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One-Pot Zesty Lemon Tempeh with Rice and Spinach – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

One-Pot Zesty Lemon Tempeh with Rice and Spinach

An incredibly easy one-pot weeknight dinner featuring crispy tempeh, perfectly cooked rice, and tender spinach, all brought to life with a vibrant punch of fresh lemon. This 'largely unattended' recipe comes together in about 40 minutes and is delicious warm or at room temperatur
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large lemons
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml / 1.5 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 ounces (225 g / 7.9 oz) tempeh, crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) minced garlic, about 4-6 cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml / 0.3 fl oz) hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup (200 g / 7.1 oz) long-grain white rice
  • 1 pound (450 g / 15.9 oz) fresh spinach leaves, washed
  • & Variations
  • For extra crispy tempeh, steam the block for 10 minutes before crumbling. This removes any bitterness and helps it absorb flavors and crisp up beautifully.
  • Swap the Greens: If you're not a fan of spinach, this recipe works wonderfully with chopped kale or Swiss chard. Add them at the same time as the spinach.
  • Make it with Brown Rice: Substitute brown rice for white. After adding the water and bringing it to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook for 35-40 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, before adding the spinach.

Method
 

  1. Prep the Lemons: Finely zest one of the lemons.
  2. Then, squeeze the juice from both lemons into a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Crisp the Tempeh: Heat the olive oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven with a lid over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the crumbled tempeh and cook, stirring frequently, until it's deeply browned and crispy on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Scrape up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  5. Build the Flavor: Stir in the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and the reserved lemon zest.
  6. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  7. Cook the Rice: Add the rice to the pot and stir for a minute to toast it lightly and coat it in the flavorful oil.
  8. Pour in enough water to cover the rice by about 1 inch.
  9. Bring to a boil.
  10. Steam and Wilt: Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
  11. Cook uncovered until small craters appear on the surface of the rice and most of the visible water has been absorbed, about 10-15 minutes.
  12. Place the fresh spinach and the reserved lemon juice on top of the rice.
  13. Do not stir.
  14. Rest and Fluff: Cover the pot tightly, turn off the heat completely, and let it stand undisturbed for at least 10 minutes, and up to 20. This allows the spinach to wilt and the rice to finish steaming. Uncover, fluff everything together with a fork, taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and lots of black pepper if needed.
  15. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  16. Add-in Ideas: For a different twist, stir in 2 cups (480 ml) of frozen peas along with the spinach, or sauté 1 pound (454 g / 16 oz) of sliced mushrooms after the tempeh is crisped.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 20gFat: 18g

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