Pan-Seared Broccoli with Avocado and Crispy Tempeh
This pan-seared Vegan Broccoli Salad is a hearty, crowd-pleasing dish bursting with smoky and vibrant flavors. Tender-crisp broccoli, creamy avocado, and crunchy tempeh mingle with a tangy tahini sauce for a bold, satisfying bite.
Servings 4
Calories 321kcal
Equipment
- 2 Small Bowls
- 1 Serving Platter
- 1 Paper towel-lined plate
Ingredients
- 1 large head broccoli , cut into small florets
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , divided (sub avocado oil)
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 8-ounce block tempeh
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce (low sodium if preferred)
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 large ripe avocado , thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pickled red onions
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted cashews (or preferred nuts or seeds)
- A handful of microgreens for garnish (sub parsley or chives)
Tahini Sauce
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice , more to taste
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- 1 small garlic clove , finely grated (sub ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
- 2-4 tablespoons cold water to thin
Instructions
- Heat a large heavy skillet (cast iron works well) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then the broccoli, cut side down. Cook without moving for 2–3 minutes, until the undersides are nicely browned. Stir, add ¼ cup water, and cover the pan. Let steam for 3–4 minutes, until tender-crisp. Uncover, season with a pinch of salt, and cook until the water evaporates. Transfer broccoli to a plate and let cool.
- While the broccoli cooks, crumble the tempeh into small, uneven pieces with your hands and place aside in a bowl or plate.
- Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then the tempeh. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking it into smaller bits as it browns. Once it’s halfway to crispy, after about 8-10 minutes, sprinkle in the smoked paprika and pour in the tamari. Stir well, then cook for another 3–4 minutes, until deeply browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- While the tempeh is browning, prepare the tahini sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is smooth and spreadable (it will seize up and look gritty at first—keep whisking in cold water a little at a time—it will turn smooth again).
- To serve, smear the sauce onto a serving platter, then arrange the seared broccoli and avocado slices on top. Scatter the pickled onions, crispy tempeh, and cashews over the dish. Garnish with a few microgreens and serve.
Notes
- Broccoli: For larger pieces, slice partway through the stem with a knife, then pull apart by hand—this creates flat edges that brown more nicely in the pan.
- Tempeh: Use your hands to crumble it before cooking, then mash it further in the pan with a potato masher while it's cooking. Once the tempeh is broken into small pieces, avoid stirring too much. It needs contact with the pan to get crispy. Don’t skimp on oil—if there’s not enough fat in the pan, the tempeh will dry out instead of crisping.
- Tahini Sauce: Leave it thick and smear it on the plate, or thin it out and drizzle it over the finished salad.
Nutrition
Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Sodium: 252mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g
