Kelp Salad with Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing

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2 min read
Summary

Kelp Salad with Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing is a highly nutritious all-in-one plant-powered salad! This flavorful salad is brimming with probiotic-richness from the kimchi and tempeh, lots of omega-3 fatty acids from the hemp seeds, calcium from the tahini, iodine from the kelp, iron from the beets, and zinc from the pumpkin seeds With some much plant-based goodness in one recipe, what’s not to love?

Yields2 ServingsPrep Time20 minsCook Time25 minsTotal Time45 mins

Ingredients

Tempeh
 8 oz organic tempeh (boiled or steamed, see Chef’s Notes)
 1 batch of Kimchi Miso Dressing (link in Chef’s Notes)
Salad
 12 oz organic kelp (rinsed, see Chef’s Notes)
 1 cup carrot (washed and shredded)
 1 cup beetroot (scrubbed and shredded)
 1 cup organic bell pepper (seeded, thinly sliced)
 1 avocado (seed, removed, and cubed)
 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)
 ½ cup cilantro ((optional) chopped)
 1 green onion (sliced, white and green portion)

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2

Steam or boil the tempeh (see Chef’s Notes). Let cool enough to handle then cut the tempeh into 1” cubes and set aside. Reserve the tempeh water (see Step 6).

3

Make the Kimchi Miso Dressing and set aside.

4

Evenly space the tempeh onto the baking sheet. With a pastry brush, brush each side with the Kimchi Miso Dressing. Set aside the remaining dressing for the salad.

5

Bake the tempeh for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.

6

Prepare your salad: While the tempeh is baking, soak your kelp noodles in hot water for 10 minutes then drain and rinse well. (Efficiency tip: Use the hot water you used to boil or steam the tempeh.)

7

Cut the kelp noodles into smaller strands with kitchen scissors or a fork and knife. (Otherwise the noodles are really long and stringy, and can be a challenge to eat!)

8

Assemble your salad: Divide the kelp, carrots, beets, peppers and tempeh between two bowls.

9

Add ½ cup dressing (or more if you’d like) to each bowl and stir.

10

Top each bowl with cubed avocado, cilantro (if using), green onion, and pumpkin seeds.

Chef's Notes

Substitutions
Substitute baked tofu or frozen and thawed edamame for the tempeh.

Instead of kelp noodles in the salad, try spiralizing carrots or zucchini to make noodles.

For the bell peppers, use red, orange, yellow, or green.

Use sesame seeds or almond slivers in place of pumpkin seeds.

Substitute parsley, basil, or chives in place of cilantro.

What are kelp noodles?
Kelp noodles are clear, thin noodles made from kelp, a brown seaweed that is noted for its high iodine content. The flavor and texture are not necessarily like “noodles” since they’re not starchy like traditional pasta or udon noodles. But they do have a similar look to pasta. They taste great with pesto, peanut sauce, marinara, and other sauces. The ingredient list is simple: kelp, sodium alginate (a form of salt), and water.
Please note that the [iodine content in kelp can vary greatly](https://foodrevolution.org/blog/are-sea-vegetables-good-for-you/), with some varieties far exceeding the Upper Tolerable Limit of 1,100 micrograms of iodine a day (the Recommended Dietary Allowance for iodine is 150 micrograms a day for non-pregnant, non-breastfeeding adults). However, one commercial brand contains 54.8 mcg/serving. We recommend looking at the food label to check the iodine content, if available, and enjoying kelp in moderation.

Prep Ahead
Steam or boil the tempeh and soak the kelp noodles ahead of time. Boil or steam the tempeh in a pot of water for 10–15 minutes to cut the bitterness from the tempeh and open the pores for the marinade to infuse. Meanwhile, add the rinsed kelp noodles to a large bowl. To drain the tempeh, pour the water into the bowl with the kelp noodles. Let soak for 10 minutes then drain. Store the tempeh and kelp noodles in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days before making this recipe.

Make the Kimchi Miso Dressing ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days before making this recipe.

Shred the carrots and beets and cut the peppers ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before making this recipe.

Storage
Store kelp salad leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ingredients

Tempeh
 8 oz organic tempeh (boiled or steamed, see Chef’s Notes)
 1 batch of Kimchi Miso Dressing (link in Chef’s Notes)
Salad
 12 oz organic kelp (rinsed, see Chef’s Notes)
 1 cup carrot (washed and shredded)
 1 cup beetroot (scrubbed and shredded)
 1 cup organic bell pepper (seeded, thinly sliced)
 1 avocado (seed, removed, and cubed)
 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)
 ½ cup cilantro ((optional) chopped)
 1 green onion (sliced, white and green portion)

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2

Steam or boil the tempeh (see Chef’s Notes). Let cool enough to handle then cut the tempeh into 1” cubes and set aside. Reserve the tempeh water (see Step 6).

3

Make the Kimchi Miso Dressing and set aside.

4

Evenly space the tempeh onto the baking sheet. With a pastry brush, brush each side with the Kimchi Miso Dressing. Set aside the remaining dressing for the salad.

5

Bake the tempeh for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.

6

Prepare your salad: While the tempeh is baking, soak your kelp noodles in hot water for 10 minutes then drain and rinse well. (Efficiency tip: Use the hot water you used to boil or steam the tempeh.)

7

Cut the kelp noodles into smaller strands with kitchen scissors or a fork and knife. (Otherwise the noodles are really long and stringy, and can be a challenge to eat!)

8

Assemble your salad: Divide the kelp, carrots, beets, peppers and tempeh between two bowls.

9

Add ½ cup dressing (or more if you’d like) to each bowl and stir.

10

Top each bowl with cubed avocado, cilantro (if using), green onion, and pumpkin seeds.

Kelp Salad with Baked Tempeh and Kimchi Miso Dressing