This one-skillet sautéed tempeh is served in a creamy, peppery, and rich mushroom coconut sauce. It’s garlicky, savory, and so flavorful! One of my favorite tempeh recipes!

Temperatures are still cold, and there is nothing better than a rich, earthy, and filling one-pan meal to warm us up!

📘 What is Tempeh

Tempeh is an Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. As opposed to tofu, tempeh is prepared from whole soybeans that are bound together by a white mold called “Rhizopus oligosporus” growing between each bean.

Tempeh is nutrient-dense, healthy, and packed with protein! With that being said, let’s jump straight into the recipe!

🥣 How to Make this Tempeh Recipe

Here is what you will need:

Tempeh – You can use soybean tempeh, black bean tempeh, or even chickpea tempeh!
Soy sauce – For saltiness and a ton of flavor. Use tamari if you want to make this recipe gluten-free.
Maple syrup – To balance the saltiness and the earthy flavor of the tempeh.
Onion and garlic – These will bring a natural sweetness to the sauce.
Mushrooms – I used a combination of different mushrooms here (king oysters, oysters, and fresh shiitakes), but it works with all kinds of mushrooms. Use what you have on hand, cremini mushrooms will work perfectly.
Coconut milk – For creaminess, use full-fat coconut milk, or you can substitute with cashew cream.
Ground black pepper – Its pungent and woody flavors go perfectly with the mushrooms and tempeh.
Cornstarch – To help thicken the sauce.

Marinate the Tempeh

Start by cutting the tempeh into bite-size cubes. Then, marinate it in a combination of soy sauce, maple syrup, and garlic for at least 30 minutes. Feel free to prepare it the night before and let the tempeh marinate overnight.

Next, sauté the tempeh with the marinade until almost no liquid remains and it starts to brown.

Mushroom Sauce

To make the mushroom sauce, sauté onions, and garlic until the onions start to caramelize. Browning the onions will add extra flavor and natural sweetness to the sauce.

Then, add the mushrooms and sauté until cooked, about 5 minutes. Once the mushrooms are cooked, deglaze the skillet with soy sauce to add umami.

Finally, for richness and creaminess, pour in full-fat coconut milk. I chose to dilute the coconut milk with water; otherwise, I found the coconut to be overpowering.

Sprinkle with a generous pinch of ground black pepper, some chopped cilantro, and it’s ready to serve!

💬 Tips

If you want to give the sauce a beige/orange color, stir in a teaspoon of saté or chili oil. You could also use annatto oil to sauté the aromatics, which will also add color without adding any spiciness.
To make this recipe coconut-free, substitute the coconut milk with cashew cream or your favorite plant-based cream.
If you are having trouble digesting onions, you can substitute it with shallots.

The nutty flavor of tempeh goes so well with the umami-packed mushroom sauce. Serve this tempeh in mushroom coconut sauce over a bed of rice or with noodles for a filling and cozy dinner!

📔 More Tempeh Recipes

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!

Update January 2022: The photos and the content have been improved.

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