Tempeh, fresh veggies, and noodles are combined with an easy homemade teriyaki sauce in this delicious 30 minute vegetarian stir fry! This is a great weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.
Recipe features
- Diet-friendly: vegetarian, vegan-optional and gluten-free optional
- Homemade teriyaki sauce
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Easy to customize: you can choose your veggies or even try a different protein like tofu
- Packed with healthy ingredients
If tempeh isn't your cup of tea, you might like my tofu stir fry better.
Stir frying method
Stir frying is a Chinese cooking technique where ingredients are quickly fried in hot oil in a wok. It traditionally uses a combination of fat, meat or tofu and vegetables.
Stir frying is different from sauteing because the ingredients are cooked over high heat, so timing is key. This is one of the reasons that stir-fries are so popular: they can be made quickly.
Cooking at high heats means the veggies are softened but still keep a bit of bite and crisp. It's a great way to enjoy fresh in-season veggies.
What you'll need
- Tempeh: We will use one package of storebought tempeh sliced into 1 inch cubes. New to tempeh? It is made by fermenting soybeans with a specific type of mold which yields yields a nutty and flavor.
- Veggies: We will use red pepper bell, snow peas, carrots and broccoli.
- Noodles: I use a pre-cooked noodle that is specifically labeled as "stir fry noodles". You can find these in the international aisle at most large grocery stores. Other noodle options: lo mein, udon, soba and even spaghetti will work in a pinch. Cook the noodles before adding to the stir fry.
- Teriyaki sauce: Making homemade teriyaki is super easy. All you need is soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, ground ginger and fresh garlic. I also use this teriyaki sauce in my quinoa fried rice.
- Peanut oil: I use peanut oil for stir-frying because it has a high smoke point. You can also use canola, vegetable or avocado oil.
- Vegan option: To make this recipe vegan, check for an egg-free noodle and choose organic sugar.
Step by step instructions
- Start by making the teriyaki sauce. Whisk together all ingredients in a small container. The sugar won't fully dissolve but that's okay. Set aside.
- Heat peanut oil over high heat in a large skillet or wok. Once hot, add vegetables. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to allow for evening cooking. After 3 minutes remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside. If you feel like your vegetables are cooking too quickly or are burning you may need to stir more frequently. You can always turn the heat down a pinch as well.
- Add cubed tempeh to the hot pan. Use the same method to brown the tempeh on all sides for 3-4 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the cooked noodles and teriyaki sauce to the pan with the tempeh. Stir to combine.
Note: the pre-cooked stir fry noodles that I use need to be cooked for two additional minutes before serving, so I always cook for at least two more minutes after adding the noodles.
Either way you will want to heat the noodles, tempeh and sauce together for at least to minutes to meld the flavors.
5. Turn off the heat and stir the vegetables back in. Garnish with sesame seeds, fresh green onions and (optional) cilantro.
Customization ideas
- Veggies: Feel free to add other veggies into the mix like zucchini, cauliflower or green beans. Use a total of 5 cups of vegetables. Thawed frozen vegetables can be used in place of fresh.
- Noodles: Pre-package noodles, especially udon noodles, can be high in sodium. Compare nutrition labels between different noodles and aim for the choice with less sodium per serving.
- Protein: Try using baked tofu or edamame in place of tempeh.
- Sugar: Brown sugar is integral to teriyaki, but if you are looking to use less added sugars you can add brown sugar to taste. Maple syrup and honey have the same nutritional content as brown and white sugar but can be used in a pinch. It will lend a slightly different flavor.
Recipe FAQ
No! Woks have better heat control than skillets and allow for more rapid stirring (and less mess), but a large skillet will get the job done just fine. Woks are useful if you frequently stir fry but are quite big and may not be a good option if you have limited storage.
Yes. Choose an egg-free noodle like lo mein or even spaghetti.
Yes. Glass or rice noodles are a good option. I recommend cooking the noodles separately before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.
No, you don't need to cook the veggies first. Cooking them at a high heat in the skillet is enough to give them a crisp yet tender texture.
Keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days.
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Tempeh Teriyaki Stir Fry
Ingredients
Teriyaki Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil see note #2
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 1 cup carrot coins from two whole peeled carrots
- 2 cups broccoli florets from one small broccoli crown
- 1 medium red bell pepper sliced into wedges
- 8 ounces tempeh cut into bite sized pieces
- 14 ounces cooked soba noodles see note #3
Garnishes
- ¼ cup sliced green onions for garnish
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Start by making the teriyaki sauce. Whisk together all ingredients in a small container. The sugar won't fully dissolve but that's okay. Set aside.
- Heat peanut oil over high heat in a large skillet or wok. Once hot, add vegetables. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to allow for evening cooking. After 3 minutes remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside. They should be brightly colored and softened but still crisp.
- Add cubed tempeh back to the hot pan. Use the same method to brown the tempeh on all sides for 3-4 minutes. Add additional peanut oil if needed.
- Turn the heat down to medium low. Add the cooked noodles and teriyaki sauce to the pan with the tempeh. Stir to combine. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat and add the vegetables back in. Serve garnished with sesame seeds, fresh green onions and (optional) cilantro.
Notes
- Keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days.
- Peanut oil: I use peanut oil for stir-frying because it has a high smoke point. You can also use canola, vegetable or avocado oil.
- Noodles: I recommend using 14 ounces cooked noodles which is roughly 7 ounces of dry noodles. I use a pre-cooked noodle that is specifically labeled as "stir fry noodles". You can find these in the international aisle at most large grocery stores. Other noodle options: lo mein, udon, soba and even spaghetti will work in a pinch.
- Veggies: Thawed frozen vegetables can be used in place of fresh. Use a total of 5 cups of vegetables if you are making swaps.
- Vegan option: To make this recipe vegan, check for an egg-free noodle and choose organic sugar.
Diane
Whole family loves this recipe!! This is the first time I've ever cooked or eaten tempeh. Thank you!
Cassidy Reeser
Thanks, Diane! So happy to hear that! 🙂
Jennie
A delicious addition to my weeknight cooking rotation! I used soba noodles and an orange bell pepper, and they worked well with the recipe as is.
Cassidy Reeser
Thanks so much for the review! 🙂