General Tso’s Tempeh?!
I AM OBSESSED.
Sticky sweet sesame general tso’s tempeh that makes for the perfect addition to dinner if you’re trying to make a healthier version of an asian take-out classic. I honestly didn’t try tempeh for the first four years of being vegan and I had to try it multiple times before I actually liked it. It has now become one of my favorites!
Pan fried (without oil), made without any MSG, no refined sugar, and 100% plant-based. Chinese food is often fattening, caloric, heavy and high in sodium. Make this vegan WFPB version of general tso’s tempeh and your dreams will come true.
This recipe is:
✔️Vegan
✔️WFPB friendly
✔️Oil-free optional
✔️Gluten-free (if you get GF tempeh)
✔️100% yummy
Tempeh
The Trader Joe’s tempeh is my personal favorite (the ingredients are super clean) but any brand will do.
For this recipe of general tso’s tempeh, I like to cut the tempeh into cute little triangle shapes but you can cut it anyway you like, get creative!
As a health coach, I highly recommend tempeh as opposed to a processed vegan meat alternative but it is made with whole grains and is fermented.
Fermented foods are amazing for gut health!
The first step is grilling the tempeh in a pan until it’s golden brown on both sides. I use a non-stick pan so that I don’t have to use any oil.
Sticky
Sesame
Perfectly Sweet
Garlicky
Filling
Hearty
Pair with white or brown rice or even on top of quinoa for the yummiest combination. Garnish with green onions and serve with a side of broccoli or any veggies you like.
Sprinkle the General Tso’s Tempeh with some sesame seeds and OMG, how delicious does this look?! I promise it is just as tasty as the picture makes it seem. We made this for my boyfriend’s non-vegan dad and he gobbled it up. Total score!
Isn’t it so satisfying when you make something vegan for a meat-eater and they genuinely enjoy it? It gives me life! Impress your family and friends with this recipe.
I mean…are you drooling yet?!
My boyfriend loves pairing his tempeh with rice. My favorite is to have the tempeh with either brown rice or quinoa and a ton of veggies. One of my number one tips as a plant-based health coach is to make at least half your plate veggies at dinner.
Share the Love
Pin this on Pinterest, share the link on Facebook, post your creation on Instagram and be sure to tag me @healthygirlkitchen. I would love to see all of your asian creations!
When you make this recipe, I want to hear what you think! Be sure to comment and report back on how it turned out. Also, I know you will LOVE it as much as I do.
General Tso's Tempeh
the ingredients
- 1 package tempeh I used an 8 oz package
- raw sesame seeds to sprinkle on top
- green onions garnish
General Tso's Sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp potato starch can sub arrowroot or tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil or sesame paste
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- red chili flakes optional for spice
instructions
- Cut tempeh into triangles and grill in a pan on medium to high heat on golden brown on each side (about 3-4 minutes per side)
- While tempeh cooks, add all the sauce ingredients into a bowl and whisk together.
- When the tempeh is totally done cooking, turn the stove down to a low simmer and add the sauce. Make sure to coat the tempeh evenly in the sauce.
- Continuously combine the tempeh with the sauce - you will notice it will almost immediately start to thicken.
- Once the tempeh is evenly coated, remove from heat and serve!
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and garnish with green onions.
If you liked this recipe, you will absolutely LOVE my avocado pesto pasta!
In good health,
Danielle
I had some steamed tempeh for BBQ tempeh when I happened upon this recipe. My lucky day !! My taste buds are still dancing. I love heat and chili flakes were a great addition.
Another amazing recipe! This is going in our regular rotation.
TJs tempeh is not GF. It has barley. Are there any brands without gluten? Thanks.
There are many kinds of tempeh that are gluten free! Light life has a gluten free one, and so does the brand “hempeh”
My sauce never thickened was I supposed to wait to add the cornstarch at the end instead of mixing it in with sauce ingredients?
Everything tasted good though.
How many servings is this? And why do you omit the servings in many of your recepies?
This will serve 2-3 people
How many servings does one recipe make?
About 2-3
I love very spicy Chinese hot oil on my Gen Tsao’s. Do you have a way to create that spice level other than red pepper flakes?
You could add the very spicy Chinese hot oil 🙂