Sriracha Lime Air Fryer Tempeh

A lot of you know I have recently become a cult-follower of the air fryer (I know, I know) and I blame that partially on this air fryer sriracha tempeh. IT IS SO GOOD. And it’s so EASY. This air fried tempeh recipe is spicy, acidic, packed with protein and perfect for meal prepping or planning ahead.

I make a big batch of this crispy air fried tempeh and I store it to use throughout the week. You can toss it in a salad, a grain bowl, or in a sandwich or wrap. It’s easy, versatile, and it *won’t* raise your kitchen’s temperature by 3-4 degrees.

What is tempeh?

Tempeh is traditionally a Javanese food, and it is a popular plant-based protein. It is made from fermented soybeans. The fermentation process is done through natural culturing and it binds the soybeans into a firm, brick-like form.

Tempeh can then be sliced, cubed or cooked in slabs to optimize preparation. It can be prepared in a multitude of ways, and has gained popularity for its versatility.

Why the air fryer?

Ah yes, the air fryer. I feel like I always need to explain myself for this one.

To clarify – an air fryer acts just like a tiny convection oven. It compartmentalizes the heat source to a small surface area, making the pre-heating process and the cooking process faster than a conventional oven. However, if you have a convection oven setting, it will give you the same results that an air fryer will.

I personally love my air fryer because of the ease of use (just set and go!), simple clean up and the fact that it’s perfect for summer use when I don’t want to heat up my kitchen too much.

It’s also a fantastic tool for crisping the tempeh in this recipe. So all in all, if you have an air fryer – pull it out for this baby!

Ingredients for this sriracha lime recipe

You can scale this air fryer tempeh recipe up or down based on your air fryer size and the amount of food you need. Here are the original measurements and you can adjust as you see fit:

• 12 ounces tempeh
• 2 cups frozen edamame, shelled
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• juice from one lime
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

How to make this sriracha lime tempeh air fryer recipe

And since we are utilizing the air fryer, this recipe is just a few basic steps. The gist is below!

1. Set your air fryer to 400F.
2. Crumble the tempeh in a large bowl. Make sure no piece is bigger than a 1’x1′ cube.
3. Add the edamame and corn to the tempeh. Toss to combine.
4. Add in the sriracha, lime juice and salt and toss again until the mixture is well coated.
5. Spread out the tempeh, edamame and corn evenly in an air fryer basket. Make sure not to crowd the basket, cooking in two batches if necessary.
6. Cook for 10-14 minutes at 400F. Take it out when the edamame and tempeh are slightly charred.
7. Let cool and serve!

How to make tempeh in the air fryer

I’ve found tempeh works best in an air fryer as long as two circumstances are met:

1. Do not use oil on the tempeh – although this is counterintuitive, I’ve noticed oil mutes the color in my tempeh and infringes on the crisping process in the air fryer.
2. Set the air fryer to 400F – this is the optimal temperature for tempeh. Tempeh is a dense and moist protein source, so utilize a high temperature to achieve the crunch on the tempeh.

What to make with this sriracha lime tempeh

Looking for ideas on what do use this air fryer tempeh in once it’s made? I gotchu. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use this sriracha tempeh recipe:

• Stuff a roasted sweet potato with the tempeh mixture – Roast a whole sweet potato for 45 minutes at 350F, let it cool then slice it in half. Top it with the air fryer tempeh and you have a whole meal.
• Pita tempeh wraps – shred some carrots and chop up some cilantro. Grab your favorite pita or wraps and make a meal out of it with the sriracha tempeh.
• Avocado sandwich – use the avocado as the glue, and the air fryer tempeh as the protein! Spread some toast liberally with mashed avocado, scoop the tempeh on top, and store for your lunch.

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