BBQ Tempeh Ribs

Serves 4

These BBQ tempeh ribs are smoky, sticky, finger-licking good — and be sure to lick your own fingers, weirdo. Sliced tempeh seared hot in cast iron, coated in a homemade BBQ sauce that is sweet, tangy, smoky, and genuinely better than anything from a bottle.

Nobody needs to argue about whether this tastes just like ribs because that is not the point. The point is sticky, smoky, messy, eat-with-your-hands energy. Tempeh is perfect for that because it already has a nutty bite and enough structure to hold up to a serious glaze.

Most tempeh recipes tell you to steam it first. We’re skipping that and going straight to a hot cast iron pan. When tempeh hits cast iron on high heat it develops golden edges and a chewy interior that feels genuinely substantial. It’s the difference between something that’s just fine and something you want to keep picking at straight from the skillet. The high heat also takes care of the bitterness, so no steaming step needed.

The sauce does the rest. Ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, tamari, liquid smoke, garlic, onion, a little cayenne. Classic BBQ!  A little sweet, a little tangy, a little smoky, salty enough to keep you going back. It thickens right in the pan and clings to every edge and corner until the whole situation is glossy and caramelized. Once you go homemade you may never go back. Check the comments for proof of that.

To make the tempeh look like one long line of ribs, turn the pieces carefully as you cook them so that they stay pretty much in the same order you cut them in. Does that make sense? OK, look at the pic for reference.

A few ideas for what to serve Tempeh Ribs with below. But also you can pile them into a hoagie roll with extra sauce, some shredded lettuce and tomato. The vegan McRib nobody asked for and everyone needed.

This recipe is from I Can Cook Vegan.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BARBECUE TEMPEH RIBS

Cheater Baked Beans — obviously.

Creamy Vegan Macaroni Salad — the full cookout situation.

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango — fresh and bright and a perfect contrast.

Sautéed Kale with Tahini — if you want something green that can hold its own next to all this sauce.

Gingery Mashed Root Veggies  — from a different BBQ recipe, but same rules apply.

Chipotle Mac & Cheese –– Ugh, I love spicy creamy mac with tangy, sweet BBQ.

TEMPEH BBQ RIB RECIPE FAQ

Do I need to steam the tempeh first? Nope. We skip that step here on purpose. High heat in a cast iron pan takes care of the bitterness and gives you those golden crispy edges you want. Steaming would make it softer and you’d lose the texture that makes these work.

Can I use store bought BBQ sauce? You can, but make the sauce. It takes 10 minutes and it’s genuinely better than anything from a bottle. Check the comments for proof.

Is this gluten free? Yup yup yup — as long as you use tamari instead of soy sauce. Everything else is naturally gluten free.

Can I grill these instead? For sure. Get the grill hot, brush the tempeh with oil, grill a few minutes per side until you have good marks, then brush with sauce and let it caramelize. Same idea, smokier result.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time? Hells yeah. The sauce keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks in a sealed jar. Make a double batch and use it on everything.

What if I don’t have liquid smoke? Smoked paprika is your best substitute. Use about a teaspoon, or probably more to taste. You’ll get a warm smoky flavor rather than that deep campfire thing liquid smoke brings, but it’s still really good. That said, liquid smoke is worth keeping around, a little goes a long way and a bottle lasts forever.

Can I make this into a sandwich? Yes, please do. Pile the ribs into a hoagie roll with extra sauce, shredded lettuce, and tomato. The vegan McRib nobody asked for and everyone needed.

How did I end up here? You were probably searching for “BBQ tempeh ribs,” “vegan ribs,” or “tempeh BBQ recipe.” Maybe “vegan BBQ recipe” or “gluten free vegan BBQ.” And you landed on the best possible recipe!

BBQ Tempeh Ribs

Isa Chandra

Tempeh sliced and seared in cast iron until golden and nutty, then coated in a homemade BBQ sauce that is sweet, smoky, tangy, and glossy. Sticky, messy, eat-with-your-hands energy.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the BBQ Sauce

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup vegetable broth cold
• 1 1/4 cups ketchup
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

For the tempeh:

• 2 8 oz packages of tempeh sliced into eighths widthwise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

 

Make the sauce:

• In a small saucepot, use a fork to vigorously whisk the cornstarch into the vegetable broth until it’s mostly dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a low simmer and let the sauce thicken for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Make the ribs:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Fry tempeh on one side till browned, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the remaining oil over the tempeh and sprinkle with salt then flip. Brown that side for about 5 minutes. 
• Pour about 1/2 cup of barbeque sauce into the pan and flip to coat. Let it cook and caramelize for about 3 minutes. 
• Remove from pan and line the ribs up on a plate. Drizzle more warmed barbeque sauce all over them to serve.

Keyword vegan ribs, tempeh BBQ recipe, vegan BBQ recipe, gluten free vegan ribs, tempeh recipes, easy vegan BBQ, vegan cookout recipes

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