Vegan Tempeh Egg Roll Bowls - Making Thyme for Health (2024)

Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Grain-Free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Sugar-Free, Vegan 27

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Vegan Tempeh Egg Roll Bowls- Made with mostly pantry ingredients, this easy and nutritious meal comes together in just 20 minutes! (gluten-free)

I’m on a mission to open everyone’s mind to the wonderful world of tempeh. Whether you follow a plant-based diet or not, it is by far one of the healthiest and most versatile options available for protein. The fermentation process unlocks all of the beneficial nutrients making it much easier to digest than tofu and there are plenty of soy-free options if for some reason you’re averse to eating soy. It also absorbs flavor much better than tofu and can be served in a variety of dishes that often call for animal protein.

Like these Egg Roll Bowls, for example. You’ll find many variations of this recipe on the internet and most all of them call for ground meat. Tempeh makes a great substitution in this case because it can be crumbled into a texture that somewhat resembles ground meat and giving it a quick steam prior to crumbling allows it to absorb the tangy asian-inspired marinade beautifully. Paired with crunchy slaw, it makes for a light and simple meal that’s perfect for whipping up on a busy weeknight!

What You Need To Make the Bowls

The main reason I’m such a big fan of this recipe, besides the fact that it’s healthy of course, is that it is incredibly simple to make. If you have a well stocked pantry then you only need to buy a few ingredients and it comes together in just 20 minutes from start to finish. Here’s what you’ll need:

Tempeh-The most common brand of tempeh sold in grocery stores is Lightlife which makes a great organic soy option. It’s my favorite for crumbling, however any variety of tempeh will work. If you’re looking for a soy-free alternative I love Hempéwhich is made with chickpeas, hemp and chia seeds for a boost of omega 3s.
Tamari- If you’re not familiar with tamari, it’s basically just soy-sauce that’s made without gluten. You are free to use regular soy sauce or coconut aminos for a soy-free option. I like to use reduced sodium to keep the salt in check.
Rice Wine Vinegar- This will give the marinade a delicious tangy flavor so please don’t skip it!
Sriracha- We’ll use this to add a hint of spice. Feel free to leave it out or add more to suit your preferences.
Coconut Sugar- Just a hint of sweetness helps round out the flavor of the marinade. Maple syrup or honey would also work well if you don’t have coconut sugar.
Ground Garlic and Ginger-I like to use garlic powder and ground ginger to minimize chopping for this recipe but you are welcome to mince them fresh if you want!
Sesame Oil-We’re using sesame oil to sauté the vegetables but really, any oil without an overpowering flavor will work, such as avocado or olive oil. If you have toasted sesame oil then you may want to start with just a teaspoon and sauté the vegetables in a bit of water or other oil as the flavor of toasted sesame oil can be very strong.
Onion- Sautéed fresh onion creates a nice flavor base and is the only vegetable you’ll have to chop!
Vegetable Slaw-Using packaged vegetable slaw is what makes this recipe so easy. All you have to do is dump it in the pot.
Green Onion and Sesame Seeds- Technically these toppings aren’t vital to the recipe but they do add a little something extra that helps round everything out. It’s up to you if you want to include them though!

How to Make Them

Steam the tempeh for 10 minutes while you whisk the marinade together in a large bowl.
Once the tempeh is cool enough to handle, crumble it with your fingers in the bowl. Stir and allow to sit while you prep the onion.
Cook the onion in a large pot. Add the tempeh and cabbage slaw then cook just until soft. Top with green onion and sesame seeds, and serve!

If you haven’t come around to tempeh yet then I hope you’ll give this recipe a try! It’s healthy, flavorful and simple to make. What’s not to love?!

WANT MORE TEMPEH RECIPES?

Check out these favorites:

Easy Peanut Tempeh
Sheet Pan Cabbage Tempeh with Mustard Tahini Vinaigrette
Peanut Sauce Tempeh Lettuce Wraps
BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches with Tangy Apple Slaw
How to Make Tempeh Bacon
Easy Tempeh Bacon Bits
Garlic Herb Baked Tempeh
Balsamic Dijon Tempeh Buddha Bowls
Smoky Maple Tempeh Hash with Brussel Sprouts

Print Recipe

4.91 from 10 votes

Vegan Egg Roll Tempeh Bowls

Made with mostly pantry ingredients, this easy and nutritious meal comes together in just 20 minutes!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

12 ounces tempeh
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari, or coconut aminos for soy-free option
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 teaspoon coconut sugar, or pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons sesame oil, see notes
1 cup finely chopped onion
10 ounces vegetable slaw
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for topping

Instructions

Fill the bottom of a large skillet with about a 1/2-inch of water and bring to a low boil. Turn off heat, add the block of tempeh, cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the marinade. In a large bowl whisk together the tamari, rice wine vinegar, sriracha, coconut sugar, garlic powder and ginger. Set aside.
Once the tempeh is done steaming, transfer to a cutting board to cool. Using your fingers, crumble the tempeh into the bowl with the marinade. Stir until the tempeh absorbs all of the marinade.
In the large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons sesame oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the tempeh to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for another 2 minutes.
To the skillet, add the entire package of slaw. Stir as it cooks, for about 5 minutes. You can cook it shorter or longer depending on how crisp or soft you prefer the vegetables.
Serve warm topped with green onion and sesame seeds, and enjoy!

Notes

If using toasted sesame oil you may want to reduce amount since the flavor is much stronger. You can also substitute olive oil or whatever neutral flavored oil you have on hand.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 512mg, Potassium: 586mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 129IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 156mg, Iron: 3mg

Course: dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Chinese

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!