Serves 2 to 4
Total time: 30 minutes || Active time: 30 minutes
I needed a way to use up my leftover ranch dressing, so why not Buffalo some tempeh? Spicy, tangy, saucy tempeh over a cool ranch salad was just what the summer night ordered. And this recipe is capital E lowercase A lowercase S lowercase Y. (Um, that spells “Easy.”)
Secret: sometimes I google my own recipes. So instead of, you know, opening my copy of Appetite For Reduction, I found the Buffalo Tempeh recipe online. In fact, I came across a blog that mentioned crumbling instead of cutting. “Hmmm, no slicing, that sounds cool.” Thought lazy me. And so I crumbled. And then, once the laziness took hold, I really didn’t feel like steaming or marinating. Instead, I used the method for Tempeh Sausage Crumbles in Vegan With A Vengeance. Essentially, steam that yumminess in the same pan you’re going to saute it in. Pour in the sauce, and boom, a really really really easy summer night topping for your ranch salad!
The ranch will make more than you need, but I’m sure that’s ok, right? I looooove powdered onion and garlic in ranch dressing. I don’t know, I was born in the 70s, that’s what we ate, there were no fresh onions or garlic. But feel free to use fresh as you see fit. In my opinion, fresh chives are a must!
Notes
~This recipe makes the perfect amount if you’re having dinner for two. If you’re serving it with a soup or side, then it will be enough for four. The recipe doubles wonderfully, though, if need be.
~If you’re wondering if you can use another hot sauce besides Frank’s….no! It has to be Frank’s for that Buffalo flavor. I mean, I suppose another “Lousiana style hot sauce” might work, but don’t come crying to me if it’s not awesome.
Ingredients
8 oz tempeh
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot hot sauce
2 teaspoons dried oreganoFor the ranch dressing:
1/4 cup vegan mayo, homemade or storebought
1/4 cup unsweetened unflavored almond or soy milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
For the salad:
2 romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
Extra chives for garnish
Directions
Return to the stove and drizzle in two teaspoons of olive oil. Saute tempeh for 7 minutes or so, until lightly browned. Shove all the tempeh to the side, and saute the garlic in the remaining teaspoon of oil for 15 seconds or so. Then flip it in with the tempeh and cook for a minute or so.
Add the hot sauce, vegetable broth, and oregano and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook for 5 more minutes. The sauce should reduce by half. Taste for salt. It really shouldn’t need any because the hot sauce is pretty spicy.
To make the dressing:
Mix all ingredient together in a mug. Use a fork and just stir until well combined.
To assemble:
Toss the lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers with a 1/2 cup dressing or so. Top with tempeh, spooning extra sauce from the pan over it. Serve with additional ranch and dig in.
Dinner tonight! Looks amazing. I think I might add so grain or maybe roasted potato. Thanks Isa! Delicious…
Assuming the store isn’t sold out of Franks, this is SO going in my mouth tonight!
Ok I’m totally dumb here: what’s described above as “steaming” the tempeh is reading to me like “boiling” or “simmering” it. I’m confused, please help!
These look great I’ll have to an alternative to the garlic and onion powder though, I’ve never used them and can’t bear to buy another ingredient so I’ll have to let go of the full retro authenticity.
What would be a good substitute for Franks hot sauce (it isn’t available anywhere in Australia)? Something thin like Cholula, or is the consistency thicker like sriracha? I’d appreciate your suggestions
Lisa, I’d say Cholula.
Looks great!! I think I will thaw some tempeh out and have for tomorrow night! Hope wife and kids will enjoy
That’s so funny. I only put one recipe online, and that’s the only way I know how to make it. It’s so natural to turn to the internet for a quick answer!
Lisa – cholula is spicier than franks, but ultimately you’ll probably be pleased by using whatever hot sauce’s flavor you already prefer 🙂 (sorry for the buffalo sacrilege)
Yes, ok I’m one of those people that doesn’t read recipe notes until afterwards….
Please ignore my previous question 🙂
Totally digging this! Love the buffalo tempeh!
Lisa, Woolworths have recently started stocking Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (hooray!) and it’s also available from David Jones.
I have plans to make this ASAP but am having the same issue as Maria, in terms of getting mixed up between steaming and boiling in the first bit of the instructions.
Fantastic! This looks totally awesome. 🙂
I’m totes going to make this salad. I’m also totes going to place this salad inside of a huge piece of bread. I have actually never had Frank’s hot sauce before. Is it hotter than cholula?
Isaaa! I’ve looked into Franks hot sauce and to get it here (NZ) is over $30 all up.. It was hard enough to find sriracha and I shop almost only at asian supermarkets. Please help! Can I bastardise some sriracha with margarine or something? anything? We’re pretty backwards here. Vegans may as well introduce themselves with ‘baaa’ and proceed to eat grass.
