Is there a dish more flexible than a stir-fry?
This stir-fry recipe is vegan, gluten-free (as long as you use a gluten-free Liquid Aminos or tamari), oil-free, has no added sugar, and can be low-sodium if you use low-sodium options for the stock and soy sauce equivalent. Cooking meals yourself means you can make sure it meets your goals. This recipe is also low-fat and a good source of protein, fiber and iron.
Now, for comparison, have a look at the nutritional information for the chains Pei Wei and P.F. Chang's. Yikes!
Ingredient information and substitutions
The sauce for this stir-fry is made of just five ingredients and they are all staples that I am never without. If you enjoy asian-inspired dishes at home, you should keep them on hand as well. If necessary, you can replace the rice vinegar with another mild vinegar like white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Yep, I know tempeh is a hard sell for some people. And in this recipe, it isn't marinated so you really have to enjoy the flavor. (We do!) If you're not into it, I'd try using shelled frozen edamame (soy beans), prepared seasoned tofu like this one from Hodo, or you could even use one of the many vegan chicken strips available now like these from Gardein.
For the veggies, don't feel limited to green beans. You can substitute any frozen stir-fry mix. Or, use up odds and ends from the refrigerator. I like bell pepper, carrot, bok choy, napa cabbage, etc. You can see a little napa cabbage in the photo for this recipe.
When adding your assortment of veggies to the pan, start with the longer cooking ones like carrots and add the quick-cooking ones like napa cabbage towards the end. You just want the total amount of veggies used to be around 12-16 ounces for the amount of sauce that's in this recipe.
Equipment needed for this recipe
This recipe requires very little equipment.
You'll want a knife and cutting board to prep the onion, garlic and ginger. Measuring spoons are helpful for the sauce but you can also just eyeball it.
And you'll need a non-stick pan for stir-frying. A large frying pan is fine but if you have a wok that's even better. I used the wok I bought recently from Green Pan.
This flexible stir-fry will have dinner on the table in no time, especially if you already have cooked rice or use a convenient microwave packet. For lower sodium, use the low-sodium versions of vegetable stock and liquid aminos, soy sauce or tamari. The red pepper flakes called for give this recipe a medium heat. Use less or more depending on your heat preference. Don't feel limited to green beans. Substitute any frozen stir-fry mix. I like to add odds and ends from the refrigerator like bell pepper, carrot, bok choy, napa cabbage, etc. You can see a little napa cabbage in the photo for this recipe. You just want the total amount of veggies used to be around 12-16 ounces for this amount of sauce. Inspired by a recipe by Dianne Wenz. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Purchases through my links will not cost you any extra and contribute to supporting the costs of running this site.Easy Stir-fried Tempeh & Green Beans
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Recommended Products
Nutritional information is only an approximation. Products available in the nutrient database might not be exact matches.
Have you ever had tempeh? What did you think? If you're not a fan, do you think you'd try this recipe with edamame, seasoned tofu, or something like the Gardein chicken-style strips?