Vietnamese Vermicelli With Tempeh

Recipe:

Servings: 4

Total time: 30-40 minutes

For the tempeh:

• 2 8 oz packages of tempeh (16 oz)

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 tbs soy sauce

• 2 tbs agave or maple syrup (can sub brown sugar)

• 1 tbs sesame oil (sub any oil)

For the sauce:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 2 tbs rice vinegar (sub acv or white vinegar)

• 2 tbs white sugar (sub sweetener of choice)

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce (or sriracha)

• Juice of two limes

• 1/2 tbs sesame oil (sub any oil)

For the noodles:

• 1 package vermicelli rice noodles (300 g)

• 2-3 cups lettuce salad mix

• Cilantro to garnish

• Chives to garnish

• Chopped peanuts to garnish (sub any nut)

1. Slice the tempeh into 1/2 inch slices. Place in a container or large plastic ziplock with remaining marinade ingredients, secure the lid, and shake container. Set aside to marinate.

2. Cook the noodles according to package and rinse with cold water after draining to prevent sticking.

3. Prepare the sauce by mixing all ingredients together until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

4. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the tempeh along with the marinade and cook a few minutes on each side, until tempeh has browned and absorbed all of the liquid.

5. Assemble the dish by placing a serving of noodles in a bowl, top with the salad mix, cilantro, chives, 1/4 of the tempeh, and chopped nuts. Enjoy!

Every time I go to a Vietnamese restaurant, I always order the tofu vermicelli so today I thought I would try making it myself but with tempeh instead! It's actually a pretty simple dish to make and so satisfying to eat. In my hometown there is a restaurant close to my old house that makes the absolute best vermicelli in my opinion. This recipe isn't quite as good as theirs but it was a close second! Typically this dish is made with a lot of fish sauce but since I try not to consume animal products, I used soy sauce instead. I like to use sesame oil in recipes like these because it adds so much flavor and kind of makes up for the lack of fish sauce. I will definitely be making this recipe again the next time I have a craving for vermicelli because it is so easy and delicious! Comment down below if you try this recipe and what you did or would do differently!