What is Tempeh (and How to Cook It)

If you're wondering, "What is tempeh?", you've come to the right place! This guide will teach you how to cook it perfectly for all sorts of tempeh recipes.

Tempeh is one of my favorite sources of plant-based protein. I love its earthy, nutty flavor and firm texture. But most of all, I love its versatility. It can crisp up into tasty vegan bacon, fill out a stir fry, crumble into a substitute for ground meat, and more.

Below, I’m sharing a simple guide to tempeh: what it is, how to cook it, and my best tempeh recipes. If you follow a plant-based diet or are interested in eating less meat, I hope you’ll give it a try! This vegan protein is delicious, healthy, and easy to prepare. We should all be eating it more often!

Health Benefits

Tempeh is known for its high protein content, but it offers other health benefits too! It’s rich in vitamins and minerals like calcium, manganese, phosphorus, and iron. It’s also high in dietary fiber.

What Does Tempeh Taste Like?

On its own, tempeh has a mild, nutty flavor. But similar to tofu, this plant-based protein will soak up flavor from marinades and sauces. I always marinate it before cooking. Find my go-to marinade in the recipe below!

How to Cook Tempeh

You can prepare tempeh in all sorts of ways. I often bake it, grill it, sauté it, sear it…

Baking is the method I use most often, and if you’re new to cooking this plant-based protein, it’s a great place to start. Here’s how I do it:

Start by chopping the tempeh. Cut it into 1-inch cubes, triangular “steaks,” or 1/2-inch-thick slices. This recipe works with a variety of shapes!

Next, steam it. I know what you’re thinking. “Wait….aren’t we baking it?” Yes, but when I cook tempeh, I almost always start by steaming it. It only takes 10 minutes, and it helps the tempeh soften, which allows it to soak up even more flavor from a marinade. Totally worth it!

While it steams, make your marinade. I love a sweet and savory combo of tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, and sriracha.

• Heads up: I’m sharing the complete recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post!

Marinate for at least 30 minutes. It will take on a ton of delicious flavor!

Finally, bake it. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the pieces evenly on the baking sheet, reserving the excess marinade. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush with more of the marinade. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until browned around the edges.

• Variation: Grill it instead of baking! This method works best with large triangles. After marinating, grill over medium heat for 7 to 9 minutes, or until char marks form. Brush with more marinade, then flip and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until well charred.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Baked Tempeh Recipes

Once it’s baked, there are so many ways you can use this plant-based protein!

• Add the tempeh to a grain bowl. Try it in this kimchi brown rice bliss bowl!
• Toss it into a salad. I like to pair it with crisp romaine lettuce, julienned carrots, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and my vegan ranch dressing.
• Stuff it into a sandwich. I love adding strips to this vegetarian club sandwich.
• Add it to tacos. Tuck it into tortillas with a scoop of guacamole, mango salsa, and shredded cabbage.
• Use it in a stir fry. Toss it into this bok choy stir fry recipe!

How do you like to use it? Let me know in the comments!

More Tempeh Recipes to Try

Try my marinated baked tempeh recipe below! Then, make one of these tasty tempeh recipes next:

• Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Tempeh Bacon
• Steamed Bao Buns
• Steamed Dumplings
• BLT Pasta Salad

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Marinated Baked Tempeh

rate this recipe:

4.99 from 89 votes

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Serves 4

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This recipe is my favorite way to prepare tempeh for salads, noodle dishes, and grain bowls. A simple 6-ingredient marinade infuses it with savory flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
• ¼ cup tamari
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• Freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

• Cut the tempeh into cubes, place in a steamer basket, and set over a pot with 1-inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. This helps the tempeh become tender and ready to soak up more flavor from the marinade.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, sriracha, and several grinds of pepper. Place the tempeh in a shallow dish and pour the marinade on top to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Arrange the cubes in a single layer on the baking sheet, reserving the excess marinade.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush more of the marinade onto the cubes. Bake for 10 more minutes, or until the cubes are charred around the edges. Enjoy on salads or grain bowls.

Notes

For grilled tempeh: Cut the block into triangles and follow the marinating instructions above. Preheat a grill to medium. Spray the grill and grill the tempeh 7-9 minutes on the first side. Remove from grill, dip it back into the marinade to coat, then return it to the grill and grill the second side for 4-5 minutes, or until deep char marks form.