Does comfort food come in salad form? OH YES. This barbecue tempeh salad is incredibly satisfying, packed with protein, and totally scrumptious. Best of all, it comes together in just 15 minutes — perfect for busy weeknights.

Salads can be a great dinner choice when you’re looking for something light. But not this salad. Oh no, my friends. If you’ve been following, you know that I love big, hearty, protein-packed stick-to-your-ribs vegan salads. I’m talking about salads like my Buffalo tofu salad, vegan Cobb salad, and marinated tofu salad. This barbecue tempeh salad though, it might just be my most hearty, satisfying, and yes, comforting salad recipe ever.

<![CDATA[]]>

Jump to:

Tempeh makes an excellent star ingredient for a salad like this, because it’s loaded with protein and it’s super hearty. And barbecue sauce makes a great seasoning because it’s smoky, saucy, and loaded with flavor. Together, they’re a winning combination. Not only is barbecue tempeh DELICIOUS, but it takes only minutes to make. From there, all you need to do is pile it on top of greens, add veggies, drizzle with dressing, and dig on in!

Table of Contents

Ingredients You’ll Need

Vegetable oil. Any neutral high-heat oil will work. Corn, canola, coconut, and olive oil are all fine!
Tempeh. Is tempeh a new ingredient for you? Learn about it in my guide to tempeh. You can find it in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores, usually near the tofu.
Barbecue sauce. Make sure it’s vegan! Lots of store-bought barbecue sauces contain ingredients like honey and Worcestershire sauce. Check the ingredients, or try my homemade vegan barbecue sauce.
Greens. I like a mix of romaine lettuce and spring mix, but feel free to swap these out with your favorites.
Cherry tomatoes. You could also dice up a regular tomato.
Black beans. Feel free to swap these out with whatever type of canned beans you have on hand, like chickpeas, lentils, or kidney beans.
Frozen corn. Fresh corn can also work, but you’ll want to cook it before adding it to your salad.
Avocado.
Chives.
Salt and pepper.
Ranch dressing. I like to use my homemade vegan ranch, but store-bought is also fine. If ranch isn’t your thing, try one of my other vegan salad dressing recipes. Vegan blue cheese or vegan green goddess dressing would work particularly well!

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Step 1: Brown the tempeh. Heat your oil in a skillet, then add diced tempeh cubes. Cook them for a few minutes, giving them a flip every so often, until they’re golden brown all over.

Step 2: Add the sauce. Toss everything so the sauce coats your tempeh, then let it cook for a minute or two longer, until it thickens up a bit.

Step 3: Assemble the salads. Divide your greens, beans, and veggies among a couple of bowls, top it all with the barbecue tempeh, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chives, and drizzle it all with dressing.

Variations

Switch up the protein. Not into tempeh? Make this salad with barbecue tofu, chickpeas, or seitan.
Make it a grain salad. Instead of lettuce, serve everything over a bed of grains, like quinoa, farro, or millet.
Add fresh fruit. Go for flavorful, juicy, summery fruits. Pineapple, mango, peaches, and nectarines all go great with barbecue!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this salad gluten-free?

It can be! Barbecue sauce and vegan ranch are the only potentially gluten-containing ingredients in this recipe, so make sure they’re certified gluten-free, and you’ll be set.

How should I store leftovers?

Leftover tempeh salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days. The avocado may turn brown. It’ll still be edible, but you can replace it with fresh avocado if you prefer.

Can I make this salad in advance?

If you’d like to prepare the components ahead of time, I would recommend storing them separately, in airtight containers in the fridge, then assembling the salads just before serving them. The only part I don’t recommend prepping in advance is the avocado. Cut and add that just before serving.

Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!

Print
Pin
<![CDATA[]]>