Curry Tempeh Salad Wrap

Name: Curry Tempeh Salad Wrap
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: vegan
Ingredients: 8 ounces plain tempeh, sliced into strips; 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon curry powder, divided; 1 cup vegetable broth; ⅓ cup vegan mayo; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon maple syrup; ¼ teaspoon turmeric; Pinch salt/pepper; ⅓ cup finely chopped celery; ¼ cup finely chopped carrot; ¼ cup finely chopped red onion; ¼ cup raisins; ⅛ cup sunflower seeds; 4 Whole-grain wraps; Salad greens, arugula or spinach leaves, for serving

By Alexandra Caspero on April 1, 2019

Homemade curry tempeh salad tucked into a whole grain wrap with salad greens.

Makes 4 wraps

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Vegan Curry Tempeh Salad Wrap! This plant-based sandwich is SO good! Curried tempeh salad with raisins, sunflower seeds, carrots, celery and more. So good, a must try, perfect for packed lunches.

Oh man, have I got a new lunch for you. This curried tempeh sandwich might be one of my favorite ways to cook tempeh. If you are brand new to cooking with tempeh, I highly recommend putting this tempeh salad on your list!

When I went vegetarian for the first time back in high school, the options for meat-free sandwiches were almost non-existent. I rotated between PB&J, cheese with mustard and sometimes spinach and hummus (when we could find prepared hummus! Remember, this was still 2001.) Sigh, the plant-based movement has made a lot of in-roads since then, but a good vegan sandwich still eludes most cafes and bakeries.

Thankfully, in the decades since, I’ve come to know my way around a delicious vegan sandwich. From my vegan chicken salad sandwich, tofu egg salad, chickpea avocado sandwich, tempeh BLT and miso tofu sandwich, I’ve proven that meat-free sandwiches are just as– if not more– creative and delicious than typical meat ones.

I’m fresh off the plane from LA and feeling very invigorated with delicious vegan eats. That’s the best part about the West coast; so many incredible vegan options to choose from, I can’t help but plan my trip around which restaurant I want to eat at first. Thankfully, BL is always game and we tackled quite a few new spots to come home happy and belly-full of tempeh, curries and coconut ice cream.

That trip inspired this sandwich, a love letter to my high-school days. A plant-based wrap that I didn’t know existed and feels light years away from the tired PB&J or hummus and veggie. This one has curried mayo, spiced tempeh, sweet raisins and crunchy sunflower seeds.

Ingredients & Substitutions

If you like mayo-based salad sandwiches, then you are going to love this curried tempeh salad. Here’s what you’ll need:

Tempeh. This recipe also works with tofu, especially if you tear it like in my tofu chicken salad recipe or shred it. You want the tofu to be chewy and crispy, like the tempeh gets.
Curry powder. I really love Penzey’s curry powder, but any will do.
Vegetable broth
Vegan mayo. I’m partial to Hellman’s vegan mayo or Vegeniase, but any mayo will work.
Apple cider vinegar. The acid really helps to cut through the richness of the mayo. Lemon juice or white wine vinegar will also work.
Maple syrup
Turmeric. This also helps with coloring the tempeh salad
Vegetables. For texture and additional flavor, mix in chopped celery, carrot, and red onions.
Raisins & sunflower seeds. For additional texture and sweet and saltiness.

How to Make this Tempeh Salad

Bake the tempeh
Whisk together curry powder with vegetable broth, then cover the tempeh. Bake until tender, then cool and roughly chop. Baking it this way gives the tempeh so much curry flavor in every bite.
Whisk together the salad ingredients
Mix together the mayo, apple cider vinegar, curry powder, turmeric, salt/pepper until combined. Fold in the celery, carrot, onion, raisins, sunflower seeds and tempeh. Season to taste with more salt and pepper as desired.
Make the sandwich
Spoon the tempeh salad onto a whole grain wrap along with salad greens, then roll up like a burrito and enjoy!

I like using sprouted whole grain wraps or whole grain wraps for these sandwiches as an extra boost of fiber and protein. Using sprouted grains is a good thing, especially for fellow plant-based babes. When a seed turns into a sprout, it increases the levels of B vitamins, fiber, essential amino acids and increased bioavailability of certain minerals, like zinc and iron. Sprouted grains are usually easier to digest than other grains, and they have a reduced glycemic index.

The other good news about this vegan curry tempeh salad wrap is that it packs well for lunch on-the-go. Make the curry salad ahead of time, then pack with you a few scoops and your wraps! Assemble right before eating and enjoy.

More Tempeh Recipes:

If you make this curry tempeh salad wrap, make sure to come back to rate the recipe and leave a comment. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!

Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.