Low-FODMAP | Gluten-free | Vegan | Dairy-Free
Tempeh can be tricky to get right, particularly since the texture and moisture levels of tempeh can really vary. Some tempeh is really wet, while others are very dry.
You’ll need to do an assessment of your tempeh before following any directions for cooking it. Dry tempeh will become crispy and crunchy quicker, while wet tempeh may need to go through a drying process and will take longer to get crunchy. If you are adding tempeh to wet ingredients, for example in a stew, this may not matter as much.
Steamed Tempeh
Placed sliced tempeh into a pot and cover with water or vegetable stock. Boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the tempeh and then go ahead with your other plans for the tempeh. This can reduce bitterness and improve porousness.
Marinated Tempeh
Tempeh does extremely well with a marinade, to spice up its already nutty (but somewhat bland) flavour. Marinade ingredients that go well with tempeh include soy sauce, vinegar, citrus (lime or lemon), coconut milk, satay sauce, ginger, spices, and sweetness like maple syrup.
Once it’s marinated, you can fry, bake or grill.
How to bake tempeh
Lay the pieces on a baking tray, sheet or dish. Bake at 350F/175C for 15-20 minutes until the tempeh is lightly browned and crispy. Baked tempeh can really benefit from a marinade.
How to fry tempeh
Heat oil (including garlic-infused olive oil) over medium-high heat. Put sliced or cubed tempeh into the pan and fry until golden brown and crunchy around the edges – 1/4 inch thick slices allows for a nice chewy inside with a crunchy outside.
Turn. Only a small amount of oil is needed to fry tempeh. Drain excess oil with a paper towel after cooking. If your raw tempeh is wet, dry it off before frying with paper towels or tea towels for 30 minutes.
How to grill tempeh
Put sliced tempeh on a grill and cook until golden brown and crisp at the edges. Flip. Cook other side.
Adding tempeh to soups and stews
You can add ground, chopped, crumbled, grated or cubed tempeh into sauces, curry, stew, soup and chilli. There is no preparation needed – it just needs to be warmed through before serving.
Making tempeh patties
You can turn tempeh into burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, etc. but you’ll need to follow a recipe for this to get the consistency right.
