Featured Recipe
Spiced Tempeh Apple Salad
By Kate
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A vibrant mesclun salad featuring pan-seared tempeh cubes glazed with honey and curry powder. Crisp green apple julienne and crunchy pumpkin seeds mix with lively golden raisins, fresh coriander, and Lebanese cucumber batons. Dressed in a tangy lemon mustard vinaigrette. Slightly adjusted ingredient quantities to balance sweetness and acidity. Harissa swapped for smoked paprika to soften heat while enhancing aroma. Miso paste subbed for mustard seeds adding umami depth. Texture layers from crunchy to tender, visual contrast with deep greens and bright apple. Quick, efficient prep with step timing tuned for real kitchen rhythm.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
6 min
Total:
31 min
Serves:
4 servings
salad
vegan
nutrient-dense
Introduction
Crunchy, tangy, sweet, savory. Mesclun’s dark, leafy bitterness holds the show. Adding tempeh—pan-fried chunks—gives protein, texture, a caramelized crust you’ll want to hear crack when biting. Apple julienne adds fresh snap against the soft raisins and toasted pumpkin seeds. A smart vinaigrette with miso and lemon sharpens the palate. Honey glaze spiked with curry and smoked paprika plays with the taste buds. Timing here isn’t strict seconds but watching how tempeh browns and honey bubbles matter. Keep control; honey burns fast. And watch the greens—dress just before serving or they wilt. No compromise on contrasts lengthens bite complexity. Watch color changes, smell the spices awaken. It’s a salad but like a tight show in the pan and plate.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 80 ml olive oil
- 70 ml lemon juice
- 25 ml white miso paste
- 25 ml honey
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml curry powder
- 3 ml ground cinnamon
- 200 g tempeh, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 25 ml olive oil
- 40 g roasted pumpkin seeds
- 30 g golden raisins
- 150 g mesclun greens
- 30 g coriander leaves
- 3 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced lengthwise into strips
- 1 green apple, cored and julienned
Salad
About the ingredients
Tempeh is central but variable: firm, pressed works best to brown without falling apart. If unavailable, extra-firm tofu pressed overnight is a passable substitute—expect less chew, more delicate crumble. Smoked paprika replaces harissa here for a subtler heat that won’t overpower the honey. You can revert to harissa or use a pinch of cayenne if you want fire. Miso paste replaces the grainy texture of whole grain mustard; it lifts umami and smoothes dressing texture. If miso is missing, Dijon mustard is a direct swap, but reduce lemon juice by a teaspoon to avoid sour clash. Honey quantity trimmed to avoid sticky overload amongst sweet raisins and apple; feel free to add more later when glazing tempeh for desired shine. Pumpkin seeds can be swapped for toasted sunflower seeds or chopped almonds; just mind nut allergies. Lebanese cucumber’s thin skins and few seeds keep salad light and consistent; regular cucumber peeled and seeded works fine but dilutes crunch. Always keep apple cut fresh to hold vibrant crispness.
Method
Make vinaigrette
- Whisk olive oil with lemon juice until mildly emulsified. Stir in miso paste thoroughly; expect some texture, avoid over-blending it. Set aside. This balances tang and umami for complex dressing.
- Mix honey, lemon juice, smoked paprika, curry powder and cinnamon in small bowl. Honey should loosen for coating the tempeh later.
- Heat olive oil in heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high. Tempeh goes in once oil shimmers. No crowding, shake pan occasionally to ensure even browning—listen for steady sizzle. Tempeh edges should crisp, turning golden in about 4 minutes.
- Pull skillet off heat before tempeh fully finishes—carry residual heat for glaze application.
- Stir in honey-spice mix quickly. Tempeh glistens as honey bubbles, filling kitchen with curry aroma. Toss in pumpkin seeds and raisins, cook 20 seconds until seeds warm, raisins plump slightly.
- Season with salt and pepper. Remove from stove to avoid burning honey. Timing critical here; too long, honey blacks, too short, lacks glaze depth.
- On plates, scatter mesclun base mixed with coriander and cucumber ribbons. Lay julienned apple over greens, glossy and fresh—cut last to prevent browning.
- Top with warm tempeh clusters, pumpkin seeds, raisins.
- Drizzle vinaigrette over entire plate just before serving to keep leaves vibrant.
- Serve promptly; warm tempeh over crisp, cool greens creates contrasting textures and temperatures. The citrus acidity wakes the palate, balancing honey sweetness.
Prepare tempeh glaze
Cook tempeh
Assemble salad
Technique Tips
The skimming catch is heat control. Olive oil must shimmer but not smoke; too hot, tempeh crisps outer shell while raw inside. Look for golden edges and hear the sustained sizzle. Remove pan from heat to add honey glaze; residual heat cooks glaze gently avoiding burning sugar. Once glaze is in, the smell will deepen: floral, spicy, sticky. The 20-30 second finish cook with seeds and raisins warms ingredients without softening or scorching them. Adding salt here boosts all tastes but avoid over-salting; tempeh can vary in natural saltiness. Prepare vinaigrette first; whisk miso thoroughly in oil and lemon. Texture should be slightly grainy; a different feel than smooth vinaigrettes — be confident with it. Dress salad just before serving to keep leaves crisp; vinaigrette sits well on mesclun’s tender texture without wilting. The final plate is a combination of cool, crisp apple and cucumber, warm tempeh clusters, glossy seeds, and raisins. Balance temperature. Watch color shifts: bright green coriander, golden raisins shine against dark greens. Timing is about watching sounds, smells, and color — not the clock.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Watch the oil shimmer before adding tempeh. Right heat gives golden edges. Too hot? Outside crisps but inside raw. Keep it sizzling.
- 💡 Honey in the glaze; don't burn it. Timing matters. Remove from heat before it bubbles too far. Give aroma time to bloom.
- 💡 Cut apple last. Keeps it bright white, crisp against greens. Prevent browning; contrast with dark greens and warm tempeh.
- 💡 Swap pumpkin seeds for sunflower or almonds if allergies exist. Think nut texture. Change flavors too. Check that none are stale.
- 💡 Keep an eye on salt levels. Tempeh varies in saltiness. Add salt later; boosts taste but avoid over-saturation. Balance overall flavors.
