I am well aware that at least 50 percent of my readers saw the title and either a.) deleted their email notification without reading any more or b.) have already clicked away from the page, completely scared of the word “tempeh”.
The rest of you are either humoring me and reading with eyebrows raised or are in the minority and realize that tempeh is not a scary word or food that should be limited to the hippie health nuts of the world. (Not that there is anything wrong with hippie health nuts. I love them.)
I understand being weary of tempeh; for the longest time I didn’t even bother to learn more about it. Exploring tofu was enough for me. Tofu, with its weird texture and flavor. Whoever says tofu doesn’t have a taste isn’t tasting the same food I am. It has a taste. And it doesn’t taste good.
You need lots of sauce and flavoring to disguise that tofu taste and you really need to know how to cook it well to get rid of that icky texture. Ugh. I had no desire to delve into yet another soy food that I’d have to work so hard in order to create a decent-tasting meal.
But then I opened my ears, just a little, and started hearing little snippets of information that I couldn’t ignore.
It has a dense, chewy texture.
Hmmmm…really? Are you sure?
Tempeh is made from whole soybeans.
Nice. A whole food. Processed soy isn’t great for your health.
Tempeh is fermented soy.
Okay, I’m paying attention. Fermented foods are easier to digest, help us absorb nutrients, and help balance out the good bacteria in our guts.
Tempeh is a protein powerhouse and is high in fiber, manganese, and copper, and has a positive effect on cholesterol levels.
Enough said.
I heard these things and decided I needed to give tempeh a try before judging based on its cousin, tofu.
So I looked for it at the grocery store to find out it was only $1.69 per 8 ounce package. Say what?! That’s significantly less than the organic chicken it was going to replace that week.
My first attempt at cooking tempeh was this summer. I slathered it in barbeque sauce and grilled it up. The result? I was completely floored. I loved the texture. Nothing like tofu. It absorbed the barbeque flavor and imparted its own nutty flavor that I liked. I was a tempeh convert.
I hope I’ve convinced those of you who are still reading that tempeh needs to be propelled out of its obscurity and onto your dinner plate. Here’s a thai-flavored variety to get you started. Maybe you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as I was.
Thai marinated tempeh nuggets
- Total Time: 105 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2-3 as a main course, more if used in a stir-fry recipe or something similar 1x
Description
A tasty marinaded tempeh recipe, that can be served as a main or part of a stir fry
Ingredients
- 1 8 ounce package tempeh, cut in half length wise and then into 10 nuggets
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari (or use regular soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tempeh and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, and then remove the tempeh with a slotted spoon.
{I learned this method of boiling before marinating and cooking from Veganomicon. It is supposed to help remove the bitterness of the tempeh–which I didn’t even notice before–and help soak up the marinade better. With the latter, I concur. This tempeh definitely absorbed the flavors of the marinade nicely.}
Meanwhile, whisk together the marinade ingredients in a bowl large enough to fit the tempeh.
{If you are going to use the tempeh for a stir fry, you can cut it into smaller pieces now} Put the tempeh in the marinade and use your fingers to flip it around to ensure all sides get covered. Allow to marinate for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Put the tempeh on the tray, spread out so the pieces aren’t touching each other. Allow to bake for 12-15 minutes, then turn the tempeh over with a spatula and bake another 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 70 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: main meal
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 2 servings
- Calories: 213
- Sugar: 1.5g
- Sodium: 27mg
- Fat: 13.5g
- Carbohydrates: 11.5g
- Protein: 15.5g
I served this with a quickly-thrown-together peanut sauce of 1 cup peanuts+1/2 cup shredded coconut, 3/4 cup lite coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon tamari. I blended all of the ingredients and then heated it on the stove. I added a little cayenne pepper to my individual portion for a some kick.
Meghan’s plate looked like this:
Tempeh nuggets with peanut dipping sauce, broccoli, frozen wild blueberries, and cheese. I cut her nuggets smaller to make them easier to pick up and dip. She, of course, at all of the blueberries and cheese first. Then she ate some of the broccoli and tempeh nuggets. I have trouble getting her to eat meat, and she seemed to like these more than chicken, so I was happy with that.
In case you are wondering, here’s what my plate looked like:
This was a veeerrry filling dinner. Who says vegan food leaves you hungry? I was definitely not hungry after this meal.
Tim wasn’t home the night I made this, but he’s liked tempeh when I’ve made it before. I find it much more man-friendly than tofu.
Give it a try. I think you’ll be as surprised with tempeh as I was.
Question: Have you ever tried tempeh? Like or dislike?
so great that tempeh is known worldwide nowadays. this is a native food in my home country indonesia, we like to caramelized it with palm sugar, and add some peanuts, onion, chili, (sometimes) sesame seeds or just cook it together with long beans. i know it sounds weird perhaps, but if by any chance you can have this traditional dish for a try, i believe you will like it.
Thank you for the tip–I’d love to try it!
