Go Back
–+ servings
Clos up of Tempeh Ribs on a plate with spoon and bowl of barbecue sauce.
Print Recipe
4.94 from 16 votes

Barbecue Tempeh Vegan Ribs

Smoky, savory, and slathered in barbecue sauce, these barbecue ribs are made from tempeh! Cook them in the oven or on the grill for a meatless summer feast!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3
Calories: 343kcal
Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup water, plus more as needed
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 (8 ounce or 227 gram) package tempeh
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup vegan barbecue sauce, divided
  • Chopped fresh chives, optional, for topping
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Stir the water, soy sauce, maple syrup, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
  • Place the entire block of tempeh into a medium skillet or saucepan, and pour the soy sauce mixture over the tempeh.
  • Place the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid to a simmer.
  • Allow the liquid to simmer for about 5 minutes, flip the tempeh, and then allow it to simmer for another 5 minutes. Spoon some liquid over the tempeh every so often while cooking, and add water to the pan if the liquid dries up before 10 minutes is up.
  • When the tempeh is finished cooking, remove it from the pan, and if needed, deglaze the pan with a bit of water. 
  • Carefully wipe out the pan and coat the bottom with the oil. 
  • Place the pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the block of tempeh. Cook the tempeh for about 5 minutes on each side, until browned and crisp. 
  • Remove the tempeh from the pan and transfer it to a plate.
  • If you plan on baking your tempeh, preheat the oven to 400°. If you plan on grilling it, oil your grate, light your grill, and build a medium flame. 
  • Brush or spoon the tempeh with about half of the barbecue sauce.
  • If baking the tempeh, place it on a baking sheet or in an oven safe skillet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the sauce dries up in spots.
  • If grilling, place the tempeh directly on the grate and grill until lightly charred in spots, about 8 minutes.
  • Slice the tempeh into about 12 strips and serve with the remaining barbecue sauce. Sprinkle with fresh chives if you'd like.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ribs (about ⅓ of recipe) | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.1g | Protein: 15.2g | Fat: 13.2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1842mg | Potassium: 558mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26.3g | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 3mg