Tempeh sauce recipe for easy, high protein delights.
See a pan fried tempeh recipe that’s a great addition to many dishes.
Another of my favourite Indonesian tempeh recipes that I learnt on a Bali retreat.
Check out a Balinese tempeh recipe for a delicious tempeh sauce recipe. It’s pan fried tempeh recipe that’s one of the top Indonesian tempeh recipes.
Each day, I (Christine Lalor), aim to get enough protein to meet the recommended levels of daily protein for my weight.
The number of grams of protein per day should be between one and two grams per kilo of your weight.
Different sources will tell you slightly different recommendations around this average.
Some of the major benefits of enough protein include:
- better energy
- feeling full so you don’t snack
- helps building more muscle, or maintaining it
- has you feel more mentally perky
- tempeh (& tofu) contain isoflavones, which are linked with a potentially reduced risk of certain cancers and improved heart health.
Tempeh is high quality plant based protein that will give you everything you need, without issues around inflammation and some other side effects of non-plant based options.

I learnt this tempeh sauce recipe at this Bali retreat cooking class. (It’s included free).
Tempeh can deliver the protein you need
In fact, tempeh is one of the very highest protein, plant based foods. It has 19 grams of protein in a 100 grams of tempeh.
By way of comparison, beef steak contains about 25-30 grams of protein per 100 grams.
But if you also have quinoa (instead of rice), with your tempeh, then the quinoa also contains an additional 14-18 grams of protein per 100 grams.
So, a meal with tempeh and quinoa will deliver whatever amount of protein you think you need. (See how to cook quinoa).
By the way, add large mushrooms if you want a more chewy sensation, put even more flavour.
In my case, I especially use tempeh, tofu, pulses, and nuts like almonds. But of course, I also use fresh vegetables that are at the higher end of the protein content.
So, I do keep an eye on whether I’ve reached my daily, recommended protein level.
I know that otherwise I’ll be looking in the fridge for snacks that I’d rather not have!
Another of the Balinese tempeh recipe options I use often.
Balinese tempeh recipe variations
As I mentioned at the top of the page, I learnt this particular recipe at the cooking class at the Flametree retreat.
I also enjoyed eating it several times at the retreat, along with the other spreads that are part of the 3 meals a day.
It built on the black rice pudding that I often ate for breakfast at the retreat.
Between the black rice, and the tempeh, I was already well on the way to getting my daily recommended amount of protein.
Maybe even better, it was all done for me!
Anyway, the picture above and below, shows the strips of tempeh that are lightly pan fried, together with a tempeh sauce to combine with it.
Below, I tell you exactly how to do it.
By the way, this recipe comes under various names including a Balinese tempeh recipe option.
Pan fried tempeh recipe combinations
Ingredients for Indonesian tempeh recipes versions
Here are the ingredients, essentially for any mix of this type of tempeh sauce:
- 2 spring onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- chopped red capsicum or red chili (fresh)
- celery leaves (handful)
- uncooked tempeh block, with or without some in-built seasoning. (See picture)
- salt to taste
- half teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- teaspoon of tomato paste
- soy sauce… a teaspoon
- oil for light pan frying.
See below for how to make the sauce.
Indonesian tempeh recipes building “block” of fresh tempeh

The Primasoy brand of tempeh is organic, and is in many health food stores. The Nature’s Kitchen brand is sold in supermarkets like Coles. Plus, Woolworths has Macro brand options (as cheap as $5 a block). The sauce in this recipe gives you delicious, low cost, high protein options. In Darwin, you can also a home made version from a vendor in the hall way at the Rapid Creek markets.
How to do the pan fried tempeh recipe
Here are the very quick steps to do the pan fried tempeh recipe, before you get to the sauce.
- cut tempeh into fine slices
- make the slices no thicker than what you see in the pictures with this post
- pan fry lightly, in olive oil, or coconut oil
- pan fry until you get the light brown shown in the pictures.
Tempeh served at the Flametree Yoga & Meditation Retreat

I, Christine, learnt this recipe in the free cooking class that’s part of the Flametree Bali Yoga Retreat. Here is their version of what I call the “biscuits” of tempeh. So this version is very definitely a Balinese tempeh recipe mix, or a so-called Indonesian tempeh recipes option.
Recipe’s steps
Here are the steps to make the tempeh sauce recipe.
- crush 2 garlic cloves
- finely chop capsicum or chili
- fry in oil
- add a quarter of a of cup of water
- add celery, salt, cayenne pepper, tomato sauce, soy
- stir and cook
- add spring onions
- spoon over the tempeh as pictured.
Pan fried tempeh recipe with sauce, stir fry, & quinoa noodles.

Serve the tempeh sauce recipe with a stir fry, or whatever. These recipes are also an option for burgers and lunches. Here, you can also see quinoa noodles with the stir fry.
Add to other high protein dishes in your daily mix
I stress that the fresh tempeh blocks in the pictures above, help you create delicious and low cost way to get a major part your protein.
If you also use the pulse recipes I’ve been writing recently, you won’t have to spend a lot of money to get the protein that will keep you trim, well, and fit.
In addition, another option for your daily protein mix is the chia breakfast recipe, as well as a tofu stir fry.
So, that’s all why tempeh, in its many forms, is a key part of my wellness focussed eating.
I can’t do good yoga without the right mix of protein.
Plus, I’m fussy. It needs to be tasty too.
Better still, it need to be delicious! This type of tempeh sauce recipe won’t let you down.
Do you have a dish you’d like to share?
So, please let me know if you like this delicious tempeh sauce recipe, Balinese style.
You can also comment below.
Plus, please contact me with any other dishes you’d like to share with me, or with others in our Flametree Yoga Studio community.
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Hi Chris, I made the delicious red lentil soup yesterday on a rainy Saturday afternoon, after the immunity/flow class. Absolutely delicious, I didnt have yoghurt so I put some goats milk Kefir on it. Totally yummy! thank you, I really enjoy your emails and recipes,
Lynne
Thanks. Delighted you enjoyed it. We’ve also now found we like the Nakula coconut yoghurt the best… organic too.