Italian Flavored Tempeh Nuggets

Kozmic Blues's Note:

These are amazing! When these cook, the balsamic marinade becomes a delicious caramelized coating. Use these nuggets over salads, over rice or to accompany pasta. They make great little finger snacks too. Cooking time does not include marinade time.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 8 ounces tempeh

For the marinade

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary , crushed between fingers

Directions:

1. Cut tempeh into 1/2 inch wide cubes.
2. Combine the marinade ingredients in a container with a lid, stir to combine.
3. Add tempeh, cover and shake well until all pieces are coated.
4. Pace in refrigerator for one hour or overnight.
5. Shake container every now and again (when you think of it) to coat all pieces. The tempeh will begin to absorb all the marinade.
6. When ready to cook, heat a non stick skillet over medium low heat.
7. Add tempeh and any liquid and cook for about 10 minutes, turning pieces until they begin to caramelize.
8. Serve immediately or keep in a covered container in fridge.

Reviews

[eliseghitman22]

Oh, yum. These are crispy, crunchy, flavorful, deliciousness. I added some korean veggie stir-fry sauce to the marinade(I bought mine at Stop 'n' Shop, I highly reccomend it). These are super simple to make- perfect for a healthy, vegan meal in a time crunch. Loved it!

[laurp0233]

I thought these were great. Mine were a bit spicy- definitely due to the red pepper flakes. I ended up marinating them for just over 24 hours and I put them on a salad (baby spinach, carrots, tomato, avocado, and sauteed onions & mushrooms. I topped the salad with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil & balsamic and I was set to go. Delicious! Best tempeh recipe I've made!

[Chef #941755]

I used braggs instead of soy sauce, omitted rosemary (just cause i didn't have any), added an additional clove of garlic, and used just 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes - and they were spicy!! The herbs and flavoring was really yum and i definitely didn't, at all, mind the heat. i don't know if my particular brand of crushed red pepper is extra hot or what, but I will make my daughter's portion separate next time, without the red pepper flakes. She is not a big fan of hot. Even i favored mixing the nuggets into my quinoa to disperse the (very strong) flavor a bit. It was scrumptious with vegetable quinoa. (finely diced 2 carrots, 1 cup mushroom, & 1 red bell pepper- sauteed in smart Balance light and plenty of Mrs. dash, then cooked with 2 cups veggie broth and 1 cup quinoa.) These recipes yielded 4 servings of about 1 cup veg quinoa & 1/2 cup of nuggets each. The amount of oil and balsamic were perfect for me and my daughter. I couldn't stop "taste-testing" the nuggets, as they were cooking. (~_^) For tempeh novices, always remember to boil or steam it for about 15 minutes before marinating or cooking it. It opens the tempeh up to allow it to really absorb the flavors, and it kills any slightly bitter flavor some types of tempeh can have.