Smoky Tempeh and Slaw Collard Wraps
Pan-seared smoky-paprika tempeh and a crisp apple, red cabbage, and carrot slaw rolled into tender blanched collard leaves, finished with a maple-dijon drizzle.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These wraps are a hand-held lunch for anyone who wants something fresh and filling without turning on the oven. The smoky tempeh gives them real backbone, the raw slaw keeps them crunchy and bright, and the collard leaf stands in for a tortilla so the whole thing stays light and green. It travels well and holds together, which makes it a good pick for a packed lunch or a make-ahead midday meal.
Caramelized edges against cool, raw crunch. Searing the tempeh in soy sauce and smoked paprika until the liquid cooks off drives real browning, so the strips pick up caramelized, savory, faintly smoky edges instead of the flat steamed flavor tempeh has straight from the block. Against that warm, chewy protein you get the cold, sharp slaw, where lemon juice loosens the cabbage and keeps the apple crisp. A quick blanch turns the collard from stiff and squeaky to supple and foldable in about half a minute, which is the small step that makes rolling possible.
Substantial plant protein from the tempeh, a lot of fiber from the collards, cabbage, carrot, and apple, and just enough fat from the olive oil to carry the flavor and to help you feel properly full for hours. The maple-mustard drizzle ties it together with a little sweet-and-sharp lift, so you get sweet, tangy, smoky, and fresh all at once without anything heavy weighing it down.
Ingredients
- 2 blocks tempeh, sliced into strips
- 8 large collard leaves
- 3 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 apple, julienned
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prep the slaw vegetables: Shred the red cabbage into thin ribbons, julienne the apple into matchsticks, and shred the carrots on the large holes of a box grater. Keep them together in a large bowl. Working with the apple last, or tossing it with a little of the lemon juice right away, keeps it from browning.
- Slice and sear the tempeh: Cut the tempeh into strips about a quarter inch thick. Heat two-thirds of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the tempeh in a single layer, then pour the soy sauce over it and sprinkle with the smoked paprika. Cook, turning the strips once or twice, until the liquid has cooked away and the tempeh is deeply browned and caramelized at the edges, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
- Dress the slaw: Add the lemon juice and the remaining olive oil to the bowl of cabbage, apple, and carrot. Toss well until everything is lightly coated and glossy. The cabbage will soften slightly and turn a brighter pink as it sits.
- Blanch the collard leaves: Bring a wide pot of water to a boil. Slip the collard leaves in one or two at a time and blanch just until they turn vivid green and become pliable, about 30 seconds. Lift them out and lay them flat on a clean towel to drain. Run a paring knife flat along the back of each thick central stem to shave it down so the leaf rolls without cracking; trim off any tough stem end.
- Whisk the drizzle: In a small bowl, whisk the maple syrup and dijon mustard together until smooth and pourable.
- Roll and finish: Lay a collard leaf flat, vein side up. Pile a portion of tempeh and slaw across the lower third of the leaf, fold in the sides, and roll it up snugly from the bottom like a burrito. Set the wraps seam side down. Drizzle the maple-mustard over the filling as you go, or serve it alongside for dipping.
Variations
- Spicy chipotle: Add a pinch of ground chipotle or cayenne to the tempeh along with the smoked paprika, and stir a little hot sauce into the maple-mustard drizzle for a smokier, hotter wrap.
- Herb and lime slaw: Swap the lemon juice for lime juice and toss a handful of chopped cilantro into the cabbage and apple for a brighter, more herbal slaw.
- Collard-free bowl: Skip the wrapping entirely and serve the seared tempeh over the slaw as a bowl, with the maple-mustard spooned over the top.
- Ginger-sesame: Add grated fresh ginger to the tempeh as it sears and finish the wraps with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. This adds seeds.
- Creamy avocado: Layer a few slices of ripe avocado into each wrap alongside the tempeh and slaw for a richer, creamier bite.
