Barbecue Rubbed Tempeh

Barbecue Rubbed Tempeh is perfect for summertime, or for when you’re dreaming of summertime! This protein-packed, plant-powered staple is my favorite thing to work with right now. It’s so versatile, and it is dang delicious. A sweet and smoky spice rub engulfs every bite of this crispy and delicious dish.

If you’re looking for the perfect side dish to round out this meal, try my cast iron cornbread!

Ingredients

8 oz tempeh
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the pan

Directions:

1. Prepare tempeh by slicing into wedges about 1/2 inch in thickness at the base. Strips are okay too, so your choice!
2. In a small saucepan, add tempeh and enough water or vegetable broth to cover it and submerge it by about a 2-3 inches. Bring this mixture to a boil, cover, and continue to boil for 8-10 minutes. This helps reduce the bitterness in the fermented product, so the spice rub can really shine!
3. While tempeh is boiling, combine paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion salt, cayenne pepper, and salt.
4. Once tempeh is done boiling, strain and gently pat the tempeh dry. It does not need to be completely dry, you just don’t want it to be dripping. A little bit of moisture will help the spice rub adhere to the tempeh.
5. In a large bowl, combine the tempeh, 1 tbsp of olive oil, and the spice rub. Gently toss and mix until each piece is well coated with the rub.
6. Preheat a large skillet with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan to medium high heat. Once pan and oil are hot, add the tempeh in a single layer to the pan.
   1. Note: you may need to repeat this depending on the size of your pan, but make sure all of the tempeh wedges have contact with the pan.
7. Sear the tempeh for about 2 minutes, or until golden and crispy, then flip and repeat until all sides are crispy! Repeat with any remaining tempeh that didn’t fit in your frying pan as needed.
8. Enjoy the Barbecue Rubbed Tempeh with any of your favorite barbecue sides!

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Barbecue Rubbed Tempeh

Barbecue Rubbed Tempeh is perfect for summertime, or for when you're dreaming of summertime! This protein-packed, plant-powered staple is my favorite thing to work with right now. It's so versatile, and it is dang delicious. A sweet and smoky spice rub engulfs every bite of this crispy and delicious dish.

Author: Maddie Augustin

Ingredients

• 8 oz tempeh
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion salt
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil plus more for the pan

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, add tempeh and enough water or vegetable broth to cover it and submerge it by about a 2-3 inches. Bring this mixture to a boil, cover, and continue to boil for 8-10 minutes. This helps reduce the bitterness in the fermented product, so the spice rub can really shine!
2. While tempeh is boiling, combine paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion salt, cayenne pepper, and salt.
3. Once tempeh is done boiling, strain and gently pat the tempeh dry. It does not need to be completely dry, you just don't want it to be dripping. A little bit of moisture will help the spice rub adhere to the tempeh.
4. In a large bowl, combine the tempeh, 1 tbsp of olive oil, and the spice rub. Gently toss and mix until each piece is well coated with the rub.
5. Preheat a large skillet with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan to medium high heat. Once pan and oil are hot, add the tempeh in a single layer to the pan.
6. Note: you may need to repeat this depending on the size of your pan, but make sure all of the tempeh wedges have contact with the pan.
7. Sear the tempeh for about 2 minutes, or until golden and crispy, then flip and repeat until all sides are crispy! Repeat with any remaining tempeh that didn't fit in your frying pan as needed.
8. Enjoy the Barbecue Rubbed Tempeh with any of your favorite barbecue sides!