Grilled Corn & Tempeh Salad with Farro, Basil & Mint

I love very few things the way I love a no-lettuce-salad recipe, and this Grilled Corn & Tempeh Salad with Farro, Basil & Mint is one of the absolute best. It has simple elements to it, but together they make something magical happen to this tempeh. With the contrast of the sweet charred corn, the fresh herbs and the hot chilies, the tempeh almost tastes like sausage. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me, this salad is a vegetarian’s dream.

This is also the perfect kind of meal prep salad. You can enjoy it right away when you make it, but then save all the elements to use for the rest of the week. Together the ingredients are amazing, but they also hold their own separately. This recipe is wholesome, filling and packed with versatile ingredients, making it a lunch and busy dinner staple in my world.

And one more thing about the tempeh – if you don’t think you’re a tempeh person, I promise this salad will change your mind. It’s one of the best tempeh preparations out there. And if you don’t trust me yet, read on to learn more. I’m going to try to convince you.

Ingredients in this vegetarian tempeh salad

This salad has a lot going on, but that’s what makes it so perfect. I have a list of substitutions lower down, but I encourage you to try it as-is if you have everything you need! Here’s what I’ve listed for this recipe:

For the salad:

• 1 1/2 cups farro, uncooked
• 4 ears of corn, shucked
• 7 ounces tempeh, about 1 pack
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon for juice and zest
• 3 small green thai chilies, or jalapeños
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 ounces fresh parmesan

To use as needed:

• Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• Olive oil

Optional toppings:

• 1/3 cup corn nuts crushed

The tools you will need for this grilled corn and tempeh salad

What I love about this recipe is yes, it’s a lot of ingredients, but the process is simple. You just char the corn in a cast iron, then crisp the tempeh in the same pan, cook the farro and everything else is just chopped up from there. Here are the tools I suggest using:

• 1 pot or dutch oven – either works for cooking the farro, you can even do it in a sturdy and high-sided pan if you need to!
• 1 chef’s knife – I have a million chef’s knives I love, and in this recipe it’s crucial to getting the perfect chopped salad.
• 1 cast iron skillet – You technically can get a char on corn with another pan, but I’ve found cast irons are the best. I love my Lodge, so I recommend using their brand if you are looking for an affordable starter cast iron for this grilled corn recipe!

How to prepare the corn for this grilled corn salad recipe

As I said in the tools section, the best way to prepare this corn is on cast iron. You want to get just enough color to give it that classic grilled flavor (even with no grilling). So lightly oil a cast iron skillet and put it on medium-high heat. Grill the corn on all sides until it is charred, about 2-3 minutes per side before rotating.

Tips for preparing this crispy tempeh

As soon as the corn is done, the tempeh can go right into the pan. The cast iron will help crisp it, but there are a few tips to help the process:

• Don’t steam the tempeh before – this is a trick some people use to take out any tough flavor from the tempeh. I personally have never minded the flavor, so I skip the step of steaming. Plus it helps the tempeh crisp up better on the pan, so in this case, it’s a win-win.
• Let the tempeh sit on each side before stirring – You want to toss the tempeh a bit as it cooks, but let it sit for a beat in the pan to help it get some color and crispiness on each side. Once you see a nice gold, it’s time to stir and toss.
• If the cast iron is getting dry, add a drizzle of oil – this will help with the color and the crisping of the tempeh– but don’t go overboard, or else you risk it coming out a bit too greasy.

How to assemble this salad

After those elements are done, it’s just a matter of chop, toss and stir.

So first, Slice the corn kernels off the cob and into a large bowl. In the bowl, grate in 2 cloves of garlic and the zest from 1 lemon. Add salt and a few cracks of black pepper and toss.
Thinly slice the thai green chilies, de-seed and thinly slice the green bell pepper. Chiffonade cut the mint and basil leaves. Roughly chop up the parmesan until each piece is no bigger than a pencil eraser.

In a large bowl, add the farro, tempeh, corn, chilies, pepper, mint, basil and parmesan. Add the juice from the lemon and a healthy drizzle of olive oil. Mix to combine, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Substitutions for this tempeh salad

This recipe has a lot of elements, but they can be tweaked to fit your needs! You can make this vegan easily, get an easier protein or play with the vegetables. It’s totally up to you, but here are the substitutions I suggest:

• Farro – can be substituted for buckwheat, bulgur wheat or even brown rice!
• Tempeh – can be subbed with edamame, tofu, or even chopped walnuts for more of a fat source and less protein.
• Lemon – can be subbed for a good champagne vinegar
• Bell pepper – you can use anything with a grassy, vegetal taste – think poblano peppers or cucumber
• Parmesan – go for a vegan parmesan here, or even a vegan feta will work, but I prefer a hard, rich cheese like pecorino romano as the best sub!

Looking for other wholesome meal prep recipes?

Here are some of my favorites that are perfect for meal prep!

And that’s it for this Grilled Corn & Tempeh Salad with Farro, Basil & Mint!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you.