Blackened Tempeh Chipotle Salad

Finished salad on a white plate with a fork

Blackened Tempeh Chipotle Salad

Enjoy the flavors of summer with this blackened tempeh salad. Tossed with avocado, charred corn, and tomatoes and dressed in cream chipotle ranch, this is a vegan and gluten-free salad that everyone will love.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 30

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 407kcal

Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

Blackened Tempeh

8 oz. tempeh
½ cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp. chipotle adobo sauce
1 tbsp. oil

Charred Corn

1 fresh corn on the cob
1 tsp. olive oil
pinch of salt

Chipotle Ranch Dressing

½ cup vegan ranch dressing
½ - 1 chipotle chili

Everything Else

4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 large avocado diced
2 green onions sliced thin

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the blackened tofu, whisk together the vegetable broth, adobo sauce, and salt and pour it into a shallow dish. Cut the tempeh in half width-wise and then again down the middle so that you have 4 thin squares. Submerge them in the marinade and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Once the tempeh is marinated, cut it into ½" strips. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add tempeh and cook for 5 minutes, or until blackened. Add excess marinade and continue cooking until all the marinade has cooked off. Set aside to cool.
To make the Chipotle Ranch Dressing, transfer the vegan ranch dressing along with the chipotle pepper to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Start with ½ chipotle pepper. If you want a stronger taste, add an additional ½ pepper.
To make the Charred Corn, heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Brush fresh corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place corn on the hot pan and char each side, about two minutes per side. Set aside to let cool. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, cut off the kernels using a sharp knife and set aside.
To assemble the salad, start with a base of Romaine lettuce. Add tomatoes, avocado, green onions, blackened tempeh, and corn. Toss with your chipotle ranch dressing and serve.

Notes

Serving and Storing - Eat this salad within several hours of assembling it. When you are ready to eat, toss it with the dressing and enjoy it immediately. Serve it as a hearty dinner or as part of your backyard BBQs and summer potlucks.

Make in Advance - You can make the salad dressing up to 7 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Grilled corn and blackened tempeh can be made up to 2 days in advance. These should be stored separately in airtight containers at room temperature.

Variations

Don't like tempeh? Try this recipe with soy curls or store bought vegan chicken instead.
If you omit the corn and use keto-friendly vegan ranch, then yes!
Turn it into a Mason Jar Salad for a quick grab & go lunch. Layer the salad in a large mason jar with the greens on the bottom followed by the tomatoes, corn, and avocado. Top it with the grilled tempeh. Store the salad dressing separately and wait to dress your salad when you plan on eating it.

Recipe Tips - Do not skip the marinating step. This allows the flavors to soak into the tempeh while removing some of its natural bitterness. Feel free to marinate the tempeh for up to 24 hours for a bolder flavor.

Nutrition