Balsamic Dijon Tempeh Buddha Bowls
Balsamic Dijon Tempeh Buddha Bowls- tempeh gets marinated in a maple balsamic dijon glaze, roasted with fresh vegetables and topped with a simple maple-dijon sauce. A healthy meal that’s easy to make and packed with 30 grams of protein per serving!
You might notice that I don’t have a ton of tempeh recipes on my site and that’s because it wasn’t until recently that I learned how to prepare it properly.
The first couple of times I tried it I just chopped it into cubes and cooked it on the stovetop, thinking that would be good enough. No way, Jose. Tempeh on it’s own has a somewhat funky flavor that I don’t particularly care for. In fact, I’m really sensitive to it. That taste has to be thoroughly masked in order for me to enjoy it.
But I’ve discovered with the right marinade and seasonings, the flavor can be pretty awesome.
Now I really love the tempeh bacon bits but if I only had one opportunity to make you a tempeh lover, I’d serve you this recipe. The tangy balsamic paired with the flavors of pure maple syrup and Dijon mustard make for one phenomenal combo.
If you’re one of those people that doesn’t like to plan ahead then don’t worry. I let tempeh sit in the marinade for several hours the first time I made it and then just 15 minutes the second time (while I chopped the vegetables) and it was great both ways.
Once the tempeh is covered with the marinade and the veggies are chopped, all you have to do is bake everything in the oven. Super easy.
Actually, I was really close to calling this a one-pan meal but I couldn’t fit everything on one cookie sheet so…yeah.
But the second dish doesn’t take that much time to wash. Especially if your spouse does it for you. Which they totally should because you cooked. It’s only fair.
Balsamic Dijon Tempeh Buddha Bowls
Ingredients
For the Buddha Bowls
- 16 ounces plain tempeh, cut into small triangles
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tamari , or soy sauce/coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lb brussels sprouts , peeled and sliced in half
- 5 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 lb yukon potatoes, diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup frekkah, or quinoa
- 2-3 tablespoons oil spray
For the Maple Dijon Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, depending on your preferences
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Start by steaming the tempeh in a steamer basket for 10 minutes. This step is optional but it allows the tempeh pores to open and absorb the flavors. You can also place the block of tempeh in a skillet with a few tablespoons of water over medium-low heat. Cover and let "steam" for 5-10 minutes.
- While the tempeh steams, prepare the marinade. In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons tamari, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 tablespoon pure maple syrup. Set aside.
- Once the tempeh has cooled enough to handle, cut into small triangles then place in the bowl with the marinade. Stir until tempeh is evenly coated in marinade. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F then line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Arrange the brussels, carrots and potatoes on the baking sheet. Lightly coat with high heat oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake the vegetables in the oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown. Add the tempeh to the oven during the last 10 minutes and cook until heated through.
- Meanwhile, prepare the freekeh by bringing 2 cups salted water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the freekeh, turn heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, until water has absorbed. Remove from heat then cover with a lid and allow to steam for 10 minutes.
- To prep the maple dijon sauce, whisk together 2 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup.
- Arrange the cooked freekeh with roasted vegetables and tempeh in separate bowls. Drizzle with maple dijon sauce, serve warm and enjoy!
The cook should never have to wash dishes! I love how easy this looks. I’ve still never tried tempeh, but your recipes are slowly convincing me I should try it.
Riley asked what I wanted to for dinner tonight and I requested “healthy.” I’m excited to see what his definition of that is lol. I doubt I’ll have something like this waiting for me!
You must be the dishwasher at home then, huh? ;)
Hey, almost-one-pan is good enough for me! The fewer dishes the better ;) And look at the stellar result! This bowl looks amazing!! :D
Yum! x
Izzy |http://www.pinchofdelight.com
I hear you on tempeh, I kind of feel the same way about it… but if it’s prepared right, I like it!
It’s tricky to work with, that’s for sure!
I have zilch experience with preparing tempeh, so I’m glad I now know it needs to be doctored up with tasty sauce to make it delicious. These Buddha bowls look like perfection! All the flavor and nutrient bases covered!
You have to try it! It’s full of fermented goodness. ;)
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Do you have to steam the tempeh before marinating?
Hi Kirstyn! I didn’t do that for this recipe but I actually recently read that steaming helps the tempeh absorb the flavor more so if you are averse to the tempeh flavor then I think it is worth it to steam it first then add the marinade while it’s still warm. I’ll add that to the notes as an option. Thanks for the reminder! :)
Thanks, I did steam it. It was yummy! I also substituted cabbage wedges for the Brussels sprouts, also yum!
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback! :)
Delicious! Used broccoli, cremi mushroom, red sweet pepper and a bit of onion. Served atop quinoa with extra sauce. Excellent recipe using tempeh.
Thank you Georgette! Your veggie substitutions sound delicious! :)
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Made a half-recipe for dinner tonight & boy, is my tummy happy! And so full! :)
My husband really liked it and exclaimed it to be 5-star. I think I’d give it a 4, but he so rarely proclaims a rating, so I’ll give way to him. My leaning is probably just to not being overly-fond of dijon flavor.
I couldn’t find freekeh in the store, but we served the roasted veggies over some quinoa instead.
The tastiness of the Brussels sprouts and carrot sticks were very nice!
Also, the ease of putting everything together was very nice —- just cut the veggies, mix the sauce, toss it all in the oven to roast.
We’ll be using this recipe quite a bit, I think! :)
So happy you and the family enjoyed it! Thank you for the review!
tastes good but some things went wrong. the carrots burned some, yet the potato wasn’t quite done. in the future id make the potato pieces only 1/2 inch, that might fix the issue for me. otherwise it all went well, and overall this is a great, healthy dinner, thanks so much!!
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I’m a sucker for bowl meals especially for meal prep, but a lot of bowl meals have a peanut or tahini based sauce. Both of these are delicious, but a girl needs variety. I was so excited to try this with something different, and I was not disappointed. It is super flavorful and filling and tastes like fall. It is definitely going in my regular meal prep rotation. The only change I made was doubling the tempeh for some extra protein. The amount of marinade still worked. Thank you!