Marinated Tempeh

Marinated tempeh is one of the easiest ways to eat tempeh, and this recipe is one of the easiest (but tastiest!) ways to do it! But first.. what exactly is tempeh?

Tempeh is a plant based protein source that originates from Indonesia. Similar to tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans. However, unlike tofu, tempeh is a whole soybean product that is fermented. Tempeh is a whole food that uses fermentation to bond the beans together to form a dense cake. This is done by using the fungus, Rhizopus Oligosporus, also known as the tempeh starter.

What does tempeh taste like?

Tempeh has a unique flavour due to the fermentation process which can be described as a chewy texture with a slight nutty taste. The fermented bond gives it a chewy texture, whilst the soybeans are like soft nuts that gently break in your mouth as you chew.

Tempeh is incredibly good for you!

Tempeh often polarisises people. You either love it, or hate it. I think it's similar to olives, oysters, or anchovies. You have people who LOVE it, and then those that hate it. The first time I tried tempeh I knew I loved it! This is incredibly lucky because tempeh is one of the best plant based protein and nutrient sources. Just 100 grams of tempeh contains:

• Calories: 195
• Protein: 20g
• Carbs: 8g
• Fat: 11g
• Calcium: 7% RDI
• Iron: 12% RDI
• Potassium: 9% RDI
• Vitamin B12: 6% RDI
• Vitamin B6: 15% RDI
• Zinc: 14% RDI
• Magnesium: 19% RDI

Vegans and vegetarians may often find it difficult to eat foods that contain iron, zinc & vitamin B12. This makes marinated tempeh the perfect addition to any salad bowl, rice bowl, or vegan noodle dish.

*nutrition facts were taken from here

Marinated Tempeh

Marinated tempeh is one of the easiest ways to eat tempeh. Tempeh itself can be quite flavourless, but it absorbs flavours with ease. This makes it the perfect ingredient for marinating, more so than any kind of meat!

There are a million ways to marinate tempeh but this recipe focuses on what is the fastest and packs the biggest punch in flavour. No chopping required. Simply add soy sauce, chili powder, salt, & cumin to the marinade bag!

Marinating and baking method

1. Slice the tempeh into squares / cubes. I’m using 200 grams of tempeh but you can use whatever is required and simply increase or reduce the other ingredients
2. Make sure you have a bag with a good seal on it to prevent leaks! If you don’t have a marinade bag you can just use a bowl and toss the tempeh in the liquid. A marinade bags works best though to help the tempeh absorb the flavours
3. Add tempeh to the bag or bowl
4. Add ⅓ cup of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon of chilli powder, ½ teaspoon of fine salt, and 1 tablespoon of cumin to the bag / bowl and mix well
5. Let sit for 10 minutes
6. Remove from the bag and add to a lined baking tray
7. Bake in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes
8. And that’s it! Delicious baked marinated tempeh for lunch or to keep in the fridge for later!

Ingredient Quantities

Here I specify that you use ⅓ cup of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon of chilli powder, ½ a teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of cumin for 200 grams of tempeh. If you prefer to use less or more soy sauce this works too. If you choose to add more soy sauce you may wish to reduce the amount of salt you add.

½ teaspoon of chilli powder is very mild so if you prefer more spicy then make sure to add more.

Enjoy!!