This Sweet and Sour Tempeh Stir Fry is a quick and easy recipe that will be ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s a savory dish that is delicious served over rice or your favorite grain.
Table of contents
We like this tempeh stir-fry because it’s…
- Fast
- Veggie-packed
- Satisfying
- Easy to make
- Full of flavor
Made with fresh or frozen vegetables like carrots, red bell peppers, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and tempeh, this recipe is loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants that promote health.

I am often asked which knives I use personally, and I have to say that it is Victorinox. They are the same company that makes Swiss Army Knives and the quality is excellent.
Are frozen vegetables healthy?

In some cases, frozen vegetables may be more nutritious than fresh ones that have been shipped over long distances. The latter is typically picked before ripening, which means that no matter how good the vegetables look, they’re likely to short-change you nutritionally.
The advantage of frozen fruits and vegetables is that they usually are picked when they’re ripe, and then blanched in hot water to kill bacteria and stop enzyme activity that can spoil food.
Then they’re flash frozen, which tends to preserve nutrients. If you can afford it, buy frozen fruits and vegetables stamped USDA “U.S. Fancy,” the highest standard and the one most likely to deliver the most nutrients.—Weil
Sweet and sour sauce ingredients
The sweet and sour sauce for this recipe is so simple with only 7 ingredients needed:
- pineapple
- apple cider vinegar
- maple syrup
- soy sauce
- corn starch
- ginger
As you can see in the picture, I used pineapple chunks. However, crushed pineapple would be a better option for this sauce. It helps blend with the other vegetables much better.
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
Tempeh is high in protein
Tempeh is found in most grocery stores in the produce section. It’s a traditional soy product from Indonesia. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form and has a nutty, mushroom, meaty flavor.
Add tempeh to your diet to boost your protein intake. Each 1-cup serving of tempeh contains 31 grams of protein, which is 55 percent of the recommended daily intake for men and 67 percent for women, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Tempeh contains high-quality complete protein and provides all the amino acids you must obtain from your diet. Its protein content helps you maintain muscle tissue, and also make enzymes your cells need to function. —LiveStrong

I hear people say that time is a big issue with eating healthy. This sweet and sour dish is a great recipe that demonstrates how fast eating healthy can be, and it’s so good!
Recipe adapted from Breaking the Food Seduction by Dr. Neal Barnard.
Other great tempeh recipes
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

Tempeh Stir Fry | Sweet and Sour
This is a quick and easy recipe that will be ready in less than 30 minutes. It's a savory dish that is delicious served over rice or your favorite grain.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons veggie broth
- 8 oz tempeh
- 1/2 cup onions, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup carrots, grated
- 1/2 cup celery, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 cup mushrooms, diced
- 15 oz crushed pineapple, packed in juice not syrup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sweetener of your choice, (sucanat, maple syrup, agave)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
- 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Slice tempeh into small cubes.
- Dice and slice all other vegetables.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine crushed pineapple, vinegar, water, sweetener, cornstarch, and ground ginger and whisk well. Set to the side.
- In wok or large skillet, add veggie broth, onions, garlic, and tempeh. Allow to cook until browned, stirring frequently. This takes about 5-7 minutes.
- Add carrots, peppers, celery, and mushrooms. Stir fry until tender, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Quickly re-stir the sauce, then add to pan. Heat until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Serve over rice or other grain and top with scallions.
Notes
Detailed instructions, in-process photos, and my personal helpful tips can be found in the article above.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 2.18Total Fat: 6.5gCarbohydrates: 31.3gFiber: 3.8gSugar: 15gProtein: 13.8g
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.



Mary Jane Panke
Thursday 23rd of July 2020
When do you add the soy sauce/tamari?
Terri Edwards
Thursday 23rd of July 2020
Hi Mary Jane- The soy sauce is part of the sauce, so you should add it when making the sauce.
Molly
Sunday 13th of May 2018
I made this. It was amazing. The texture of the tempeh worked so well. I'd never had it before. The leftovers tasted even better the next day. I struggled a bit to cook it all in two tbsp of broth though. I just added more.
Kerry Rowley
Monday 20th of March 2017
Your recipes look delicious. Please sign me up for your newsletter.
Michael
Friday 6th of January 2017
I have to try this! Yum! If you don't want to pay too much by buying authentic tempeh at a grocery store (they always over charge!) I posted an easy recipe for making tempeh at home.
http://www.thertwguys.com/easy-tempeh-recipe/
Enjoy!
Vickie Robinson
Thursday 10th of November 2016
Looks good! Is the tempe added with the onions or the other veggies? Thanks
EatPlant-Based.com
Thursday 10th of November 2016
That's right! Typo! I fixed it in the recipe now. Thanks for letting me know!