059 / 75 · Plant Meals with a Proper Center

Tempeh and Mushroom Paprikash with Whole-Wheat Noodles

2 generous plates, each with half the noodles and all its share of tempeh, mushrooms and sauce · Active 35 min · Cook 35 min · Total 1 hr 5 min

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Sweet paprika colors a creamy mushroom sauce around firm pieces of tempeh. Whole-wheat spaghetti catches the sauce underneath. A little Greek yogurt finishes the pan without a heavy cream base. Steaming the tempeh before browning is included in the timing, and the package still controls any longer cooking requirement for the product you buy.

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Tempeh and mushrooms in a creamy paprika sauce over whole-wheat noodles.

Steam first, then dry the surfaces

Use plain soy tempeh, weighed as purchased before steaming. It is not the same ingredient weight as a cooked or marinated meat substitute. Steaming softens the block and gives the sauce a more even texture later. Follow any longer preparation required on the actual pack, then pat visible surface water away before cubing. Browning wet tempeh in a skillet mostly creates steam. Give it a brief turn in its measured oil and set it on a clean plate while the mushrooms cook.

Paprika needs a short warm-up

Onion and mushrooms need time to lose their loose liquid before paprika enters the pan. If the spice goes in at the start, it can catch on the base during that long vegetable cook. Add garlic, sweet paprika and tomato paste only after the mushrooms have softened, stir briefly and then pour in measured water. This makes a sauce from the browned pan rather than a pot of boiled paprika. Return the tempeh for the gentle simmer so the pieces pick up flavor without being stirred into crumbs.

Temper the yogurt for a smooth finish

Whisk the yogurt with cornstarch in a bowl, then mix in a few spoonfuls of hot sauce. That gradual warming makes it easier to fold the yogurt back into the pan. Keep the heat low afterward, stirring until thoroughly hot without a hard boil. If the sauce sits, it thickens; the measured cooking water and mushroom juices are intended to keep it loose enough to coat the noodles. Divide all the dry-weight noodle batch and all the pan contents between two plates. Any extra water used only to restore texture adds no energy, but more cream or cheese would change the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 8 3/4 oz plain soy tempeh, as purchased (250 g)
  • 4 1/4 oz dry whole-wheat spaghetti (120 g)
  • 10 1/2 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (300 g)
  • 1 small onion, finely sliced (100 g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml/13.5 g), divided
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (6 g)
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika (4 g)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (16 g)
  • About 1 cup water for sauce (250 ml/250 g)
  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (120 g)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch (6 g)
  • About 1/3 teaspoon fine salt (2 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (1 g)
  • A small handful fresh parsley, chopped (8 g)

Set out

Kitchen scale, steamer basket and saucepan with lid, 12 inch/30 cm skillet, tongs and clean holding plate, Separate saucepan and colander for noodles, Small bowl, whisk and food thermometer

Allergens

Soy, Wheat, Milk, Check tempeh packaging for other grains or declared allergens.. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Steam the tempeh over simmering water for 10 minutes, or follow any longer full preparation on its packet. Keep water below the basket and follow the steamer's directions. Pat visible surface water dry, cut into 3/4 inch/2 cm cubes and keep on a clean plate. Plain steamer water is discarded; no seasoned liquid is part of the base.
  2. Heat 1 teaspoon/5 ml oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Brown tempeh for 4–5 minutes, turning gently, and transfer to a clean plate. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons/10 ml oil, onion and mushrooms. Cook for 10–12 minutes until softened and loose liquid has evaporated.
  3. Stir in garlic, paprika and tomato paste for 30 seconds. Add the measured 250 ml sauce water, salt, black pepper and all the tempeh. Scrape up browned bits, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 6–8 minutes. Meanwhile cook spaghetti in a separate pot of plain boiling water according to its packet, then drain.
  4. Whisk yogurt and cornstarch smooth in a bowl. Stir in 3–4 tablespoons of hot pan sauce, then reduce the skillet to low and fold the warmed mixture back into it. Heat gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the entire sauce reaches 165°F/74°C without a vigorous boil. Add a little plain water only if it is too thick to coat the noodles.
  5. Remove from heat and fold in all the parsley. Divide all noodles between two plates and share the complete tempeh-mushroom sauce over them.

Keep a substantial sauce from drying in the box

Store the sauce over the noodles if packing a portion, leaving room to stir during reheating. The measured mushrooms and tempeh belong to each half of the batch; divide them while serving so the next meal is not mostly noodles and leftover liquid.

A useful detail

The tempeh profile is raw/as-purchased plain tempeh, not the USDA cooked-tempeh profile; the entire 250 g block and its cooking juices remain in the meal. No oil is added to noodle water. The final yogurt sauce is warmed gently rather than boiled hard.

Another way

  • Replace 120 g Greek yogurt with 120 g plain dairy sour cream for a richer sauce, tempering in the same way.
  • Use 300 g fresh oyster mushrooms instead of cremini, trimming tough bases before weighing. The base estimate will change.

Keep it well

Refrigerate noodles and sauce in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Keep at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 2 days and follow any shorter tempeh opening instruction. Reheat gently to 165°F/74°C throughout, adding water to loosen the sauce and avoiding a vigorous boil. Cold portions need an insulated bag with two cold sources for transport.