Cooking with Tempeh

Whether you are adopting a more plant based approach to eating, you are going vegan, or you want to incorporate meatless Mondays, Tempeh is a staple plant based protein option.

I am not vegan but I do eat primarily plant based. At the risk of sounding like a typical influencer, the number one question I get A LOT is how to use Tempeh.

Most people think of Tofu when they think plant based protein, but I personally think Tempeh is the unsung hero.

Tofu is processed soy beans. It's made from soy milk that's compressed into a block. It comes in firm, silken, or soft blocks. I am personally not a fan of tofu unless it's chopped in small pieces and fried. It's a texture thing for me.

Tempeh is fermented soy beans. Fermented foods are really good for you. It comes in a block and you can see the soybeans. It has a mild nutty flavor but it will soak up any flavor you want it to. I like Tempeh better not only because it's fermented, but it's really easy to cook with.

You can marinate it like you would chicken, you can grill it, bake it, or sauté it. Sauté is my go to way of cooking it. You can cut your tempeh is strips, cubes, or crumbles. Add a little evoo to your pan and add the tempeh. I cook on medium heat until it's golden brown on the outside, usually about 5-7 minutes or so. If I didn't marinate it, which is often, I take it off the heat once it's done cooking and add whichever sauce I'm using. Buffalo sauce, Teriyaki, BBQ, etc.

Lightlife is the brand I use and if you live near a Wegmans, they have their own brand now as well. You can typically find Tempeh in Original, Grain, Flax, Smokey 'Bacon', and Buffalo. What's great is you can also store these in your freezer too!

I'll be adding recipes in this category to share how I cook and use tempeh in a variety of recipes but thought it'd be helpful to have an "intro" to tempeh. I'll also mention- I'm not a pro by any means!