By Team Dirty
Jan 31, 2015,
Today’s recipe will turn tempeh skeptics into tempeh believers. Trust us, just make this—it’s whole-food plant-based and insanely satisfying. Share a picture with our private Facebook group when you make it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion 120g, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper 85g, diced
- 1 cup celery 120g, chopped
- 1 package tempeh 2 cups / 225g, diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons dried basil 8g
- 4 large dates pit taken out and simmered in water for several minutes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 15 oz . cans of tomato sauce
- ½ cup fresh parsley 12g, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot and sauté the onions for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a splash of water when they start to stick to the pan.
- Add the bell pepper, celery, tempeh, garlic, and dried basil, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring intermittently and adding just a splash of water when the ingredients start to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- While the veggie / tempeh mixture is cooking, drain the dates from the water (be sure the pit is taken out) and place them in the blender along with the soy sauce, water and apple cider vinegar, and blend until totally smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour the date mixture and the the tomato sauce in with the veggie / tempeh mixture and stir.
- Simmer on low, uncovered for 35-40 minutes stirring frequently. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will become. You want the consistency to be nice and thick, not soupy.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- When you turn off the heat, add in the parsley and give it one more stir.
- To serve, spread some lemon tahini dressing on a whole wheat or sprouted bun, add a generous amount of Sloppy Joe mixture and pile high with spinach and onions
Notes
I hope that you have a happy week. May it be filled with easy transitions.
18 Comments
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I’ve been following your blog for a while now, but I believe this is the first recipe that I’ve actually made. Oh my FUCKING god, it was good! When I was cooking it, I thought, “It’s alright” and the lemon tahini dressing was, “OK.” But, something magical happened when I put them together. Even my teen daughter ate and said I could make it again. Now THAT is high praise.
Rina!
THANK YOU for taking the time to tell me this! It made my entire day.
I am so glad you and your kiddo enjoyed them.
Any healthy meal that a teenager says yes to is GOLD.
You should try more of my recipes!
xo
Molly
Could lentils be substituted for the tempeh? My family has an aversion to tempeh.
Absolutely! Lentils would be delish.
xo
Molly
Great! With homemade spelt buns…can’t wait!
That sounds perfect!
Tell me how they turn out.
xo
Molly
Thank you! Great write up and recipe! How many servings would you say the sloppy Joes make? I’m thinking of making this for guests. Thanks!
This would feed a family of 4-6. If you have good eaters I would double it…. it freezes well if you don’t eat it all.
Awesome, thank you!
I made this last night – so yummy. I like spicy so next time i might add some red pepper flakes and the carnivore in the house loved it!!
Tomato sauce = ketchup in New Zealand. Do you mean a tomato pasta sauce of some kind? Would passata work?
Hi Sarah, Indeed, tomato sauce = passata or blended tomatoes. If you ever see tomato paste in our recipes, this refers to concentrated tomatoes (we’re told it’s called tomato puree in NZ / Australia). Thanks for checking out CFDG! ~Karen
Would another type of sauce go well with this? I can never get used to the taste of tahini no matter what brand I get, and, unfortunately, the tahini taste is too strong for me. Thanks for any suggestions! Can’t wait to try this receipe out. First time cooking with tempeh!
Hi Lili, Hmmm, I’m wondering if you meant to post this on a different recipe? I’m not seeing tahini as an ingredient in this one. ~Karen
No, it’s step number 8 in the directions: “To serve, spread some lemon tahini dressing on a whole wheat or sprouted bun, add a generous amount of Sloppy Joe mixture and pile high with spinach and onions.” Sorry for the confusion! I’m wondering if there’s another type of sauce/spread that would go well on the sandwich. Do you have a suggestion? Thanks!
No, it’s step number 8 in the directions: “To serve, spread some lemon tahini dressing on a whole wheat or sprouted bun, add a generous amount of Sloppy Joe mixture and pile high with spinach and onions.” Sorry for the confusion! I’m wondering if there’s another type of sauce/spread that would go well on the sandwich. Do you have a suggestion? Thanks!
Oh, Molly.
Gurl, you put your foot in this one. That means it darned good!
Love it.
Ijust love this receipe! When I was at my favorite store to get tempeh, oh no they were out! Not wanting to try a brand that I didn’t know that was flavored, I decided to wait til another day. BUT what did I spy on sale no less? Eggplant, beautiful purple eggplant! Yes I did! And Yes Yes Yes I’m loving it!
Thank you