Crispy pan fried tempeh with asparagus in a sweet and tangy orange sauce—this easy vegetarian stir-fry is everything you want in a weeknight dinner: quick, flavorful, and full of seasonal spring asparagus. The bold citrusy glaze is made with fresh orange juice and marmalade, giving the dish a bright, sunny flavor that pairs beautifully with the earthiness of tempeh and the tender snap of spring asparagus.
Orange chicken is one of my favorite Chinese take-out dishes. However, let's be honest: it is often too sweet, and the meat tends to be quite fatty, which is probably why it tastes so good. Plus, it usually doesn't come with any vegetables.
Inspired by a take-out dish, this version is vegetarian, featuring tempeh as the protein and plenty of fresh asparagus to balance it out. Serve it over rice or other grain to make it a complete meal.
😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- There's plenty of orange flavor with orange marmalade, juice, and segments. It's much fresher tasting than takeout.
- Tempeh is not only filling but also good for you. As a fermented food, this vegetarian protein offers a ton of nutritional value. The crispy exterior and chewy interior after pan frying is pretty dang tasty, too.
- It's a good choice for a weeknight meal. There's not a ton of prep, and it cooks in under 20 minutes. I cook some rice in the Instant Pot at the same time, and dinner is ready before I know it.
Jump to:
Looking for other orange flavored recipes? Try my Orange Bourbon Grilled Chicken, Blood Orange and Grapefruit Marmalade, or Cranberry Sauce with Mandarin Orange. My Orange Parsnip Cake is another orange recipe that's great for the spring season.
🍊 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this pan fried tempeh recipe.
Key Ingredients
- Tempeh: For this recipe, you'll need one pound of tempeh. If you're unfamiliar with tempeh, it's a firm, dense block of fermented soybeans. It's chewy and tastes a bit nutty and yeasty. It's a good source of protein, while being low in calories and fat. You can find it in the grocery store along with the tofu. There are many brands of tempeh, but I like to buy an organic variety from Rhapsody Natural Foods, located here in Vermont.
- Asparagus: Look for bright green stalks and ones on the thinner side, if possible. Thick asparagus stalks can often be woody and less flavorful.
- Oranges: Basic navel oranges are good for this dish. If using other oranges, you want about 1 cup of pieces and ⅓ - ½ cup of juice.
- Marmalade: This dish gets some extra orange flavor by adding a bit of marmalade, which tends to have an intense citrus flavor.
- Sesame seeds and scallions: For garnishing the dish.
Check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions & Variations
- Lemon: To make lemon tempeh and asparagus, substitute lemons for oranges. Remove all the seeds before chopping and adding the lemon segments. You can also use lemon marmalade in place of the orange.
- Other vegetables: Use snow peas, green beans, or broccoli florets instead of asparagus.
- Tofu: Replace the tempeh with tofu. It may not need as long to brown in the pan as the tempeh.
- Gluten-free: Tempeh is typically gluten-free, but check the label to confirm. Then, use tamari in place of soy sauce.
🔪 Instructions
How to make pan fried orange tempeh and asparagus.
- Step 1: Cut the tempeh into 1-inch cubes. Set aside in a bowl.
- Step 2: Prepare the other ingredients. Juice half of an orange and slice the remaining half. Peel and separate the segments of the other orange, cutting them in half. Cut the asparagus into pieces, chop scallions, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger.
- Step 3: Toss the tempeh cubes with the cornstarch.
- Step 4: In another bowl, whisk together the orange juice, marmalade, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, coriander, ginger, garlic, and ¼ cup of water.
- Step 5: Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add the tempeh and pan fry, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes.
- Step 6: Add the asparagus and toss to combine.
- Step 7: Pour in the sauce. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and asparagus is cooked to your liking.
- Step 8: Stir in the orange segments and cook for another minute.
- Step 9: Taste and adjust any of the seasonings as you like.
- Step 10: Serve over rice topped with sesame seeds, scallion, and orange slices.
✨ Helpful Tips
- The time it takes to cook the asparagus will vary depending on how thick your stalks are and how tender you like them. I like mine with a little crunch.
- If the sauce thickens up too much and almost feels dry while the asparagus is cooking, add a splash or two of water to the pan.
- Want even more orange flavor? Zest one of the oranges and add it to the sauce. Use an additional orange if you want to garnish the dish with fresh orange slices.
🥡 Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water or in the microwave until hot. I don't recommend freezing leftovers, as asparagus tends to get mushy.
🙋🏻♂️ FAQ
Yes, tempeh freezes well for up to a year. You can cut larger blocks of tempeh into smaller sizes, place in an airtight container or freezer bag, and pop int the freezer. Thaw before cooking.
Sealed packs of tempeh will last for several weeks in the fridge or frozen for up to a year. Cooked tempeh will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
While tempeh can be eaten raw if pasteurized, cooking improves the flavor and texture, so I recommend giving it a quick sauté, steam, or bake.
🍹 Pairing
Why not try this pan-fried tempeh with one of these drinks or dessert recipes?
📖 Recipe
Orange Pan Fried Tempeh with Asparagus
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Crispy pan fried tempeh with asparagus in a sweet and tangy orange sauce—this easy vegetarian stir-fry is everything you want in a weeknight dinner: quick, flavorful, and full of seasonal produce.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of tempeh
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 oranges
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger root
- 3-4 scallions
- 1 pound of asparagus
- ½ cup orange marmalade
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup high heat cooking oil, such as sunflower or grapeseed
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the tempeh. Cut the tempeh into 1-inch cubes. Add them to a bowl and toss with the cornstarch to coat evenly.
- Prep the other ingredients. Peel one orange, break it into segments, and cut them in half. Cut the second orange in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Peel and mince the garlic. Grate the ginger. Chop the scallions. Rinse the asparagus, snap off the tough ends, and cut the stalks into 2-inch pieces.
- Make the orange sauce. Whisk together the orange juice, marmalade, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, coriander, water, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Cook the tempeh. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the tempeh and fry in the pan for 8 minutes, or until golden, flipping the pieces around in the oil to brown on all sides.
- Cook asparagus and sauce. Add the asparagus and orange sauce to the pan with the tempeh. Simmer for 7–8 minutes, stirring often, until the asparagus is tender and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce reduces too much, add a splash of water. Stir in the orange segments during the last minute of cooking, then remove from heat.
- Serve. Garnish with sesame seeds, scallions, and orange slices. Serve warm over rice.
Notes
The time it takes to cook the asparagus will vary depending on how thick your stalks are and how tender you like them. I like mine with a little crunch.
If the sauce thickens up too much and almost feels dry while the asparagus is cooking, add a splash or two of water to the pan.
Want even more orange flavor? Zest one of the oranges and add it to the sauce. If you want to garnish the dish with fresh orange slices, use an additional orange.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American
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Les says
Hi Steve, you say to juice 1/2 of an orange, but I don't see where/if to add that back into the recipe? Perhaps I am just missing it, but I ended up going ahead and adding it to my sauce.
Steve says
Hi Les. Sorry about that. Yes, you add the juice to the sauce. I just updated the recipe. Thanks for letting me know.
Steve says
It's fresher, healthier, and tastier than takeout. It's one of my favorite tempeh recipes. I hope you enjoy it!