Let’s Get Cooking

The possibilities are endless with tempeh.  Here are a few ideas to get your journey started.

Start with steam

Steam or boil tempeh for 10 minutes

Every tempeh recipe will benefit when you steam or boil the tempeh first.  This step unlocks the delicate flavor and fresh aroma of tempeh and allows your seasoning to soak in better.

As a bonus, steaming keeps the tempeh fresh longer if you are going to store it in the fridge.

 

Tempeh Stir-fry

  1. Cut steamed tempeh into cubes.
  2. Fry in a pan with oil over medium heat until golden.  Add oil as needed.
  3. Add your choice of chopped veggies (onion, broccoli, bok choy, carrot, peppers, garlic, etc).
  4. Splash with tamari and a little apple cider vinegar or umeboshi vinegar.
  5. Serve over rice.

Tempeh Tacos

  1. Finely chop steamed tempeh (or use a grater).
  2. Fry in a pan over medium heat until golden.
  3. While the tempeh is cooking, prepare a seasoning mixture of 1-cup of water with 1-2tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, cayenne powder, and salt (or just use a packet of pre-mixed taco seasoning).
  4. When the tempeh is golden, remove from heat and add your liquid seasoning mixture.  Stir and simmer until the liquid has reduced/thickened.
  5. Serve with your favorite taco toppings.

BBQ Tempeh

  1. Cut steamed tempeh into thick strips.
  2. Fry in a pan with oil over medium heat until golden.
  3. Reduce heat to low and begin to brush each side of tempeh with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Storage Tips

The shelf-life of tempeh depends on how it’s stored.

Frozen tempeh will keep indefinitely but we recommend storing it no more than 10 months in the freezer.

Raw tempeh will keep for about 7-10 days in the refrigerator.

Steamed tempeh will keep for up to 30 days in the refrigerator.

Pro tip: Take 1 block out of the freezer at a time, steam it, use however much for your meal, then store any unused portion in the fridge for next time.

 

Thawing Frozen Tempeh

The easiest way to thaw frozen tempeh is to put it in the fridge 24 hours before you use it.  Or, you can steam it directly from frozen, but then it is harder to cut up first.