Charlotte,
Long time lover/reader/eater, first time questioner
I would consult with your fellow countrymen! Sriracha is MUCH spicier and thicker so I wouldn’t suggest it…
I eat this combo way to often. On tempeh. On rice. In wraps. I’m a sucker for veg versions of ranch/buffalo.
I love your summer of salads.
Just don’t make the mistake that I made and buy the Frank’s “buffalo wing” sauce….not vegan.
This looks awesome! The only way I can get my meat-obsessed boyfriend to eat veg-friendly food is when I make things like this 🙂
Charlotte, Countdown appear to stock Cholula; perhaps you could try that. If you can’t find Cholula, I’d use Tabasco rather than Sriracha.
This recipe looks amazing and gives me a great idea of what to do with tempeh. I will definitely be making this but will need to find an alternative sauce, I don’t think we can get Frank’s in England
I definitely saw it at Sainsburys when I was in London, if that helps!
Made this last night for dinner, and a second batch this afternoon for lunch – it’s that good! Only downside is I’ve had Bob Marley going in my head. (Buffalo tempeh, yum yum yum…)
We just made this and it was amazing!!!! It was actually my first time cooking with tempeh and now I’m hooked. Thank you thank you thank you!
I made this from Appetite for Reduction and came here for the ranch dressing but wonder why the cooking instructions are so different?
I just had this for dinner. It was perfect. Perfect. Thank you, Isa! You are the best.
WOW!!!
Jill- She explained the different cooking technique in the paragraph before the recipe notes…this looks incredible. I can’t wait to try it!
Made this last night and it was deelish! And very filling. The only change I would make is to use a high temp oil instead of olive oil, if using a stainless steel pan. It’ll help keep the Tempe from sticking.
This was delicious! I have found my replacement for chicken wings, finally. As well, I have never before enjoyed Ranch dressing because I find commercial preparations too think, gelatinous and overpowering in flavour. I can’t believe I enjoyed this version so much! This dish is definitely going on high rotation for the rest of the summer.
@Lisa – The hot sauce she’s talking about is the thinner kind. Cholula would probably work fine. (Though, now that you mention it, I kind of want to try this with Sriracha!)
Genius! And I adore your photo…I want that napkin (or is it a hankie?)…the yellow, weathered, painted furniture…seriously cute…perfect for summer. Oh, and the salad looks amazing too!
😉
It’s a hankie…but don’t tell anyone.
Made the tempeh last night and it was great. Since going vegan almost 2 years ago, I had missed buffalo wings. Thanks
I make something similar all the time with either tofu or the chickpea chicken cutlets, but since I’m from Pittsburgh, I also top the salad with skin-on oven fries.
I made this for dinner tonight and put it in a pita. Freaking amazing, that’s all I have to say!
Hi. I was just on your facebook page and read an old post that you wanted feedback about comments on your blog. I didn’t know you liked it so much, but now that I know I will do it more often.
I lived in Buffalo for 5 years and had a friend who worked at a wing shop. Buffalo sauce is Franks and butter. The more butter, the milder the suace. For me, straight Franks is a Buffalo medium, a NYC hot. Depends on where you live. If you have to sub, make sure its a cayenne pepper suace, not any other kind of hot pepper.
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It only takes a sec! Thank you! And I love this website!
Well this was beyond fabulous. I actually exclaimed when I took my first bite because it was so freaking good. I used a little extra vegetable stock and let the tempeh steam a bit longer, but it was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Two thumbs up.
Thanks! This was easy to make, but it’s still going to take me an hour to clean up! But that’s just me. Will make again!
THis was SOOOOOO good!!The dressing was amazing!!And super easy!!!
This recipe is amazing, just got done consuming it. Yum!
Thanks Isa, this is the best tempeh recipe I’ve had! I made the dressing too!
Well, that is high praise*, thanks! (unless you’ve only made like one other tempeh recipe)
i just made this…. and licked the plate. thank you.
I just made this with Cholula and it was delicious, although Frank’s reigns supreme, if you have it on hand.
Just made this for my husband tonight. His comment, “I love it. I *!$^%&’n love it.” High praise. 🙂 He also moved it to the top of his ‘must cook’ recipes. Delicious! Two thumbs up!
Best recipe I’ve tried in a while, Thank you!
I used Sriracha because it’s all I had, just halved the amount and cut it with butter.
This sounds great! Another alternative to the tempeh could be cauliflower. A restaurant down the street from me serves a buffalo cauliflower appetizer. I think they steam the cauliflower before buffalo-ing it.
This was amazing.
thank you for a nut-free ranch dressing! i’m totally doing this with soy curls!