I’m so excited to try this recipe as I’m really getting into tempeh lately! Totally agree that it’s more man-friendly than tofu. Totally satisfying and a great meat alternative in tacos and chili, etc. I have a big batch of Tempeh Chili brewing right now, actually! (http://www.downhomecitysisters.com/blog/tasty-tempeh-chili)
Can’t wait to try in nugget form! 🙂
Unfortunately the doctor just told me I need to give up soy for now…Boo!! I’d love to try that tempeh chili though! It’ll have to wait until I get all these food sensitivities sorted out.
Made this tonight. I wasn’t crazy about the texture of the Tempeh (never had it before), but my 2 year old didn’t have a problem with it. We both loved the dipping sauce. Don’t know if it would have tasted better to me if I had let it marinade for 1 hour (only let it marinade for 20 minutes for lack of time). I was very pleased that my 2 year old ate this!
I’m not sure if marinading it longer would change the texture or not, but I’m thinking not that much. I’m not super crazy about the texture, but I just like it soooo much better than the texture of tofu. I’m glad to hear your 2 year old ate it, though! That’s a win! 🙂
We had this last night in a stir fry with carrots, zucchini, broccoli, and mushrooms and a similar peanut based sauce It was great! I am a tempeh fan, but the boiling and marinating method made a huge difference in the final taste. I will definitely make this again and experiment with different marinades.
I know it’s a good recipe when my meat loving husband enjoys it.
Thanks Maryea.
You’re welcome! 🙂
I love tempeh and I like the idea of baking it. I usually pan fry it and it sucks up too much oil. Cant get the little one to like it though…she is stuck om tofu.
That looks great! I have tried tempeh before and had a so-so experience with it. I will have to try again though because this looks delicious.
Thanks!
We tried tempeh before and we liked it. We buy it from the freezer of a health food store near our house. I am going to make this after I go grocery shopping this week since we have no tempeh in the house right now. Thank you, Maryea!
We love tempeh! I usually marinate it in hot sauce, without the boiling first, and it has a nice little kick. I bet if I boiled it first it would be killer hot! I also love peanut sauce. I could seriously just eat it with a spoon.
Haha, I know exactly what you mean about tofu. I do enjoy tofu occasionally but it does have a unique flavor of it’s own that doesn’t always go with whatever it’s in. I would love to try tempeh though, but haven’t been able to find it. We’ll be going out of town to do some shopping soon so I can wait to see if I can find some. These look super yummy 🙂 I love the lime juice, I love using it in marinades.
the marinade sounds fantastic! i love the texture of tempeh
I’m curious about it now. The only tofu I ever really eat is in miso soup when eating out. I’ve tried to make it myself and I just can’t get the tofu to taste the same. I’ll keep an eye out for this. You’ve made me hungry for peanut sauce!
I tried it once and I wasn’t a huge fan but I’d try this recipe. 🙂
I am proud to consider myself a hippie health nut as I got all excited when I read the title of your post. There’s nothing scary about tempeh, except maybe pronouncing its name! And besides, how can anything be that bad when it is dipped in peanut sauce?
I will be trying out the boiling first method–maybe it will help keep me from drying it out too much like I often do?
I’ve never had temph but it seems like something great! I love the way you fixed Meghan’s plate Toooo cute! It almost looks like you were making a smile or a crazy face with the cheese over there. 🙂
I just discovered my love for tempeh last Thursday!!! I’m so excited to get this post on my FB today!!! Thanks! Now, to get the carnivore fiance on board….
Love tempeh although the recipe I usually use for it is http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tempeh-Mock-Tuna-Salad/Detail.aspx. Will have to try your recipe next and see if I can get my husband and daughter to enjoy it (he highly dislikes tofu)!
ahhhh yum! i love the tip about the pre-marinating boil method! totally going to try this! =)
I love tempeh! I like to grate it over a skillet and use it as taco “meat” or for casserole filling. It really does have a nutty texture and I love the tip about boiling it first because, though it doesn’t bother me, I’ve noticed the bitter taste. I wonder if Carter will eat this. I’d like to try it out and I have a package in my refrigerator now 🙂
It’s the perfect texture for taco meat! That’s a great idea. 🙂
I really want to like tempeh, but there’s something about it that I just can’t seem to stomach. I’ve tried it at least ten times and just don’t like it. I taste the bitter flavor a lot.
Do you like tofu? We are complete opposites if you like tofu and don’t like tempeh. 🙂
Love it! Totally opposites. I would definitely try this with tofu though.
We love tempeh at our house! Can’t wait to give this a try. And, we seriously love tofu, too. I can’t believe it when people tell me they don’t like it. My kids LOVE it. Although, I do try to eat it in moderation since it is so highly processed. We like it best after marinating, then in the oven on broil so it gets nice and crispy. I usually let it marinate overnight. Try Mama Pea’s tofu dippers. You will be surprised, I promise. They are seriously yummy. My husband even likes them and he can be a bit finicky abou tofu, too.
I will have to try Mama Pea’s tofu dippers. Crispy is definitely the key. If it has even the teeniest amount of mushiness it makes me gag.