Easy Skillet Tempeh with Caramelized Onions and Grapes
Now that summer is unofficially over, we’re jumping into fall recipes head first! I love foods of the fall more than any other season I think. And Easy Skillet Tempeh is just the thing to get us started!
This easy skillet tempeh is inspired by pork chop recipes that use fruit; often either apples or grapes, and bake in the oven. Tempeh works as a great stand-in for pork in this dish. The flavors taste like it took hours, when this recipe takes only about 30 minutes. Perfect comfort food for chilly fall days!
What is Tempeh?
Tempeh is a high-protein fermented soybean product. It’s made by using natural culturing to ferment cooked soybeans and usually a type of grain, and pressing it together into a dense cake. Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food, and a mainstay of vegan and vegetarian diets, though not as well known as tofu. It has a nutty, sometimes slightly cheesy flavor.
Tempeh is widely available now, in most grocery stores where you would find tofu and other meat substitutes.
Tempeh Nutrition
Why did we use tempeh in this recipe? Let’s take a closer look!
A serving of tempeh contains only 140 calories, 4 grams of fat, no cholesterol, and 10 mg sodium. But is also contains 16 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber (28% DV), 2 mg iron (10% DV) and 280 mg potassium (8% DV). Read more about tempeh nutrition.
The protein and fiber provide a lot of staying power to this dish without overdoing calories and fat – something pork and beef dishes are often guilty of. It’s not going to leave you hungry an hour later!
How To Make Easy Skillet Tempeh
Tempeh always requires a quick steam before it’s ready to use. My recipe for Easy Skillet Tempeh makes use of that down time by caramelizing the onions, so you have no time lost!
Don’t forget to have your Homemade Vegetable Broth ready to go. You’ll need about 1/2 cup of it. If you don’t want to make it, choose a sodium-free or very low sodium broth from the store. This recipe has a ton of flavor, and doesn’t need the salt – and your heart will thank you.
I used cooking wine to up the ante here. Cooking wine does have some sodium in it, but I’ve compensated by making sure the rest of the ingredients are very low on the sodium. The whole dish only have 200 mg! If you don’t want to use cooking wine, use more vegetable broth instead.
Rosemary is a perfect flavor complement to the red wine and grapes. The slight piney and citrus notes play off the sweetness in a way that screams fall.
I can’t wait to hear how you love Easy Skillet Tempeh!
Easy Skillet Tempeh with Caramelized Onions and Grapes
An easy and quick autumn-inspired dish that only tastes complicated!
Ingredients
- 16 oz Tempeh
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced
- 1/2 cup red cooking wine
- 1/2 cup Homemade vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 tbsp chopped, fresh rosemary
- 2 cups red grapes
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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Remove tempeh from packaging, and cut each block in half, to make square “steaks”. Place in a steamer basket, and steam the tempeh for 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy, oven-proof skillet, and saute onions until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
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Remove onions from skillet. Add a little more oil if needed.
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Add the tempeh to the skillet, and cook a few minutes on each side, until browned.
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Remove tempeh from skillet. Pour in cooking wine and broth, and return the onions, along with chopped rosemary to the skillet. Simmer about 5 minutes.
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Return tempeh to the skillet, and toss grapes on the top. Bake in the oven 10-15 minutes, until grapes are shriveled and begin to brown.
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Garnish with fresh rosemary.
