21 Delicious Vegan Tempeh Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are some tricks to cooking tempeh? ›

Simmer the tempeh to soften the flavor.

Before using tempeh in any recipe, you can soften its bitter flavor by simmering the cubes for a couple minutes in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. An alternative to simmering: set a steamer basket in a pot and steam the cubes for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Its naturally bitter and earthy flavors make raw tempeh quite unappetizing. To enjoy tempeh to the fullest, I always recommend soaking it in a marinade and/or pan-frying it with a tart, sweet, and salty sauce.

Serve over rice! So good. Add crispy baked tempeh or tempeh bacon to salads or sandwiches. Serve in tacos, burritos, grain bowls, fried rice, stir fries, pastas, and so much more!

Doesn't cooking tempeh kill the good bacteria? Just on the outside. As long as the internal temperature doesn't get too hot the probiotic stimulators will remain alive. That's why we recommend you don't cook in the microwave.

vinegar (like apple cider vinegar): adding vinegar creates an acidic environment. This is important to prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria. a warm place: like an incubator or simply an oven with the light on. Temperatures of 30-37°C (85-98°F) work best to make tempeh.

The Science of Steaming Tempeh

Simply put, gently heating it helps to reawaken the tempeh's flavours while also removing that bitter taste. It's like how spices gain a livelier flavour if they are gently warmed before being added to a dish, or how toasted sesame seeds taste more intense than raw sesame seeds.

While you can't go wrong with either plant-based protein, tempeh is generally considered to be the healthier option due to its rich nutrient profile. It contains more protein, fiber, and vitamins than tofu. Tempeh is also fermented, and fermented foods are easier to digest and provide healthy gut bacteria.

Because of this potential, to ensure food safety, all tempeh should be pasteurized or cooked before it's eaten (FYI, pasteurization and thorough cooking are pretty much the same thing). This is why tempeh, though fermented, should not be considered a probiotic food. But don't worry!

Tempeh, along with other fermented soy products, is generally considered safe for most people. However, some individuals may want to consider limiting their intake of tempeh. Those with a soy allergy should avoid tempeh altogether. Eating tempeh may trigger an allergic response for these people.

Is tempeh an anti inflammatory? ›

While people with inflammation should generally avoid dairy, soy protein products like tofu and tempeh have been found to reduce pain in joints according to a study from Oklahoma State University. An easy way to add soy to your diet is using soy protein powder.

Don't skip this step! Steaming tempeh before baking or grilling it helps it soak up a marinade and infuse it with extra flavor. Steam the cubes for 10 minutes, and whisk together a marinade while they cook.

Similar to tofu, tempeh takes on the flavors of whatever it is seasoned with + it does not have much flavor straight out of the package. In fact, it has somewhat of a bitter flavor. It is best to marinate it or add it into a good sauce, and always boil it before cooking with it to remove the bitter flavor.

Tempeh will keep practically indefinitely in the freezer. In the refrigerator it will keep for about a week before it starts degrading. An easy way to remember: 10 days in the fridge, 10 months in the freezer (hopefully you'll eat it before then though).

When cooked, tempeh should have a chewy, meat-like texture. If it's rubbery, that means it's probably overcooked. It's a delicious and healthy way to replace meat in stir-fries, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and Bolognese dishes, but it may take time and practice to get it right.

But both of them can create bitter tastes in fermented foods. Luckily, throwing tempeh into a steam bath before cooking with it helps to purge the flavours these food-fermenting organisms can leave behind.

Steamed.

If you find tempeh to be too bitter straight out of the package, steaming it can help. Place sliced tempeh in a saucepan and cover with water or vegetable broth. Bring liquid to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

All you need to do is just using the former tempeh wrappers which still have the molds by rubbing it directly to the soybeans which is ready to ferment. Using this way, it normally needs 5-10 dry leaves for 1kg soybeans. Moreover, you can also squeeze the dry leaves and then mix into the soybeans.