Maple-Soy Tempeh Grain Bowl
Pan-glazed tempeh over brown rice with edamame and quick-pickled carrot — a plant-based bowl with thirty grams of protein and plenty of fiber.
Ingredients
- 250 g Tempeh
- 150 g Brown rice
- 150 g Edamame
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tbsp Maple syrup (optional)
- 1 Carrot (optional)
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar (optional)
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)
Method
- Rinse the brown rice, then simmer it covered in water until tender, about 40 minutes, and rest it off the heat for 5 minutes.
- Cut the tempeh into slabs and the carrot into thin ribbons.
- Toss the carrot ribbons with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt to quick-pickle while you cook.
- Fry the tempeh in the oil over medium-high until golden on both sides, then add the soy and maple and let it glaze and stick, about 2 minutes.
- Boil the edamame in the rice pot for the last 3 minutes, or steam separately, until hot.
- Pile the rice, glazed tempeh, edamame, and pickled carrot into bowls and scatter the sesame seeds over.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Maple-Soy Tempeh Grain Bowl
This maple-soy tempeh grain bowl is a modern plant-based composed bowl, drawing on Japanese-leaning flavors to build a balanced, protein-dense meal without meat. Tempeh, the firm fermented soybean cake, is the anchor: cut into slabs and pan-fried, then glazed with soy sauce and maple until the surface caramelizes and sticks. Around it sit nutty brown rice, boiled edamame, and quick-pickled carrot ribbons, giving the bowl a full range of textures and a built-in acidic counterpoint. Together the tempeh and edamame push it past thirty grams of protein while keeping it fully vegan and high in fiber.
The flavor runs savory-sweet and deeply umami from the soy-maple glaze, offset by the bright, tangy carrot pickled in rice vinegar while the rest cooks. Tempeh's own slightly earthy, mushroomy character gives it more backbone than tofu, and the golden fried crust adds contrast against the tender rice and pop of edamame. It's the kind of make-ahead-friendly bowl suited to weekday lunches or a light dinner, easily scaled or meal-prepped. Quick-pickling the carrot at the very start means it has time to sharpen while the rice finishes, so nothing is wasted waiting.
Maple-Soy Tempeh Grain Bowl: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Maple-Soy Tempeh Grain Bowl?
A serving has about 749 calories — 41.9g protein, 84.2g carbs, 30.3g fat, 7.6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 41.9g of protein, roughly 22% of its calories.
Is Maple-Soy Tempeh Grain Bowl gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Maple-Soy Tempeh Grain Bowl take to make?
About 45 minutes start to finish, but only around 18 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Maple-Soy Tempeh Grain Bowl?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out maple syrup, carrot, rice vinegar — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Maple-Soy Tempeh Grain Bowl make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.