One Pan Tempeh Butternut Squash Bake
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Published Sep 30, 2021, Updated Jan 21, 2024
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This tempeh butternut squash bake is a breeze to whip up. Just throw everything in one pan and bake! It’s absolutely delicious, vegan, gluten-free and loaded with 24 grams of plant-based protein per serving!
This recipe is for those busy weeknights when you don’t have a ton of time to prep, but still want a delicious, nutritious meal. One bowl + one pan and you’re done!
This meal is vegan, but honestly you can serve this to meat-eaters and no one will miss the meat! The combination of oven-roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, tempeh and the delicious tamari marinade is just so dang delicious! This is a great recipe if you’ve been wanting to try tempeh or just want to add a plant-based meal to your week.
Why I Know You’ll Love This Recipe
I’m pretty excited about this recipe for a variety of reasons.
- It utilizes one of my favorite fall veggies: butternut squash!
- It doesn’t take long to prep. Just chop your veggies, whisk together your marinade, combine and bake!
- It’s packed with almost 30 grams of plant-based protein per serving.
- It only requires one pan and one bowl! Less dishes to wash is always a plus in my book.
What is Tempeh?
It’s a plant-based protein made of cooked soybeans (think edamame) that have been fermented. The fermentation process binds the soybeans into a cake/patty, which is what you’ll find at your local grocery store.
Tempeh vs Tofu
It’s similar to tofu, however there are some differences – tempeh is less processed, fermented, has a stronger flavor and a bit more texture. The flavor is usually described as nutty or earthy, but there are different varieties with subtle taste differences.
Here’s What You Need
- tamari – I recommend using low sodium tamari so you can control the amount of salt in the recipe! Tamari is gluten-free soy sauce but traditional soy sauce or soy-free coconut aminos also works.
- coconut oil – make sure your coconut oil is in a liquid state as this is part of the marinade. If your coconut oil is solid, you can heat it for a few seconds in the microwave or on the stovetop to melt.
- apple cider vinegar – a key part of the marinade! Apple cider vinegar is one of my favorite vinegars to use in recipes (check out all of the amazing health benefits of apple cider vinegar). Fun fact: vinegar helps weaken the food surface which helps it absorb the flavors in the marinade!
- fresh ginger and garlic – two key flavors of the marinade. I recommend using fresh ginger and garlic but you can also use pre-prepped ginger and garlic for a shortcut.
- tempeh – the plant-based protein source of this recipe! I love Lightlife tempeh. It’s organic, GMO-free and easy to find at mainstream stores. I gravitate towards the Three Grain variety because it is the mildest in terms of taste, but I like the Original, Garden Veggie, Wild Rice and Flax too!
- butternut squash – you can use pre-prepped butternut squash from the grocery store or buy a full squash and peel, deseed and cut into bite-sized pieces. Here’s a tutorial on how to prep butternut squash! If you can’t find butternut squash, sweet potatoes or really any squash would work in its place.
- onion – adds delicious savory flavor to this recipe!
- fresh mushrooms – cremini, portobello or white mushrooms all work in this recipe.
- sea salt and pepper – to taste. These key seasonings help bring all of the flavors together.
- crushed red pepper flakes – add a little extra spice, to taste! Feel free to skip this if you’re not a fan of heat.
- sriracha or chili sauce – optional for serving if you love spice and want more flavor.
How to Make Tempeh Butternut Squash Bake
Prep veggies and tempeh: Chop your butternut squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic and tempeh if you haven’t done so already.
Make marinade: Whisk tamari, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, ginger and garlic in a small bowl.
Combine: Gently toss tempeh, butternut squash, onion and mushrooms in a square baking dish or a baking sheet. Pour marinade over the tempeh, squash, onion and mushrooms and toss to coat. Sprinkle on sea salt, ground pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
Bake: Cover the baking dish/sheet with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes at 400ºF. Pull the baking dish out, remove and discard the aluminum foil, stir and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until butternut squash is cooked to your liking.
Serve: Remove from baking dish and serve over quinoa, brown rice or greens.
tip! If you're like me and enjoy your tempeh a little crispy, you can turn your oven on broil for the last 5 minutes.
How to Prep in Advance
Even though this recipe requires minimal prep time, there are still some shortcuts you can take for even faster assembly on the day you want to have this for dinner. Here’s what I would prep in advance:
- Veggies and tempeh – cut all your veggies and tempeh the night before and store them in the fridge in your baking dish.
- Marinade – prep your marinade the night before and store in an airtight container like a mason jar overnight.
- Quinoa or rice – if you want to serve this dish over quinoa or rice you can prep it the night before serving. Just warm it up in the microwave or over the stovetop before serving.
tip! To save even more time use pre-prepped butternut squash and pre-sliced mushrooms!
How to Serve Tempeh Butternut Squash Bake
This dish is great on its own! If you want to add more substance, I recommend serving it over brown rice, quinoa or greens. As a volume eater, I typically serve this with the extra base just so I leave the meal feeling really satisfied!
