This Vegan Korean BBQ Bowl is the perfect blend of Korean inspiration, BBQ flavors, and some extra heat! The BBQ tempeh is so versatile and is great to meal-prep for the week!
Like a lot of you, I spend a lot of time on Pinterest looking for recipe ideas when I’m feeling un-inspired. I saw a recipe for a Korean Beef BBQ Bowl and was inspired to make my own with a littleeee extra spice and whole lotta health.
This Vegan Korean Inspired BBQ Bowl is SO easy and is great for meal-prep! The BBQ sauce works super well with the tempeh and we use the leftover sauce as a dressing for the bowl. This bowl is just *chef kiss*, I don’t know how else to explain it.
What Makes This Korean BBQ Tempeh So Great?
- The BBQ sauce literally takes 5 minutes to make
- You can make this entire bowl in under 30 minutes
- The tempeh is so versatile! You can use it in wraps, sandwiches, or salads instead
- It stores well in the fridge, so it’s great for meal-prep
- It’s plant based!
- It’s YUM
Ingredients:
Tempeh: This is our source of protein which is what’s making this meal super filling, but if you don’t have tempeh, feel free to try it out with tofu or even some chickpeas or cannellini beans! This is the tempeh I use!
Coconut Aminos: This is the base of our sauce, but feel free to sub it out with soy sauce or tamari!
Maple Syrup/Honey: This gives our sauce a little bit of sweetness. I used honey but feel free to use maple syrup to keep this vegan!
Rice Vinegar & Sesame Oil: These add those strong East Asian flavors that we know and love! The Rice Vinegar is great because it adds a great acidity while also adding a lot of flavor.
Hot Sauce: Korean dishes generally have more of a spice to them, so I love using Sambal Oelek to add in a punch of heat, but feel free to use whatever hot sauce you have on hand!
White Rice: I think that East Asian dishes go super well with white rice, but feel free to sub it with quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, or even noodles for a different flavor!
Veggies: This meal is great to use up whatever veggies you have on hand! I used bell peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli, carrots, and spinach but honestly whatever you have will work!
Tahini: You all already know my obsession with tahini. We use this as the base of our dressing to mix with the remaining tempeh BBQ sauce. I loooove this tahini (women-owned!)
Toppings: I topped this with green onion, sauerkraut, sesame seeds, and avocado (duh), but top it with whatever you’re feeling
How to Make:
- Mix: Mix together the BBQ sauce ingredients
- Cut: Cut the tempeh into your desired shape and size. I like to have bigger pieces of tempeh rather than smaller, but to each their own
- Marinate (optional): Marinating the tempeh in the sauce is completely optional, so if you don’t have time, don’t worry. But I do find that the flavors tend to come out stronger than longer I marinate it. I recommend between 40 minutes – overnight.
- Bake: Bake the tempeh at 400 F for 10 minutes. Then flip it and bake it for another 5-10 minutes until they get to your desired crispiness.
- Pan fry and boil: While the tempeh is baking, cook your rice if you haven’t already. Chop your veggies and pan fry them while the rice is cooking.
D O N E
Customize it!
The thing I love about bowl is that they’re so easy to customize based on whatever you have on hand or what you’re feeling! Here’s some ideas:
Toppings: Red onion, Jalapeno, Corn, Salsa
Grains: Quinoa, Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Noodles
Protein: Chickpeas, Tofu, White Beans
Make it a salad, bowl, or sandwich!
Why this Korean BBQ Tempeh Bowl is Balanced
This meals got all the veg and food groups, so you know that you’re nourishing your body for all it does for you J
Protein: The star of the show, the tempeh is bringing in lots of protein!
Carb: We’re getting lots of quick energy from the white rice and some more long-lasting energy from the veg
Fat: Loooottss o healthy fat from the sesame oil, tahini, and avocado!
Plus, lots of bonus micronutrients and fiber from the veggies!
How to Store
This tempeh keeps well in the fridge for around 4-5 days!
Let me know if you try the recipe out! Tag me on IG, @thebalancedblend, or leave a comment down below! It honestly makes me SO happy to see your guys’ recreations!
Vegan Korean Inspired BBQ Tempeh Bowl
Ingredients
Korean BBQ Marinade
- 1 package tempeh
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 ½ tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tsp sambal oelek or hot sauce of choice
- 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp ginger powder
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Bowls
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup chopped eggplant
- ¾ cup chopped carrots
- 1 tbsp umami seasoning
- Kale and/or spinach
- Cooked Tempeh
- 2 cups cooked white rice
Toppings
- Sesame seeds
- Avocado
- Green Onion
- Sauerkraut
Dressing
- 3 tbsp tahini
- Remaining Marinade
Instructions
- Cut the tempeh into cubes, strips, or large triangles
- Mix the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour most of it over the tempeh (leave about 2-3 tbsps) and stir until it coats all the tempeh well.
- Let it marinate for 40 minutes – overnight (optional).
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the marinated tempeh on the parchment paper or a silicone baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Then, flip and bake for another 7-10 minutes
- While the tempeh is cooking, heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add in the eggplant and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add in the bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and seasonings, and continue to saute until they’re cooking. Add in the chopped spinach and/or kale and cook until it has wilted. Remove from heat
- Make the dressing by mixing the remaining 2-3 tbsp marinade and tahini in a small bowl
- Build your bowl by adding the veggies, tempeh,rice, toppings, and dressing!
- Enjoy!
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