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← All recipes Tempeh and broccoli stir-fried in glossy peanut sauce over rice Dinner · High-protein

Tempeh Peanut Stir-Fry

≈32g protein 25 min Serves 2 Highest leucine

The heaviest hitter in the collection. Tempeh is whole fermented soy — its amino acid profile is complete and unusually high in leucine, and because the beans stay intact (unlike tofu), you get the full protein density of the soybean, plus probiotic upside. Add edamame and a peanut butter sauce and you're well into territory most animal meals don't reach.

Ingredients

  • 1 block (225g) tempeh, cut into batons
  • 2 cups broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tbsp rice vinegar (for the tempeh)
  • 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter (no-stir)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce (for the sauce)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp sriracha or chilli crisp (optional)
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (peanut or avocado)
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice, to serve
  • Water, to loosen the sauce

Method

  1. Make the sauce first: in a small bowl, whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, ginger, garlic and sriracha. Add water 1 tbsp at a time until it falls off the spoon in a thick ribbon. Set aside.
  2. Toss the tempeh batons with the 2 tbsp soy sauce and rice vinegar in a shallow dish. Let them sit at least 10 minutes — the acid starts to soften the tempeh's slightly funky edge.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until shimmering. Add the tempeh in a single layer and sear undisturbed 2 minutes, then toss and cook another 2–3 minutes until deeply golden on multiple sides. Remove to a plate.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok. Add the broccoli and stir-fry 3 minutes — you want charred spots and bite, not softness. Add the edamame and cook 1 minute more.
  5. Return the tempeh to the wok. Pour in the peanut sauce and toss constantly for 60–90 seconds — the sauce will thicken, gloss and cling to everything. Pull off the heat the moment it looks shiny.
  6. Serve immediately over brown rice, with extra lime and a drizzle of chilli crisp if you have it.
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