How to Store Leftovers
This recipe stores really well. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. To reheat, I like to pop it back in the oven for a few minutes, but the microwave will work if you’re in a rush as well.
More Tempeh Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Slow Cooker Vegan Sweet and Sour Tempeh
- Maple Mustard Tempeh Bowls
- Tempeh Veggie Burger
- Tempeh Tikka Masala
- Breakfast Sandwich with Tempeh Bacon
- Grilled BBQ Tempeh Skewers
- Tempeh Bacon
- Blackened Tempeh Salad
- Maple Balsamic Tempeh Bowls
Popular One Pan Recipes
- One Pan Roasted Chicken
- Sriracha Cauliflower and Chickpea Sheet Pan Meal
- Asian Chicken Sheet Pan Meal
- Ground Beef and Squash Skillet
- One Pot Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Honey Mustard Chicken Sheet Pan Meal
Tempeh Butternut Squash Bake
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, in a liquid state
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 8oz package tempeh, cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 medium butternut squash, about 4 cups, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- ¾ cup chopped fresh cremini, portobello or white mushrooms
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- chili sauce or Sriracha, for serving (optional)
- rice, quinoa or greens, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Whisk tamari, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, ginger and garlic in a small bowl.
- Use hands to gently toss tempeh, butternut squash, onion, and mushrooms in a square baking dish or a baking sheet.
- Pour tamari mixture over the tempeh, squash, onion and mushrooms and toss to coat. Sprinkle on sea salt, ground pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
- Cover baking dish/sheet with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Pull baking dish out, remove and discard the aluminum foil, stir and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until butternut squash is cooked to your liking. If you’re like me and enjoy your tempeh a little crispy, you can turn your oven on the broil for the last 5 minutes.
- Remove from baking dish and serve over quinoa, brown rice or greens.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. To reheat, pop it back in the oven or microwave for a few minutes.
Notes
- Butternut squash: If you can’t find butternut squash, sweet potatoes or another winter squash would work as a substitute.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Glad you are okay! We didn’t get hit as hard as expected either thank goodness! 🙂
I made my first squash of the season last weekend and am addicted! I have never cooked with butternut squash or tempeh so this will be fun for me to try out.
You really know how to use your squash, girl! Glad the storm didn’t hit you too hard! Try to stay dry! 🙂
This looks amazing! Glad to hear you are safe. I had to drive 2 hours home last night in Ontario, pretty windy and rainy but I got home safe and sound! This storm is unreal.
this looks fab!
I also love bnut squash, and what I love more is calling it bnut! haha
Can’t wait to hear who the winner is AND how your P90X challenge is going. I heard it was intense. I did my first workout DVD in a while this morning bc the gym was closed, and I don’t know how one would find the motivation with P90X but maybe it’s all it’s cracked up to be!
Holy Yum! I made this tonight because I’ve been wanting to try tempeh for awhile and never made the leap. Delicious! I really enjoyed this over salad spring mix as well with sriracha on top. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yay!!! I’m so glad you liked this recipe Melissa. Thanks for coming back to let me know! 🙂
I recently bought a bunch of tempeh and have been looking for a good recipe. PS your email=SUPER helpful!!!!
This looks awesome; saw it on Twitter and HAD to come see the recipe. Love it, Britt! Thank you for all of your notes this week about the hurricane. Love you!
xo
Looks yummy! I’m curious as to where you got the format for your recipes. I have a blog of my own, and would like to use something similar for my posts. Please share!
Thanks!
Emily
I use a plugin offered in wordpress called EasyRecipe.
I made this tonight and it was fabulous. definitely going to be re-making this throughout the winter:)
Yay!! I’m so glad you made and liked the Tempeh Butternut Squash Bake Mallory. Thanks for coming back and commenting to let me know. I really appreciate it. 🙂
I made this and it was great!! My squash was on the large side, so I just used a whole package of baby bellas and doubled the dressing to make a BIG, veggie-heavy batch. Plenty for dinner + two days of lunches for two people. It is great left over too! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Butternut squash is one of my favorites, too! This sounds so good =)
This looks so good! I try to incorporate a few vegetarian meals into my week, so I’ll have to give this one a try.
I seriously might make this every week 🙂 Thank you for posting!
Please do!! 🙂 🙂
we love a great meatless monday option, and I LOVE how easy this is to prepare
I’m so glad you posted this recipe – this sounds as good as it looks!
I can almost taste this now! The flavors sound amazing.
Thank you, Ashley. I hope you get a chance to try it.
The flavours in this sound awesome! I can’t believe it’s September and I haven’t bought my first butternut squash of the season yet – I need to get on that.
Yup! It’s time. 😉 I’m headed to the farmers market this weekend so I can buy more.
I made this last night and it was FAB-U-LOUS!! I’m really looking forward to leftovers for lunch today!
