Roasted Japanese Yams and Tempeh

Standard / by / May 19, 2025 / No Comments

I sure hope you're on my email list! Last month, I sent out weekly tips for meal prepping. This month, I'm sharing cooking techniques to boost your plant-based cooking confidence. For the topic of "Roasting to Impress," I'm sharing a recipe that stars a vegetable and a protein. Win-win!

Roasting Guide

VEGETABLES 
Carrots (½-inch rounds or sticks): 25–30 minutes
Sweet Potatoes (1-inch cubes): 25–30 minutes
White Potatoes (1-inch cubes or wedges): 30–35 minutes
Broccoli (florets): 20–25 minutes
Cauliflower (florets): 25–30 minutes
Brussels Sprouts (halved): 25–30 minutes
Zucchini (½-inch rounds or half-moons): 15–20 minutes
Bell Peppers (1-inch strips or chunks): 20–25 minutes
Cherry Tomatoes (whole): 15–20 minutes
Red Onion (wedges): 25–30 minutes
Butternut Squash (1-inch cubes): 30–35 minutes
Beets (1-inch cubes): 30–40 minutes
Eggplant (1-inch cubes or slices): 25–30 minutes
BEANS 
Chickpeas (drained, rinsed, dried): 30–40 minutes
Cannellini Beans (drained, rinsed, dried): 25–35 minutes
Black Beans (drained, rinsed, dried): 25–30 minutes
Cooked Lentils (rinsed, dried): 20–25 minutes
Tip: Toss beans with a little oil (or sauce or broth) + spices. Shake the pan halfway through.
TOFU & TEMPEH 
Tofu (extra firm, pressed & cubed 1-inch): 25–30 minutes
Tempeh (cubed or thin sliced): 20–25 minutes
Tip: Use parchment paper to prevent sticking. For crispier tofu, toss in a little arrowroot or cornstarch before roasting.

 

Print

Roasted Japanese Yams and Tempeh

One of the great things about exploring vegan cooking is that we can add variety to many of the ingredients we use. We’re all pretty familiar with russet, red, and sweet potatoes. But how about trying Japanese yams? While they may sound exotic, they are actually available at most neighborhood grocery stores and box stores like Walmart. And since we’re trying an Asian sweet potato, let’s use an Asian flavor profile. In the future, you can follow this process and swap out the sweet potato and play around with spices to create other flavor profiles, such as Spanish, Indian, or Mediterranean.
©JLFields JL Fields

Ingredients

  • 8-ounce packages tempeh, cut into a total of 16 cubes ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 large Japanese yams about 2 pounds, unpeeled, cut into 1½-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon white or black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the tempeh in a shallow dish.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger. Pour over the tempeh.
  4. Put the sweet potato cubes on the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle with the pepper. Pour the tempeh and marinade over the yams and toss to combine and coat with the mixture. Spread into a single layer.
  5. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and, with a spatula or tongs, rotate and flip the tempeh and potato pieces. Bake until the potatoes are tender, about another 12 minutes.
  6. Transfer the yams and tempeh to a large serving bowl, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and serve. Ingredient

Recipe Notes

  • Tip: If you prefer, you can also use a regular sweet potato, which will be sweeter and softer than the Japanese yam.
  • Make It Ahead: The longer tempeh marinates, the more tender it is. Prepare the marinade, pour it in a plastic bag or shallow container, and add the cubed tempeh. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before roasting.
  • Oil-free option: Substitute vegetable broth for the sesame oil in the marinade.

Recipe from my book Fast & Easy Vegan Cookbook: 100 Mouth-Watering Recipes for Time-Crunched Vegans.

Archives

Meta