Vegan tempeh fried rice

Vegan tempeh fried rice with brown rice, tempeh, red miso, red pepper and mangetout – savoury, satisfying and quick to make in the pan.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 15 min
• Total time: 25 min
• Calories: 420 kcal per serving
• Protein: 26 g
• Fat: 15 g
• Carbs: 48 g

Ingredients

• 200g organic tempeh (fermented soya beans)
• 150g cold cooked brown rice
• 1 red miso (aka miso)
• 100g mangetout
• 2 tbsp coconut oil for frying
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 red pepper
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce

Method

You’ll need: frying pan · wok · chopping board · knife · wooden spoon

1. Use the brown rice cold, ideally from the day before. That way it stays loose in the pan and gets toasty bits rather than a soft, compact texture.
2. Cut the tempeh into small cubes. Cut the pepper into pieces and halve the mangetout diagonally.
3. Heat a large wok or wide frying pan with the coconut oil until very hot. Fry the tempeh until golden brown all over, then briefly fry the pepper and mangetout with it, so the veg stays tender-crisp.
4. Loosen the cold brown rice and add it to the pan. Fry, stirring, until hot and lightly toasted in places.
5. Stir the miso with the soy sauce and rice vinegar. Reduce the heat a little, pour the sauce over the fried rice and mix thoroughly until the rice, tempeh and veg are evenly coated.
6. Serve straight away, ideally fresh from the wok. If you like, a little spring onion or coriander makes a good finish.

Good to know

For me, fried rice is one of those meals that gets real depth with very little effort. Savoury, warm and with exactly the mix of toasty flavours and freshness that never gets boring.

Swaps

Brown rice → day-old brown rice or cooked buckwheat (more fibre, a few more minerals) | Coconut oil → olive oil or avocado oil (more monounsaturated fats) | Tempeh → plain tofu (milder, also plenty of protein) | Red miso → white miso (slightly milder in flavour, a similar fermented base)

Allergens

Contains soya and gluten (soy sauce; tamari is gluten-free); usually well suited to children if mildly seasoned, and during pregnancy tempeh and miso are generally fine in normal kitchen amounts, as long as everything is well heated.

Frequently asked questions

Does tempeh suit everyone?

Tempeh is fermented, which changes the structure and flavour of the beans; how well it agrees with you varies from person to person. It isn't suitable if you have a soya allergy.

What does red miso contain nutritionally?

Red miso mainly provides sodium, small amounts of protein and, depending on the type, some manganese. It contains fermentation products, but after heating you shouldn't expect any relevant amount of live cultures.

Why is brown rice interesting here nutritionally?

Brown rice contains more fibre, magnesium, manganese and B vitamins than white rice. It also brings more texture to the dish.

What makes the red pepper special in this recipe?

Red pepper provides plenty of vitamin C as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene. These plant compounds are mainly found in brightly coloured veg.

Is the mangetout just decoration?

Mangetout provides fibre, vitamin C and some folate. It also adds freshness and bite without making the dish heavy.

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