Storage & Leftovers
Store the components separately in the refrigerator for up to four days: the seared tempeh in one covered container, the dressed slaw in another, and the blanched collard leaves stacked flat between sheets of paper towel. Kept apart, the leaves stay pliable and the slaw stays crunchy rather than watery.
These are best eaten cold or at room temperature, so no reheating is really needed. If you prefer the tempeh warm, reheat just the strips in a dry or lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes until heated through, then assemble the wraps fresh so the collard and slaw stay crisp.
To get ahead, sear the tempeh, cut all the slaw vegetables, and blanch and de-stem the leaves up to two days in advance. Dress the slaw and roll the wraps the day you plan to eat them; assembled wraps hold for about a day but are crispest within a few hours of rolling.
Notes & Tips
- Buy the biggest collards you can: Look for large, broad, unblemished leaves at the market. Wide leaves wrap far more easily and hold more filling than small or torn ones, and you want them flexible, not yellowing.
- Do not skip shaving the stem: The raised central rib is what makes a leaf crack when you roll it. Shaving it flat with a paring knife is the single biggest difference between a wrap that folds cleanly and one that splits.
- Season the tempeh while it is hot: Taste a strip after searing. If it needs more depth, hit it with an extra splash of soy sauce or a little more smoked paprika while it is still in the warm pan so it absorbs the seasoning.
- Cut the apple last: Julienne the apple right before dressing the slaw, or toss it with the lemon juice immediately, so it stays pale and crisp instead of browning while you sear the tempeh.
- Drain the leaves well: Pat the blanched collards dry before filling them. Excess water makes the wrap soggy and loosens the roll, so press the leaves with a towel first.
- Serve the drizzle on the side for lunchboxes: If you are packing these to go, keep the maple-mustard in a small separate container and drizzle just before eating so the wraps stay firm rather than soaking through.
Nutrition & Mindful Eating
- The warm tempeh and the cold slaw are the whole idea. The tempeh is chewy, smoky and sweet from the glaze, the cabbage, apple and carrot stay crisp and cold around it, and the collard leaf holds the two temperatures together in one bite.
- Tempeh is whole soybeans held together by fermentation, so it has a firm nubbly bite and a faintly mushroomy flavor that stands up to being seared hard. Its complete plant protein is why a wrap this fresh still eats like lunch.
- Collard leaves are thick and sturdy enough to roll without tearing, and running a knife down the raised stem is what lets them fold. Blanched, they taste green and slightly bitter, and they bring vitamin K and fiber along with that grassy bite.
- Apple and carrot cut into matchsticks and tossed with red cabbage make a slaw that stays loud and crunchy for the length of the meal. The apple's pectin is a soft kind of fiber, and its tartness is what holds the sweet glaze in check.
- Maple syrup, dijon mustard, soy sauce and smoked paprika reduce around the tempeh into a sticky dark glaze that catches in the pan. Lemon over the slaw at the end pulls the whole wrap back to sharp.
- As you eat, feel the cool slaw give way against the warm tempeh in that first bite, and eat with both hands over the plate, unhurried, letting the wrap ask for your attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
My collard leaves keep tearing when I roll them. What am I doing wrong?
Usually one of two things. Either the leaves were not blanched long enough to soften, or the thick central stem was left intact. Blanch until the leaf turns vivid green and bends without snapping, about 30 seconds, then shave the raised rib flat with a paring knife before rolling.
Can I eat these warm or are they meant to be cold?
They are designed to be eaten cold or at room temperature, which is why the slaw stays raw and crunchy. If you like the tempeh warm, reheat just the strips in a skillet and roll the wraps fresh so the collard and slaw keep their crispness.
How do I keep the slaw from getting watery?
Dress it with the lemon juice and oil close to serving time rather than hours ahead, and if you are storing it, keep it in a separate container from the wraps. Salt and acid draw moisture out of cabbage over time, so shorter contact keeps it crisp.
What can I use instead of collard leaves?
Any large, sturdy leafy green that softens with a quick blanch works, such as large chard leaves or kale, though thinner greens hold less filling. If you would rather not wrap at all, serve the tempeh and slaw together as a bowl with the drizzle over the top.