Tempeh has a tendency to turn people off because right out of the package its taste skews bitter. Marinating it mellows that out, but that also takes time (which we don’t have) and foresight (same). This recipe for air-fried tempeh nuggets calls on a quick sweet and spicy basting sauce to brush on the tempeh while it’s cooking; the technique masks the bitterness and helps the nuggets caramelize quickly.
This honey-garlic glaze is a riff on the boneless chicken wings you’d get from a chain pizza joint. To spice it up, we’re adding one of our favorite “hot sauces” that we always keep in the pantry or freezer: the liquid from a can of chipotles in adobo. If you don’t have any on hand, you can sub with Sriracha or whatever hot sauce you like.
These sticky morsels are great over rice, so there’s something to soak up the sweet and spicy sauce. In fact, an air fryer and rice cooker get this meal on the table with ease: By the time my rice cooker switches to warm, the tempeh is ready. (If you don’t have one, you can of course make your rice on the stovetop, and the timing should still line up.) For an added flavor boost, we like to use coconut milk instead of water to cook the rice, as the sweetness pairs well with the garlicky sauce and adds a little extra creaminess.
Air-Fryer Honey-Garlic Tempeh
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons adobo liquid, from one can of chipotles in adobo*
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 large garlic clove, grated
- 1 8-ounce block tempeh, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Rice, for serving*
- Sliced scallions, for garnish
Procedure:
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F.*
- In a small bowl, whisk together the adobo liquid, honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and garlic. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, toss the tempeh with the canola oil, salt, pepper, and onion powder to coat.
- Arrange the tempeh in a single layer on the air-fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes. Brush half of the glaze on the tempeh and shake to distribute. Air-fry for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crispy and caramelized. Remove from the air fryer and toss with the remaining sauce.
- Serve tempeh over rice and garnish with scallions.
Note and Substitutions:
- If your honey is on the thicker side and it’s hard to mix the glaze, you can microwave the mixture for 10 seconds before whisking.
- You can swap the chipotle in adobo sauce for Sriracha or whatever hot sauce you have on hand.
- Cooking rice in coconut milk instead of water adds a nice sweetness.
- To make this in a conventional oven, bake at 400 degrees F in a small baking dish in a single layer for 10 minutes. Brush with half the glaze and continue baking for 8 to 10 more minutes, or until crispy and caramelized. Toss with the remaining sauce until coated.
