Tagliatempeh
Tagliatempeh is one of those recipes we genuinely get excited to make on a weeknight. It's got all the comfort of a proper Italian ragu but it's completely plant-based, and honestly, once you've tried tempeh cooked this way you won't look back. The steamed tempeh breaks down into this incredible meaty, savoury base that soaks up the sauce and makes every forkful properly satisfying. We've been making versions of this for years and it still hits every single time. If you're looking for something to convert a sceptic or just treat yourself on a Tuesday, this is the one.
Before You Start
- Steamer basket
- Food processor
- Large pan for sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp plant-based Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stick
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 red bell pepper
- 400g tempeh
- 150ml red wine
- 2 x 400g can(s) of chopped tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 400g tagliatelle
- Pinch of salt
- Salt & pepper to taste
- plant-based cheese - grated
- fresh basil
- 10g nutritional yeast
- salad
Method
First, steam the tempeh
- Fill a pan with boiling water from the kettle, put the steamer basket on top of the pan, put the tempeh in the basket and steam for 7-8 minutes
- Take the tempeh out of the basket and set to one side
Now, prepare the vegetables
- Peel and halve the onion
- Trim and roughly chop the celery
- Trim, peel and halve the carrots
- Peel and grate the garlic
- Trim, halve, core and dice the pepper
- Put the onion, celery and carrot in the food processor and pulse until well diced
Now, prepare the sauce
- Warm the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat
- Add the diced vegetables and a pinch of salt to the pan and stir for 5-6 minutes
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the diced red pepper to the pan and stir for 1 minute
- Crumble the tempeh into the pan and stir for 3-4 minutes
- Add the red wine, balsamic vinegar, plant-based Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and oregano, turn up the heat and stir for 3-4 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated
- Add the vegetable stock, chopped tomatoes and bay leaf to the pan, stir to combine, turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't catch
- Taste and season to perfection once the simmer time has finished
As the sauce is simmering, prepare the pasta
- Cook the pasta as directed on the pack (save some of the pasta water)
Almost time to eat!
- Grate the dairy free cheese and pick the basil leaves (if using)
- Drain the pasta and quickly pour it into the sauce pot
- Fold the pasta into the sauce making sure it's well covered
- Split the pasta between four bowls, garnish with basil, nutritional yeast, dairy free cheese and serve immediately with side salad
Tips & Variations
- Steam it first, always: We know it's tempting to skip the steaming step but trust us on this one. It genuinely transforms the tempeh and makes the whole dish way better.
- Crumble it properly: Once the tempeh is steamed, crumble it into small, uneven pieces rather than chopping it. You want those rough edges to catch the sauce.
- Make it gluten-free: Just swap the tagliatelle for your favourite gluten-free pasta. Rice-based tagliatelle works really well here.
Why This Works
The trick here is steaming the tempeh first. It sounds like a faff but it takes less than 10 minutes and it makes a huge difference, softening the tempeh and taking away any bitterness so it absorbs all those lovely Italian flavours. The soffritto base of onion, celery and carrot is the other secret weapon, it builds that deep, slow-cooked flavour even though the whole thing comes together in 30 minutes.