A simple marinade when you're short on time and want to pack the flavor + three very simple ways to build a meal with tempeh as your primary protein

Tempeh is very dear to my heart, and if you’ve tasted Drifter Ferments’ house-made tempeh, I’m sure you know it. You can look forward to a tempeh recipe alongside announcing my in-depth tempeh course this March. Tempeh is traditional to Indonesian cuisine (and a popular street food there), fermented by way of the mycelium strain Rhizopus oligosporus.

fresh black bean tempeh, made with Hudson Valley black beans and a specialty at the shop

The below marinade is a favorite from my days on the road with Fermentation on Wheels. I honestly hadn’t been a fan of tempeh when I first started my fermentation journey, mostly because I had never tasted fresh tempeh. There also wasn’t a lot of guidance on how to enhance its flavor a decade ago. In 2013, Barry’s Tempeh graced me with fresh, unpasteurized tempeh and I was forever converted.

Unpasteurized tempeh is a completely different animal from the widely distributed tempeh found in most grocery stores. If possible, find a small business producing locally that doesn’t utilize pasteurization or make your own. Unpasteurized tempeh simply lends greater depth of flavor to the final product.

It’s debatable whether there is much of a difference in nutritional quality. Unpasteurized tempeh is typically sold either super fresh or frozen, so as not to impact the taste too dramatically (it will keep fermenting even at cooler temperatures, and as the flavors continue to develop and can get quite funky), while on the other hand, commercial tempeh will likely have been sitting for quite some time, and over time nutrition does fade.

Because unpasteurized tempeh is so flavorful, I love to simply sauté it with good salt for 2 minutes on each side with medium-high heat and a high heat oil, such as avocado, canola, or coconut. If pasteurized tempeh is the only option, this marinade is a go-to favorite of mine. If all you have access to is pasteurized tempeh, then I recommend marinating it to enhance the flavor.

Tempeh pairs wonderfully with a bed of rice, quinoa or couscous. If you’re in the mood for a sandwich it’s easy to transform into a patty. You could also toss these as cubes into a salad. Tempeh is so easy to prepare and has 32 grams of protein per 6 ounce serving, making it a healthy and fast food.

Ginger Sesame Tempeh Marinade

Yields 16 oz tempeh (3-4 serving), 30 (sauté) - 60 (bake) minutes

TOOLS

Pint-sized jar with lid

Shallow baking dish (for marinade)

Tongs

Frying pan or sheet pan

INGREDIENTS

16 oz tempeh

2” fresh ginger (or 2 tsp dried ginger)

3 cloves garlic

8 tbsp sesame oil (avocado or canola oil as substitute)

3 tbsp tamari

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1.5 tbsp water

1.5 tsp honey

1 tsp miso

1.5 tsp coriander (powdered or seeds crushed)

high heat cooking oil if sautéing

PROCESS

1. Prepare tempeh into cubes, strips, or patties, depending on how you’ll be pairing them. Set them in a shallow dish one layer deep.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to a jar large enough to hold 2-3 cups of liquid and shake vigorously until the marinade is thoroughly mixed. Pour the marinade over the tempeh.

3. If you’re planning to bake your tempeh, turn your oven to 350 F.

4. Let tempeh marinade for 10 minutes, then flip and marinade for 10 minutes more. Your tempeh is ready to cook after 20 minutes. Note that it’s best not to marinade longer that 30 minutes or else the texture could be compromised.

SAUTÉ

5. Well-seasoned cast iron is recommended because it has excellent heat retention, but any pan will do. Station it on a burner set to medium-high heat and add a 1/4 cup high heat cooking oil, such as avocado, canola, or coconut. Allow the oil to reach temperature and put your tempeh in the pan single layer. You may need to cook several layers.

6. Cook the layer of tempeh pieces for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through using tongs. Once the tempeh is cooked through, transfer to a plate and enjoy (see below for meal pairing ideas).

BAKE

5. Line a tray with parchment paper, lay tempeh in a single layer, and bake for 30 minutes, turning the tempeh with tongs or a spatula half-way through your bake. Once the tempeh is cooked through, transfer to a plate and enjoy (see below for meal pairing ideas).

My Go-To Tempeh Pairings

1. Tempeh with Rice, Roasted Cauliflower, Avocado, and Kimchi

How to do it

1. Set your oven to 400F and separate florets from your cauliflower head. I like to chop the most tender part of the stem into bite-size pieces and cook them too. Put the florets and stem pieces in a bowl and season with your favorite spice blend (curry powder is a favorite) and a teaspoon of salt. Toss with salad spoons and transfer to a tray. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping half-way through.

2. Cook the rice. Brown rice takes roughly 40 minutes. Turmeric rice is a favorite in my household and takes closer to 30 minutes. Of course, you can always go the fast route with a simple white rice recipe. I like to add salt, oil, and some seasoning. Use bone broth or chicken stock instead of water for flavor & nutrition.

3. Slice avocado and place desired amount in your bowl. Plop kimchi top. Sprinkle with furikake, sesame seeds, or nigella seeds. Place your tempeh on top and you have a complete meal!

Tempeh on turmeric rice, avocado with kimchi dust, seeded crackers, and fermenty cashew spread

2. Tempeh Salad with Garlicy Vinaigrette, Avocado, and Sauerkraut

1. Dress fresh greens with a very simply vinaigrette. Tomato, cucumber, and toasted sunflower seeds are great additions to this salad, but stretch your creativity. Our go-to dressing at the shop is 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp Yesfolk kombucha vinegar (sub apple cider vinegar!), 1 garlic clove, 1/4 tsp salt, and a dash of fresh cracked pepper.

2. Mash half an avocado with good sea salt (Maldon is my fav) and place on the side of the salad. Place 3-4 oz of sauerkraut next to the avocado. Decorate the salad with tempeh pieces and you’re ready to go. (I also like to add hummus next to the avocado and sauerkraut.)

a very simple tempeh salad, shot ages ago

3. Tempeh Sandwich with side salad, chips, or roasted vegetables

1. All hail tempeh sandwiches! They’re filling, oh-so-delicious, and there are so many ways to go about building a tempeh sandwich. My go-to is on toasted sourdough with homemade mayo, mustard or ketchup, and sauerkraut. If you don’t do mayonnaise you can use hummus, sauerkraut and avocado.

2. As for sides, do what you’re craving. I could do an entire post on tempeh sandwiches and complimentary fermented condiments, so that’s cetainly something to look out for down the line.

bbq tempeh sandwich with miso-mayo, avocado, cucumber kimchi, crookneck squash, and fresh greens on sourdough

Stay tuned for more recipes & ideas!