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This Vegan Tempeh Curry brings together golden-browned tempeh cubes, a creamy tomato sauce, and a simple blend of aromatic ingredients for a satisfying main course.
The tempeh is cut into bite-sized pieces, then pan-cooked until lightly golden, giving the pieces a pleasant browned exterior before they are folded into the curry.
The sauce gets its rich, smooth texture from roasted unsalted cashews blended with water and a little salt.
Once blended until completely creamy, the cashew mixture is combined with diced yellow onion, minced ginger, and canned diced tomatoes.
The tomatoes provide a savory, lightly tangy base, while the onion and ginger add aromatic depth.
The tempeh is seasoned during cooking with ground cumin, salt, and mustard seeds, allowing those flavors to cling to the browned pieces.
Some of the tempeh is stirred directly into the warm curry so it becomes coated in the creamy tomato sauce, while the remaining pieces are added on top when serving for extra texture.
This curry comes together in about 25 minutes of cooking time, excluding the cashew soaking period, making it a practical option when you want a flavorful vegan main course.
Its creamy consistency pairs naturally with basmati rice and naan, which can be used to scoop up the tomato-cashew sauce.
With its combination of tender tempeh, smooth sauce, and warm savory flavors, this dish offers a comforting way to serve tempeh in a curry-style meal.
Creamy Tomato Tempeh Curry
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Soak the Cashews: Cover the roasted unsalted cashews with water and let them soak for 2–3 hours, or refrigerate them overnight for soaking.
- Drain the Cashews: Rinse the soaked cashews thoroughly, then drain them before blending.
- Season the Tempeh: Cut the tempeh into bite-sized chunks and toss them in a pan with the plant-based oil, ground cumin, salt, and mustard seeds.
- Brown the Tempeh: Cook the seasoned tempeh over medium-high heat until the pieces become golden-brown, turning or stirring as needed so they brown evenly. Transfer the cooked tempeh to the side and set aside.
- Blend the Cashew Sauce: Add the soaked cashews, ½ cup clean water, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Cook the Aromatics: Place the pan over medium-high heat, then add the diced yellow onion and minced ginger. Cook until the onion becomes soft.
- Build the Curry: Reduce the heat, then add the diced canned tomatoes and blended cashew sauce to the softened onion and ginger. Stir everything together thoroughly.
- Adjust the Sauce: Season the curry with additional salt to taste.If the sauce is too thick, add some water to thin it to the desired consistency, then continue cooking until the curry is warm.
- Add the Tempeh: Stir half of the golden tempeh cubes into the warm curry, allowing them to become coated in the creamy tomato-cashew sauce.
- Finish the Dish: Keep the remaining tempeh cubes aside for serving rather than mixing them all into the sauce.
- Serve: Spoon the curry into serving dishes, then arrange the remaining golden tempeh cubes on top. Serve warm alongside basmati rice and naan.
Notes
- Soak the cashews for 2–3 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, before preparing the sauce.
- Rinse and drain the soaked cashews before blending.
- Cook the tempeh over medium-high heat until it develops a golden-brown exterior.
- Keep half of the browned tempeh separate so it can be placed on top when serving.
- Add salt gradually to the tomato-cashew sauce and adjust it to taste.
- If the finished sauce is too thick, thin it with water before warming it through.
Chef’s Secret
The key to a more appealing texture is to divide the browned tempeh before finishing the curry.
Stirring only half of the tempeh into the tomato-cashew sauce allows those pieces to absorb the creamy sauce while retaining a tender, coated texture.
Keeping the other half out of the sauce until serving preserves their golden-brown exterior and creates a noticeable contrast against the smooth curry.
For the cashew sauce, make sure the soaked cashews are thoroughly rinsed and drained before blending them with the measured water and salt.
Blend until completely smooth so the finished curry has the creamy consistency intended by the original recipe.
This simple separation of the tempeh gives the final dish more textural contrast without changing the original cooking method.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the creamy tempeh curry warm over basmati rice so the rice can soak up the tomato-cashew sauce.
Naan is another natural accompaniment and works well for scooping up the curry.
Spoon the reserved golden tempeh pieces over each serving just before eating to keep their browned texture noticeable.
The curry can be served as a complete main course alongside the rice and naan.
Conclusion
This Vegan Tempeh Curry combines golden, seasoned tempeh with a smooth tomato-cashew sauce for a comforting plant-based main course.
The contrast between creamy sauce and browned tempeh makes every serving satisfying, while basmati rice or naan provides an easy way to enjoy the flavorful sauce.
