Kasha, Tempeh, and Squash Bowls
These kasha bowls are one of my most frequently cooked recipes, I fall back on it all the time. I’ve talked a little bit about my love for buckwheat when I shared my buckwheat bread recipe. It’s so uniquely flavored, nourishing, and deeply comforting. I love using kasha (roasted buckwheat) as the grain component in grain bowls, and I think that it goes particularly well with tempeh. My husband loves having this bowl as a deeply satiating, savory breakfast that leaves him comfortably full until lunch time. It would work equally well as a lunch or dinner, too!
Kasha, Tempeh, and Squash Bowls
serves 2
1 small winter squash, like acorn (pictured), delicata, kabocha, kuri, seeded and sliced into wedges
olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup kasha (roasted buckwheat)
1 tablespoon tamari or coconut aminos
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 garlic clove, finely grated
8 oz (225 g) tempeh, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 avocado, sliced
salsa verde or fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, for garnishing
Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C). Put the squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway, or until fully cooked through.
Add 1 1/4 cup water and a generous pinch of salt to a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Add the kasha to the boiling water and cover the pot. Turn the heat down to low and let cook for 15-20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the kasha steam for another 5 or so minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the tempeh, stir to coat it in the oil, then let one side brown, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes. Stir and let the tempeh brown on the other side. Add the tamari mixture to the skillet, stir to coat, and let cook for another 2-4 minutes, until the sauce is mostly absorbed. Add all of the cooked kasha to the skillet with the tempeh, stir to combine, and cook for another few minutes for all the flavors to mingle. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
Serve the kasha and tempeh with the roasted squash, sliced avocado, and salsa verde or a sprinkling of fresh herbs.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
This general concept can be applied to construct many different grain bowls. Kasha can be replaced with other grains, other roasted vegetables can take the place of squash, and the sauce that’s used to flavor the tempeh can be changed up as well.