Last week I posted a recipe for homemade blackened seasoning, and I promised that I’d provide a recipe giving you something to do with it. Well, here is that recipe.
Blackened Seasoning & Tempeh
Although blackening seasoning was created for meat, it’s great in all kinds of dishes. Tempeh is a particular polarizing ingredient. It’s got a strong flavor that some folks aren’t totally into. So a flavorful seasoning blend like blackened seasoning is great fit for tempeh. Blackening essentially involves pan searing your food and sprinkling it with blackened seasoning, to create a spicy crust. Tempeh comes in study slabs that cook up well in a pan, so it’s easily cooked with this technique!
How to Make Blackened Tempeh Sandwiches
Start by mixing up your vegan Remoulade sauce. You’ll need vegan mayo, horseradish mustard, hot sauce, garlic, and a bit of cayenne pepper (just if you’d like some extra heat). If you generally find the flavor of tempeh to be overly bitter, consider steaming it before getting started. This post includes instruction on how to do that. Once your tempeh is steamed you’ll need to cut it into a few slabs. Start by halving the entire block, then cut each of your halves in half, thickness-wise, so you’ve got 4 thin rectangles. Now heat up some vegan butter in a pan. I prefer a cast-iron skillet for this recipe, but anything nonstick will work fine. Once the butter is good and hot, add your tempeh slabs. Cook as many as you can fit in a single layer (that was three for me), and save the rest for a second batch. Cook your tempeh slabs for a few minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Now drizzle your tempeh slabs with some balsamic vinegar. Balsamic isn’t exactly a traditional ingredient in blackened dishes, but I love how the tartness and subtle sweetness compliments the salty and spicy flavors of the blackened seasoning! Sprinkle the tops of your tempeh slabs liberally with blackened seasoning, flip them and let them cook for a few minutes to toast the spices. Now sprinkle the other side with more seasoning, flip again, and repeat. Slather some bread with vegan Remoulade sauce and sandwich it together with your blackened tempeh, roasted red pepper slices, and greens. Enjoy!
Can these sandwiches be made gluten-free? Yup! Just use your favorite gluten-free sandwich bread. Blackened tempeh works great on salads too! Instead of cutting it into slabs, dice it up before cooking. Turn on your exhaust fan before you start cooking, and be careful not to overcook the tempeh. The process of blackening involves burning spices, including cayenne pepper. The fumes can be intense! Are these sandwiches spicy? They are! Blackened seasoning is spicy by nature, and Remoulade sauce has a slight kick. If you’re looking for a milder tempeh sandwich, try my crispy maple Dijon tempeh sandwiches or mango barbecue tempeh sandwiches.
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