Tempeh, Kale, and Sweet Potato Skillet

This supremely nourishing trio of ingredients — tempeh, kale, and sweet potatoes — are the basis of a quick, colorful, and comforting meal. It’s an adaptable dish, too—don’t like tempeh? Use tofu, seitan, or a can of chickpeas or white beans instead. It’s great with chard in place of kale, as well. Great served with any of the slaw recipes on this site. Photos by Evan Atlas.  

Serves: 6

• 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 8-ounce package tempeh, cut into 1/4-inch slices crosswise
• 1 good-sized bunch kale (about 8 to 12 ounces)
• 3  to 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 15- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (try fire-roasted)
• 2 teaspoons good-quality curry powder, or to taste
• Sriracha sauce or dried hot red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 thinly sliced scallions and/or 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup cashew pieces for topping

Cook, bake, or microwave the sweet potatoes until done but still nice and firm, allowing 2 to 3 minutes per potato. If you’d like to keep the skins on, scrub them well. Otherwise just rinse. Once cool enough to handle, cut them into large dice, leaving skins on if you had scrubbed them.

Heat half of the oil together with the soy sauce in a stir-fry pan. Add the tempeh and stir quickly to coat. Sauté over medium heat until golden and beginning to turn crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove to a plate then set aside until needed.

Meanwhile, cut the leafy part of the kale away from the stem, then coarsely chop into bite-sized pieces. Rinse well.

Heat the remaining oil in the stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat until golden.

Add the kale along with about 1/2 cup water, the tomatoes, curry powder, and optional curry paste. Cover and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the kale is tender but still bright green.

Stir in the diced sweet potatoes, tempeh, and scallions and/or cilantro and cook, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the cashews, and serve at once.

Nutrition information
Per serving: Calories: 304;  Total fat: 14g;  Protein: 16g;  Cars: 31g;  Fiber: 3.5g;  Sodium: 180mg

• Find lots more recipes on VegKitchen for kale, collards, and other hardy greens.
• Enjoy more of VegKitchen’s sweet potato recipes.
• Find more of VegKitchen’s Vegan Dinner Recipes and more Tofu, Tempeh and Vegan Sausage Main Dishes.
• Here are more tempeh recipes.