![Slow Cooker Tempeh Braised with Figs and Port Wine [VEGAN]](https://149366112.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/braised-tempeh-figs-the-vegan-slowcooker-header.jpg)
Slow Cooker Tempeh Braised with Figs and Port Wine is from my first cookbook, The Vegan Slow Cooker, and cooks up perfect in your crockpot. This recipe embodies what I love about slow cookers – very little hands on time and it cooks without supervision. If you’re new to tempeh, it's an Indonesian soy food. It has halved soybeans in it and is cultured. It’s a great substitution for any of your old, non-vegan recipes and holds together great in the slow cooker. You can make this with balsamic vinegar in place of the port wine – but only use 2 tablespoons vinegar and add extra water to make up a whole cup of liquid.
Slow Cooker Tempeh Braised With Figs and Port Wine [Vegan, Gluten-Free]
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 8-ounce package tempeh (use plain soy tempeh to make this dish gluten-free), cubed
- 8 fresh figs, each cut into 6 wedges
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup port wine
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegan chicken-flavored bouillon
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
- The night before, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Combine in an airtight container with the cut-up tempeh and figs and store in the refrigerator.
- The next day, combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Andrea Massaro okkkk
i’m in
ya, figs aint vegan
Many people consider figs not to be vegan. I’m surprised at this dish.
Apparently most commercial figs in the US are self-pollinating…no fig wasps involved….though I guess there’s no guarantee no fig wasps entered and died in there.
Good to know, thanks!
Lex Thrush I got curious and looked a little more into it. If it’s important to you (I am not vegan, so a lil wasp risk is ok) then it’s probably safest to inquire about the specific variety when you buy figs. This source seemed to indicate both types are available, though it also sounds like growers have to go to some lengths to make sure pollination-needing varieties actually get pollinated (there’s apparently a male fig variety you have to make available, for the pollen…the figs we eat are the female flowers.) Biology is weird! https://www.californiafigs.com/index.php?pageid=8
