The perfect vegan take on the classic dish!
Chicken Cacciatore was a favorite of mine as a kid. I have been talking to my husband about things we love that our parents used to make, and he said the best thing his mom used to make was chicken Cacciatore. So that sealed the deal. Vegan tempeh Cacciatore it had to be! This is a healthy, 30 minute meal that is incredibly easy and incredibly delicious!
There are a lot of different ways to make Cacciatore, but these ingredients are my favorite. Many recipes include bell peppers, but I am not a fan of bell peppers, so I usually don’t go that route. However, feel free to add them if you are a bell pepper enthusiast! I am in love with just mushrooms, carrots, onions and so much garlic! Then a luscious tomato and red wine sauce. Topped off at the end with kalamata olives and capers. Salty, heavenly goodness!
This is a very simple dish! Brown the tempeh in some olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Remove from the pan. Then make your super amazing sauce and add the tempeh back to the pan to soak in all the tomatoey perfection. Serve with pasta or creamy polenta, maybe even just some greens on the side. Ohhhhhhh…maybe broccolini or romanesco?
There are a lot of possibilities with this tempeh Cacciatore! Perfect for date night with some more of that red wine. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, or a slow and easy weekend!
Fall in love with this classic dish turned vegan for those of us who still want to eat all the awesome food without eating all the meat. Whether you are a full time vegan of vegetarian, or just looking for more meatless Monday ideas, this one is a winner! The tempeh browns nicely and stays firm even after all the cooking, making it the perfect replacement for this usually chicken heavy dish!
Vegan Tempeh Cacciatore
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Tempeh, cut into triangles
- 3 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 6 Cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1/2 C. Onion, chopped
- 1 Carrot, chopped
- 10 oz. Mushrooms, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Tomato paste
- 1/3 C. Red wine, vegan
- 28 oz. Can Crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp. Thyme, dried
- 1 tsp. Oregano, dried
- 1 tsp. Basil, dried
- 1/2 tsp. Red pepper flakes
- 1/2 C, Kalamata Olives
- 3 Tbsp. Capers
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet or non stick skillet, heat the olive oil on high. Add the tempeh to the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat as needed. Brown the tempeh on one side for about 1-2 minutes until nice and brown. Flip over each piece, adding a bit more olive oil if needed and brown the other side for 1-2 minutes or until completely brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Now in the skillet, add a bit more olive oil if needed, then the garlic, onion, carrots and mushrooms. Saute on medium high heat for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions start to become translucent and the carrots and mushrooms cook a bit. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Now stir in the tomato paste, then add the red wine and crushed tomatoes. Now add the seasonings. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper if needed. Keep in mind it will become saltier after adding the olives and capers.
- Now add the olives and capers. Stir, then add the tempeh back in. Cover with the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Top with fresh basil and serve with pasta or polenta.
M
Hi, do you tend to use that dry dense sort of tempeah -the kind that is horrid to eat raw and quote unappealing to most or the softer moist more juicy style -albeit non marinated or packed only with a little soy- (nutrisoy brand for example) for your tempeah recipees?
I really don’t want to make the mistake of using a dry as a desert nasty Tempeah but am also concerned that a more soft and juicy style might not absorb flavours as well on this and your BBQ polinesusn ribs. Thanks!
Lauren Hartmann
Yes, I do use the dry dense kind, and you are so right! It is not appealing on its own. I promise it gets tastier though! I’m afraid any tempeh that is already marinated may fall apart!
Auggie. G
This is probably a stupid question but could I use something like broth in place of the wine? This recipe looks amazing but I want to avoid cooking with any alcohol.
Lauren Hartmann
Yes, you can use broth to replace the wine!