This grilled tempeh is soaked in a spicy red curry marinade, then flame-grilled until smoky and delicious. Topped with roasted peanuts and a refreshing avocado cucumber relish, it's the perfect main dish for your next vegan barbecue!
A lot of people think the grill is only for meat. They are wrong. You can grill just about anything. Summer just wouldn't be the same without my grilled tofu, carrot dogs, and Mexican grilled corn. But this year I have a new favorite and I can't believe it took me this long to give it a try. Folks, it's time to add some grilled tempeh to your summer barbecue lineup.
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Tempeh grills like a dream! It soaks up flavorful marinades and it's nice and firm, so it doesn't fall apart like some other vegan foods on the grill (here's lookin' at ya, veggie burgers), and it doesn't stick to the grill. Plus, that smoky, char-grilled flavor pairs really, really well with tempeh's natural, savory, nutty notes.
For this grilled tempeh recipe, you'll marinate your tempeh in a super-simple four-ingredient red curry marinade and top it with a relish made with diced cucumber, avocado, lime, and fresh herbs. The cool, zesty flavors in the relish are a gorgeous contrast to the aromatic heat in the tempeh. We're talking about a flavor bomb here!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Soy sauce. You can also use tamari or liquid aminos.
- Rice vinegar. Most stores will carry this in the international aisle.
- Brown sugar. Use organic sugar to keep the recipe vegan.
- Red curry paste. Make sure this is vegan, since many brands contain ingredients like shrimp paste and fish sauce. Maesri, Thai Kitchen, and Mekhala are some vegan brands to consider.
- Tempeh.
- Vegetable oil. You just need a little of this for oiling the grates of your grill. Any neutral high-heat oil you like to cook with is fine.
- Cucumber.
- Avocado. Use an avocado that's ripe, but not too ripe. You want it firm enough that the pieces don't get smushed when you stir the relish together.
- Cilantro. Cilantro haters are welcome to substitute fresh basil. It'll give a different flavor profile, but will still be delish.
- Mint.
- Garlic.
- Salt.
- Roasted and salted peanuts.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Steps 1-3: Prepare and marinate the tempeh. Cut the tempeh into triangles. Combine your soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and curry paste, then add the tempeh, gently coating the pieces. Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4: Prepare the grill. Build a medium fire and oil your grates.
Step 5: Grill the tempeh. Place the pieces on your hot grill, then cook them for about 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until they're slightly charred.
Step 6: Make the relish. Mix diced cucumber, avocado, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, lime juice, minced garlic, and salt together.
Step 7: Serve. Your grilled tempeh is ready to enjoy! Pile it on plates and top it with your avocado cucumber relish and some chopped peanuts.
Variations
- Different curry pastes. Not into red curry? Try a different variety of Thai curry paste, such as green, yellow, massaman, or panang. Just make sure your curry paste is vegan.
- Add peanut sauce. To make this main dish extra decadent, add a drizzle of vegan peanut sauce.
- Relish variations. You can switch up the relish ingredients in all kinds of delicious ways! Replace the mint or cilantro with fresh basil or scallions, or try swapping out the avocado or cucumber with diced tomato, mango, or pineapple.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is if you use gluten-free tamari in place of soy sauce and certified gluten-free curry paste.
Yes, and you have a few options! You can cook the tempeh on an electric indoor grill, in a well-oiled grill pan, or just bake it for about 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 400°F, flipping halfway through, or until the tempeh is lightly browned.
Try serving it with one or two of my Asian-inspired summer sides, like my Asian slaw, edamame salad, chili crunch cucumber salad, or mango salad. It also pairs great with my coconut rice. This tempeh would also be great in lettuce wraps or over noodles.
Store your leftover grilled tempeh and relish separately, if possible. Each will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The avocado in the relish can turn brown over time, but remains perfectly edible. If this bothers you, make sure to use a very fresh, slightly firm avocado.
More Tempeh Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Red Curry Grilled Tempeh
Equipment
- Barbecue grill
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon organic brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegan red curry paste
- 1 (8 ounce/227 gram) package tempeh
- Vegetable oil, for the grill
For the Avocado-Cucumber Relish
- ½ medium cucumber, finely diced
- ½ ripe avocado, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- Salt, to taste
For Serving
- ¼ cup roasted and salted peanuts, chopped
Instructions
- Stir the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and curry paste together in a shallow dish.
- Cut the tempeh block into three squares, then cut each square in half diagonally to make six triangles. Place the triangles into the dish with the soy sauce mixture, then turn them to coat them in the marinade.
- Let the tempeh marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning the pieces and spooning the marinade over them every so often (Note 1).
- While the tempeh marinates, build a medium fire on your barbecue grill and lightly oil the grates.
- When the tempeh has finished marinating, place the pieces on the hot grill. Grill them for about 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until lightly charred.
- Stir all ingredients for the relish together.
- To serve, divide the tempeh onto plates and top with the relish and peanuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can let the tempeh marinate for up to 24 hours, but make sure to cover the dish and place it in the fridge before reaching the 2 hour mark.
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