Post: Cheesy Macaroni from The Vegan Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook »

Reader Interactions

   

Comments

  1. Kristina says

    August 26, 2015 at 11:07 AM

    oh, SWEET deer! I love this kind of sandwich – great flavors in your version!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      August 26, 2015 at 11:20 AM

      Thank you, Kristina!

      Reply
  2. Eric L says

    September 20, 2019 at 6:14 PM

    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!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      September 21, 2019 at 10:36 AM

      Thank you, Eric! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search Site

About Me

Dianne Wenz

Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz and I am a Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, Plant-Based Chef, and cookbook author. I offer group and individual nutrition and lifestyle coaching programs to people across the U.S., and I teach cooking classes in Northern New Jersey. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

Follow Me

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on PinterestFollow Us on RSSFollow Us on E-mail

Now Available!

Eating Vegan

Now Available!

FOLLOW ME FOR UPDATES

* indicates required



Footer

Disclaimer

Information on this website should not be interpreted as medical advice. Consult your physician for any medical conditions you may need assistance with.

Privacy Policy

See the Dianne's Vegan Kitchen privacy policy.

Note

Blog posts may contain affiliate links. Purchases made through my affiliate programs help me keep this website running. Products may have been given to me free for review, but the opinions expressed on this website are my own.

Copyright

All content Copyright © Dianne Wenz. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited.

Subscribe to My Newsletter

* indicates required

© Dianne Wenz. All rights reserved.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more