This bowl came together on a Tuesday when I had two blocks of tempeh and a couple of Honeycrisps that needed to be used up. I wasn’t expecting much. That’s usually when something turns out really well. The maple Dijon glaze caramelizes against the tempeh in the toaster oven and you get these sticky, slightly crispy edges that are genuinely hard to stop picking at before the bowls are even assembled.
Tempeh is one of those ingredients that rewards high heat. A toaster oven with a convection setting is ideal here because the circulating air speeds up that caramelization and you don’t end up with a steamed, pale slab — you get actual browning. That said, standard bake mode works just fine, just give it a couple extra minutes. The apple wedges go on the same pan partway through, and they soften just enough while picking up those caramelized pan drippings. It’s a good situation.
Farro is my grain of choice for this bowl because it stays chewy and a little nutty even after sitting in a bowl for a while. If you’re working from a smaller toaster oven baking sheet, you might need to roast the apples and tempeh in two separate rounds — it takes an extra ten minutes but it’s worth not crowding the pan and getting sad, steamed results.
Toasted pecans are non-negotiable here. They take four minutes and they make the whole bowl taste more expensive than it is. A handful of peppery arugula dressed with lemon ties everything together. This recipe is fully vegan and genuinely filling — one of those things I’d serve to someone who insists they don’t like healthy food.
Toaster Oven Crispy Maple Dijon Roasted Tempeh and Apple Grain Bowls with Toasted Pecans
Slabs of tempeh get lacquered in a sweet-sharp maple Dijon glaze and roasted until deeply caramelized, then piled over warm farro with roasted apple slices and crunchy pecans. It's the kind of bowl you'll want on rotation all fall and winter.
Ingredients
Maple Dijon Tempeh
Roasted Apples
Bowls
Instructions
Get the farro going
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Cook farro on the stovetop according to package directions — usually about 25 to 30 minutes in salted water. It can simmer away while the toaster oven does its thing.
Prep and glaze the tempeh
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Preheat your toaster oven to 400°F on the bake or convection bake setting.
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Whisk together the maple syrup, Dijon, olive oil, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. The glaze will look a little thin but it thickens up fast on the tempeh as it roasts, which is exactly what you want.
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Arrange the tempeh planks in a single layer on a lightly oiled toaster oven baking sheet or the pan that came with your oven. Spoon or brush about two-thirds of the glaze over the top of each piece.
Roast the tempeh and apples
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Slide the tempeh into the toaster oven and roast for 12 minutes.
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While that's going, toss the apple wedges with olive oil, 1 tsp maple syrup, and cinnamon in a bowl.
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After 12 minutes, flip the tempeh and brush on the remaining glaze. Nestle the apple wedges in any gaps around the tempeh on the pan — or if your pan is small, roast them in a second pass.
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Roast everything together for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the tempeh edges are deeply golden and a little sticky and the apples are soft with some color on the undersides.
Toast the pecans
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Scatter the pecans on a small piece of foil or a tiny baking tray and slide them in for the last 4 minutes of the tempeh's cook time. Watch them — they go from toasted to burnt quickly and it's annoying when that happens.
Build the bowls
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Toss the arugula with olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
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Divide the warm farro among four bowls. Top with a handful of dressed arugula, a few slices of roasted tempeh, some apple wedges, and a scatter of toasted pecans.
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Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and serve immediately.
Notes
Tempeh can taste bitter to some people straight out of the package. If that bothers you, steam the sliced tempeh for 10 minutes before glazing — it really does mellow it out. Farro can be swapped for any grain you have: brown rice, quinoa, or even just toasted bread torn into chunks works in a pinch. Leftovers keep fine in the fridge for 3 days, but store the components separately so the arugula doesn't wilt. Reheat the tempeh and apples in the toaster oven at 375°F for 5 to 6 minutes to get the edges crispy again.
Nutrition
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Written by
Emma is a home cook who loves coaxing big flavor out of a toaster oven — from crispy roasted vegetables to easy weeknight dinners and sweet treats. She develops and tests Toastera's recipes for small-appliance kitchens.
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