Smoky Tempeh & Butter Beans
Smoky, chorizo-style tempeh and butter bean stew with spinach and olives.
makes 16 blocks, about 25p each
- Time
- 45 min10 min prep · 35 min cook
- Makes
- 16 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 25p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 52 kcal
- Spice
- 2 of 5
You’ll need
- 600g (1½ tins)chopped tomatoes
- 165g (¾ pack)smoky tempeh, crumbled
- 160gonion, diced
- 150g (⅔ tin)butter beans, drained
- 115gfrozen leaf spinach
- 40gKalamata olives, chopped
- 15g (4 cloves)garlic
- 15mlred wine vinegar
- 10mlsoy sauce
- 15mllemon juice
- 8g (1 tbsp)smoked paprika
- 2gchilli flakes + dried oregano
- 1 tspsugar
- 5mlrapeseed oil
Allergens: Soya, Sulphites. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Serve it
Crusty bread and a fried egg · Stirred through orzo or rice · Tacos with avocado
Method
- Step 1: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the crumbled tempeh for 6 minutes until crisp at the edges. Add the smoked paprika and chilli for 30 seconds, then tip it out.
- Step 2: Lower the heat to medium and soften the onion in the same pan for 8 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano for 1 minute, then splash in the vinegar.
- Step 3: Add the tomatoes, soy, sugar and butter beans and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Step 4: Return the tempeh and add the spinach and olives; cook for 5 minutes. Finish with the lemon juice, then taste and season.
- Step 5: Cool, portion into 70g blocks and freeze.
Hotter: double the chilli flakes or use hot smoked paprika.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 52 | 3.3g | 4.6g | 2g | 1.9g | 0.23g |
| Per 3 blocks | 156 | 9.9g | 13.8g | 6g | 5.7g | 0.69g |
Cook’s notes
- The smoked tempeh stands in for liquid smoke; with plain tempeh add ½ tsp extra smoked paprika.
- Freeze leftover tempeh and beans for the next batch.
Serve it
Crusty bread and a fried egg · Stirred through orzo or rice · Tacos with avocado.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 156 kcal and 9.9g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Smoky Tempeh & Butter Beans questions
Can I use tofu instead of tempeh?
Firm tofu, pressed and crumbled, works. Fry it a little longer so it dries out and crisps at the edges before you add the paprika.
Can I use different beans?
Chickpeas or cannellini both work in place of the butter beans. Use the same drained weight.
What if I don't like olives?
Leave them out, or use green olives for a milder taste. A little extra lemon juice and a pinch of salt at the end make up for their saltiness.
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates. Gluten-free assumes tamari in place of soy sauce.