Hooray!! So glad that it turned out well, Kristen. And thanks for coming back to let me know. 🙂
This sounds great! I wish there were was Gluten Free tempeh sold near me or I would definitely try this!
Do you have have a Whole Foods nearby? They sell LightLife tempeh and there are a few gluten-free options — Organic Soy Tempeh, Organic Flax Tempeh, Organic Wild Rice Tempeh and Garden Veggie Tempeh. Maybe you can find one of these? 🙂
ahh this looks incredible!! im a sucker for tempeh and an even BIGGER one for squash. definitely going to give this a try next week for dinner
This looks so good! What are your thoughts on reheating this? I want to make it for a quick workweek dinner, so I’d already have it made up. Thanks!!
It will still be good reheated. I actually like it cold straight from fridge but you can easily toss it in a pan to warm it up!
I made this a few months ago and LOVED IT. Going to make it again tonight! I feel like I may have steamed the tempeh first but can’t remember. Is that what you normally do?
Ahh! This makes me so happy, Tiffany. So glad you enjoyed the recipe. I never usually steam my tempeh beforehand, but I know some recipes recommend it. I don’t think it’s necessary though.
Perfect thank you!
We just made this for supper tonight, using our last butternut squash from last summer’s garden haul.
We served on a plate of baby greens. Very nice flavor of the sauce blending nicely with the sweetness of the squash set against the toastiness of the tempeh. Next time we plan to serve over brown rice.
So glad you liked it, Cindy! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and rating the recipe as well. It’s super helpful for me and other readers.
I am obviously very late to this recipe but I just made it for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS! The marinade is to die for. As it was cooking the smell of coconut oil was very strong (I usually use olive) and I was worried the taste would overpower the dish but it made it subtly sweet without having to add sugar. Will definitely be putting this is my rotation! Thanks!
No joke, I make this at least once a month, if not more often. I don’t have coconut oil so I just use olive oil, and I can only say it’s absolutely delicious with olive oil. Thank you so much!
YUM! squash AND tempeh?! I actually came across this recipe when looking for an acorn squash recipe. Don’t get me wrong – i LOVE butternut squash but it seems to be the overall favored one – and we have so many go-to butternut squash recipes. Think acorn squash would be just as delicious?
Hey Courtney! Yes, I totally think acorn squash will work for this recipe too! I like acorn squash, but find that it’s often harder to peel, just because of the curvy edges, which is why I often just cut it in half and roast it up rather than peeling it and using it in a recipe like this. That said, if you haven’t tried my acorn squash yogurt bowls, those are a great way to use acorn squash too!
I added some teriyaki sauce when serving…delicious!! The veggies and tempeh are perfectly tender!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Erin!! Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, I so appreciate it. <3
Made this tonight. Simple And delicious!!!! Will definitely make again
Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this sheet pan, Christina. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. It means the world to me. 🙂
Really looking forward to making this. I try to use up ingredients I have in the house already to minimise food waste – is there anything that would be a good substitute for mushrooms? Thanks!
Hey Tom! You can really sub in any veggies you have on hand instead of the mushrooms. 🙂
Do you think this recipe will freeze well?
Hey Erica – I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but I would imagine it would free just fine!
It was just amazing vegetarian dish for the whole family. Thanks
So glad you loved this recipe, Mayha! Thanks for the review!
Delicious flavor! We didn’t have tempeh so we just made it with the veggies and added some pre-grilled chicken at the end. Turned out great!
Happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Donielle! Thanks for the review :).
First time using tempeh in anything and was surprised at how good it was! This was a delicious experiment and one that I will repeat!
Ah yay! I’m so pumped to hear this recipe was a hit, Cindy! Thanks so much for trying it out and I really appreciate you coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me!
have you tried freezing this? I am a big fan of doing several hours of meal prep in a day then freezing.
thank you…can’t wait to try it!
Hey Karin, I haven’t tried freezing this dish, but I bet it would freeze just fine if stored in an airtight container. Just let it cool completely before freezing!
Okay, I tried this recipe originally with tofu because I’m unfamiliar with tempeh. It was okay with tofu but seemed to be missing something. I tried it tonight with tempeh as instructed. Now I find that it still seems to be missing something and the tempeh has a bitter aftertaste. Any tips on how to make this without it tasting bitter. And any ideas of something I i can add to this?
Hey Adrienne – What kind of tempeh are you using? Typically tempeh shouldn’t have a bitter taste. Did you change anything about the way you cooked it?
Delicious! Very tasty and easy. Always looking for ways to include tempeh in our meals.
I am excited to hear that you are enjoying this recipe, Sue. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
Hello! I’ve made this for my work lunches this week, and after inputting the recipe into my fitness app this morning, it told me that it’s very high in saturated fat. I’m assuming this is from the coconut – do you have a work around?
Hi! You can definitely swap the coconut oil with another oil of choice like avocado oil, olive oil or sesame oil!