6 Ways To Cook Tempeh: BBQ, Stirfry, And More!

Are you looking for some new and inventive ways to cook tempeh? Or perhaps you are a tempeh newbie and want to learn more about it? Here is a guide to everything you need to know about how to cook tempeh.

What is tempeh?

Tempeh is a delicious vegan protein, that is versatile and nutritious. It has a nutty flavor and is firm enough to slice and barbecue.

Tempeh is made by fermenting beans and/or nuts with a mold culture. The result is a firm, mushroom-like patty. It is surprisingly easy to ferment at home. And you can find the culture online. 

Traditionally tempeh is made from soy. However, homemade tempeh can be made from seeds, beans, or lentils.

How to cook tempeh

1. Barbecued

One of my favorite ways to cook tempeh is to marinate it and throw it on the barbecue. Really, you can use any barbecue sauce for barbecued tempeh. Here’s how to make barbecued tempeh:

1. Thinly slice the tempeh. Aim for slices that are about 1/2-inch or 1 cm thick.
2. Slather on the barbecue sauce.
3. Place the tempeh directly on the grill.
4. Tempeh doesn’t need to be cooked, so barbecue it until the sauce is nicely bubbling and the tempeh is warmed through.

If you are looking for a specific recipe, check out this one from Feeding Your Beauty.

2. Stir fry

Tempeh is a quick and easy protein to throw into your favorite stir fry. Add it to everything from Szechuan stir fry to pad Thai.

Just fry up the tempeh separately then add on top with a bit of extra sauce. Alternatively, try this sesame ginger stir fry from Food with Feeling.

3. Baked

Baking tempeh is probably the simplest way to prepare it. I usually bake tempeh as part of an oven dinner, with roasted potatoes and vegetables. Then I serve it with my favorite Buddha bowl sauce.

1. Slice the tempeh into serving-sized portions.
2. Slather on your favorite sauce (barbecue, stir fry sauce, or pasta sauce).
3. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. The goal is to heat the tempeh, not dry it out.

4. Salad

Add tempeh to salads for a bit of protein and texture. Tempeh can be added warm or cold. If you make your own, I recommend adding fresh, unsteamed tempeh to salads. It’s surprisingly creamy, nutty and delicious.

To heat tempeh for a salad, dice it into cubes, then fry for 2-3 minutes.

Tempeh can be a meat-free salad alternative for a hearty meal. Try adding it to the following types of salad:

• Caeser salad
• COBB salad
• Tempeh noodle salad

5. Pasta

Tempeh is a great source of protein for pasta recipes. The rich earthy flavors really work well with tomato sauce.

• To add tempeh to lasagna, slice it into thin layers and simply sandwich it into the sauce layer.
• Cubed tempeh can be sauteed and tossed on top of pasta like meatballs.
• Lentil tempeh crumbles nicely, and is perfect in a Bolagnaise-style sauce.

6. Sandwiches

Sliced and fried or barbecued tempeh works great as a burger or sandwich filling.  Personally, my favorite sandwich is a vegetarian Reuben. Delicious!