A honey-butter & asparagus stir-fry starring…

a mushroomy protein Lukas Volger is having so much fun with

Lukas Volger

knows his ingredients so well, if he told me he has conversations with them, I’d believe it. Each of his recipes can be so straightforward — “that’s it?,” I often find myself saying as I read them — because he knows how to utilize the total potential of everything he’s using.

When I read on his Substack

Family Friend by Lukas Volger

that 2024 was his year of tempeh, I was elated to have found another friend of tempeh. I asked Lukas if he’d be keen to develop a recipe using the easy-to-crisp, easy-to-flavor protein and only my 40 forever ingredients. What he dreamt up is below. (Lukas, what do you and tempeh talk about?)

From Lukas:

Making tempeh from scratch entirely recast my perception of the plant-based protein. It illustrated what a straightforward, quick process it is to transform dry soybeans into a tender fermented cake (three days) and how such a food came to be centuries ago, in the hot and humid climate of Java. 

And also: Mycelium, which is the white stuff that envelops the soybeans during the fermentation process, is fungi. When I bit into my homemade tempeh, one of my first thoughts was, “fresh mushrooms?”

I don’t know about you, but recasting tempeh as more like mushrooms and less like tofu has made it quite interesting and exciting to me. You probably already know that tempeh is a perfect vessel for spicy, bold aromatics and rich, sticky sauces and marinades. But inspired by my homemade tempeh, I decided not to mask its delicate traits. Instead, I’ve aimed to highlight its nuttiness and mild bitterness by pairing it with something that’s sweetly and fleetingly delicate: spring asparagus. 

so much texture, you can see it even if the camera’s out of focus

This dish comes together pretty rapidly. Tempeh spears are seared until crispy and golden brown, and then set aside. Asparagus and scallion segments are steamed with butter and salt, after which the tempeh is returned to the pan with a bit of honey. The honey mingles with the butter and vegetable juices over the heat to thicken into a soft, sweet glaze (it’s a technique I learned years ago from Jeanne Lemlin’s book Simply Satisfying). You’ll want to serve it over rice or whatever freshly cooked grain you like best. 

Honey-Butter Tempeh with Asparagus

Recipe by Lukas Volger

Serves 2 (heartily) or 3

• 8-ounce package tempeh

• Olive oil

• Kosher salt

• 8 ounces asparagus (half a bunch)

• 3 thick or 6 thin scallions

• 3 garlic cloves

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons honey

• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Slice 8-ounces tempeh into thin slabs (or cubes, rectangles, crumbles, or any shape you please). 

2. Set a wide skillet over medium-high heat and when hot, swirl in a thin film of olive oil. Add the tempeh and arrange it in a single layer, as best as you can manage. Cook until golden-brown all over, stirring and turning the pieces periodically, 6 to 8 minutes. Move the tempeh onto a plate and sprinkle with salt. 

3. While the tempeh is cooking, trim away the woody ends of 8 ounces asparagus (half of a bunch) and slice them into 1-inch segments on the bias. Trim off the ends of 3 thick or 6 thin scallions and cut them in half where the white part turns to green, then slice the thicker white parts in half lengthwise. Trim both white and green parts into 1-inch segments, but keep them separate. Slice 3 garlic cloves into thin slabs. 

4. Return the skillet to the stove and lower the heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and once it melts, the asparagus, white parts of the scallions, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Cover the skillet (if it doesn’t have a lid, use a sheet pan) and allow the vegetables to briefly steam until the asparagus is mostly tender when you pierce it with a paring knife, 1 to 3 minutes depending on its thickness. Uncover, drizzle 2 tablespoons honey over the vegetables and add the green parts of the scallions and tempeh to the pan. Stir gently for about 2 minutes so that everything is well coated and the liquids thicken slightly. Season with a few grinds of black pepper and additional pinches of salt to taste. Serve alongside your favorite freshly cooked rice or grain. 

---

PRINT THIS RECIPE

Honey Butter Tempeh With Asparagus 40 Ingredients Forever

115KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

SWAPS

Asparagus: Any tender spring vegetable, like snap peas, halved baby turnips, carrots cut into coins, or quartered baby bok choy works well with this treatment, but the steaming time will vary.

To veganize: Swap vegan butter or olive oil for the butter, and use maple syrup instead of honey. The glaze will be a bit more watery, but no less delicious.