
Maple-Chili Tempeh Bowls with Quick Slaw
Thin slices of tempeh glazed sticky with maple, tamari and chili, over brown rice with a sharp cabbage slaw. Meal-prep food that does not taste like meal-prep food.
- Tempeh is whole fermented soybeans, one of the most protein-dense plant foods.
- Red cabbage brings vitamin C and crunch.
- Brown rice is a whole grain, bran and germ still on.
- The glaze is just tamari, maple syrup, vinegar, garlic and chili flakes.
Estimated nutrition per serving
545kcal
28 gprotein
66 gcarbs
21 gfat
7 gfiber
Estimated — computed from this recipe's ingredient list with standard reference values, not lab-tested. How we calculate.
Ingredients
- 2 blocks (8 oz / 225 g each) tempeh, in ¼-inch slices
- 1 cup / 200 g brown rice
- 3 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- ¼ red cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 carrot, coarsely grated
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- salt
Method
- Start the rice — brown rice takes about 35 minutes, and everything else fits inside that window.
- Simmer the tempeh slices in water for 5 minutes — this mellows it — then drain and pat dry.
- Whisk tamari, maple syrup, cider vinegar, garlic and chili flakes.
- Toss the cabbage and carrot with the rice vinegar and a big pinch of salt; let it sit and soften while you cook.
- Brown the tempeh in the oil, 3 minutes a side. Pour in the glaze and let it bubble 1–2 minutes, turning the slices until sticky and lacquered.
- Build the bowls: rice, slaw, tempeh, sesame seeds over everything.
Worth knowing. All three parts keep four days in boxes; the slaw actually improves overnight.
Take this recipe home
More like this

Lemon-Herb Baked Salmon with Green Beans
One tray, twenty minutes, and the kind of dinner that looks like more effort than it was.
25 min

Greek Chicken Bowls with Cucumber and Feta
The meal-prep classic done properly: marinated chicken thighs, crisp cucumber, olives and feta over rice.
35 min · mostly hands-off

Tuscan White Bean Soup with Rosemary
A fifteen-minute pantry soup that tastes slow-cooked: white beans, tomato, rosemary and olive oil, finished with greens.
20 min
The 5-Day Fresh Start — free
Five dinners, one grocery list, one prep hour — free. A real, complete mini-plan — no email required.
Educational information, not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before changing your diet, especially with a medical condition, pregnancy, or medication. Full disclaimer.
