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Salad topped with blackened tempeh, tahini dressing, peppers, onions, avocado and quinoa.
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4.75 from 4 votes

Blackened Tempeh Salad

Plant-powered blackened tempeh salad with fresh romaine, quinoa, red onion, bell pepper, avocado and a creamy orange tahini dressing.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: blackened tempeh
Servings: 3
Author: Brittany Mullins

Ingredients

Blackened Tempeh

  • 1 8 oz package tempeh, cut into thin strips
  • 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • ½ Tablespoon paprika
  • ½ Tablespoon fresh oregano leaves chopped
  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Salad

  • 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • ½ orange bell pepper sliced thin
  • ¼ cup red onion sliced
  • 1 avocado sliced

Citrus Tahini Dressing

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice + ½ teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1-2 Tablespoons water if necessary

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss tempeh with maple syrup, paprika, oregano, oil, cayenne pepper and sea salt. Spread coated tempeh in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet or a baking stone. Add sheet to the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until browned and crunchy. Flip tempeh once around the 8 minute mark. Remove from oven.
  • Meanwhile, prepare your quinoa if you haven't already. ⅓ cup dry quinoa cooked with ⅔ cup water will result in 1 cup of cooked quinoa. Once cooked, set aside and allow quinoa to cool.
  • Prepare dressing by adding all ingredients into a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Add a little water to thin the dressing if needed.
  • Prep salads by layering 1/3 of the romaine, quinoa, bell pepper, onion, avocado and blackened tempeh in three separate bowls. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and serve.

Notes

  • Tempeh: If you don't need this salad to be vegan, blackened chicken would be a delicious protein substitute for the tempeh. Follow the instructions in my blackened chicken salad for how to prep the chicken.
  • Quinoa: You could swap the quinoa with another grain like farro or rice. 
  • Dressing: Craving a different dressing? Here are some of my other faves that would pair well with this salad: turmeric tahini dressing, garlic tahini dressing and lemon vinaigrette dressing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/3 of recipe without dressing | Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 1171mg | Fiber: 24g | Sugar: 12g