Tempeh is the fermented relative of tofu, a soy-based source of protein. Tempeh is one of my favorite items to use throughout the week in meal prep and for quickly adding to tacos, topping on salads, and even eating on it’s own as a snack.
Especially for people who new to plant-based eating, tempeh can be an acquired taste. It’s more bitter and nutty that tofu, which is pretty mild and basically takes on the flavor of what it’s cooked in. The key to making tempeh tasty is to simmer, marinate, and bake it.
1. Simmer
Simmering doesn’t take longer than 10 minutes, but it can make a huge difference if your tempeh is bitter or not absorbing flavors in a way you like.
Simply add two inches of water to a pan and bring to a boil. Place the tempeh on top, reduce the heat, and cover the pan for 5 minutes. Flip the tempeh over, and let all the water cook off. Take it out of the pan and pat it dry. Once it cools, you can cut it and place in the marinade.
As it simmers, the tempeh softens and loses its stronger taste. This allows the marinade to “stick” better and be the star of your dish.
2. Marinate
The longer the tempeh marinates, the more flavorful your dish will be. At a minimum, leave the tempeh in a shallow dish with the marinade (refrigerated) for at least one hour. In the meantime, make rice and veggies as side dishes, take a nap, or run errands. When you return/remember why you have uncooked tempeh sitting in your fridge, the tempeh is ready to bake.
3. Bake
Most restaurants fry tempeh, but when I’m cooking at home I prefer to minimize oil for health and lazy reasons. Oil gets everywhere in the kitchen! Baking is the perfect option for flavorful tempeh because it crisps up without involving multiple pans and tons of clean-up.
PB Thai Tempeh Marinade
Protein-rich peanut butter powder, savory spices, and tempeh join forces for this easy meal that tastes just as good as Thai take-out!
Time: 15 minutes prep, 1 to 8 hours passive
Serves: 2-4, depending whether the tempeh is your main dish or a side protein source
Ingredients:
- 1 8-ounce package of tempeh
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons powdered peanut butter, mixed with 1.5 tablespoon vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
- 1 teaspoon of garlic
- 2 teaspoon of chili
- 1 teaspoon white rice vinegar
- red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)
Directions:
- Open the tempeh package and place the entire block in a pan on medium-high stovetop heat. Add 2 cups of water and boil it, then bring to a simmer. Cover pan.
- Once the water has cooked off, remove the tempeh block and cut it to desired shape. 1/2 blocks along the length are easiest, but you can also cut it into triangles, cubes, or narrower “fries”.
- In a bowl take powdered peanut butter and whisk in vegetable broth to form paste.
- Prepare marinade in a large bowl adding remaining ingredients to the mixture. To reduce the number of dishes, use a large enough bowl so you can also fit the tempeh inside.
- Place tempeh in bowl with marinade, gently mixing it in to ensure it is covered on all sides.
- Let sit in the fridge for up to 8 hours for the tempeh to fully absorb the flavors.
- When ready, set oven to 375° and bake for 20-25 minutes. For extra crispy-ness, flip tempeh over halfway through.
