Toss together this easy 6 ingredient Asian tempeh marinade in just 5 minutes! Marinate the tempeh for 30 minutes, then pan fry it on the stove or bake it in the oven. This vegan, and gluten free tempeh recipe is perfect for adding to bowls, stir fry or salads!
Tempeh is a nutrient-rich plant-based protein, but it's rather bland on it's own. This is why marinating tempeh before cooking it is a must! The marinade soaks so much flavor into the tempeh in just 30 minutes. You can then toss the tempeh in a stir fry, on top of a bowl or in a salad.
This Asian style marinade is extremely versatile and combines sweetness, saltiness and acid for the perfect balance of flavors. I love adding the tempeh to this Asian Tempeh Bowl with Healthy Peanut Sauce (pictured above). It's packed with plant-based protein and so much flavor!
You can also wrap up this marinated tempeh in lettuce wraps for a healthy snack or appetizer, or toss it on top of your favorite Asian-style salad. The possibilities really are endless!
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Ingredients you'll need
- Tempeh - you can easily find tempeh now at all major grocery stores. It's usually located near the produce aisle next to other refrigerated vegan foods, like tofu, soyrizo and vegan cheese.
- Tamari - this gluten-free soy sauce substitute is found near the traditional soy sauce at most grocery stores. Check out this post all about tamari to learn more about the sauce and how to use it in recipes! If you're looking for a lower sodium, soy-free alternative, try coconut aminos instead.
- Rice vinegar - look for this ingredient in the Asian section at most grocery stores, or near the other vinegars.
- Sesame oil
- Lime juice - I always recommend fresh squeezed for the best flavor!
- Maple syrup - this adds a sweetness to the marinade. You can also use honey in place of the syrup if you prefer.
- Chili garlic sauce - this sauce adds a little heat and a lot of flavor to the marinade. In a pinch, you can use sriracha in it's place.
Step by step instructions
- Combine tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, maple syrup and chili garlic sauce in a bowl or large plastic zipper bag.
- Cut the tempeh into cubes.
- Add the tempeh pieces to the marinade and toss to coat.
- Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the marinade and use one of the methods below to cook the tempeh.
How to cook tempeh on the stove
The stovetop is my favorite place to cook tempeh. It's the fastest method and results in the best texture. The outside gets a delicious crispy caramelization when cooked in a hot skillet.
I recommend this method for cooking the marinated tempeh, but I'm also sharing how to cook tempeh in the oven, if you prefer another method.
- Heat a large skillet on the stove over high heat.
- Spray the skillet with cooking spray.
- Use tongs to remove the cubes of tempeh from the marinade and add them to the hot skillet.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, flip and continue to cook until all sounds are golden brown and caramelized.
- Remove from the skillet and add them to your favorite bowl or salad.
How to cook tempeh in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use tongs to remove the cubes of tempeh from the marinade and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Place in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, flip the tempeh and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the tempeh from the oven and serve immediately.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I steam tempeh before marinating? For this recipe, you do not need to steam the tempeh before marinating it. I tried this recipe with steamed tempeh and with tempeh that had not been steamed. They both produced almost identical results, therefore I do not recommend spending the extra time and effort to steam the tempeh before marinating.
- Do you need to soak tempeh before cooking? No, the tempeh can come straight out of the package and into the marinade.
- Is tempeh better than tofu? I actually have an entire post dedicated to "What is tempeh?" that dives into the differences between tempeh and tofu, and includes which soy-based protein I prefer and which is better for you.
- How long should you marinate tempeh? I recommend at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour if you have the time. You can leave the tempeh marinating in the refrigerator for up to 2 days if you'd like to make it ahead of time and really let the tempeh soak in the marinade!
How to serve the tempeh
My favorite way to serve the tempeh is in a buddha bowl. (No surprise there!) But it's also great in a stir fry, on top of a salad or served in lettuce wraps.
Try any (or all!) of the following ways to serve this tempeh, then comment below and let me know which one is your favorite!
- In a bowl - this tempeh makes an excellent high-protein buddha bowl! Check out the Asian Tempeh Bowl, seen pictured above, and make sure to drizzle extra Healthy Peanut Sauce on top! You could also add the tempeh to this Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl for extra protein!
- On a salad - toss the tempeh on top of this Asian Chopped Salad from Spend With Pennies. And for a gluten free dressing for the salad, try this Sweet Sesame Sauce!
- In lettuce wraps - wrap up the tempeh in leaves of lettuce with shredded carrots, diced green onions and a drizzle of that healthy peanut sauce for a low-calorie, high-protein appetizer or snack!
- As a stir fry - stir fry the tempeh with your favorite veggies and serve the stir fry over white or brown rice, with a drizzle of the peanut sauce, of course! Or stir fry in your favorite noodles with the tempeh and veggies for a delicious meal!
- In a wrap - add the cooked tempeh to the middle of a large tortilla with veggies and might I recommend the peanut sauce?! Yes, I'm a little peanut sauce obsessed, because it's just SO GOOD! Wrap the tortilla up and you've got the perfect lunch or dinner. This idea is great for meal prep!
- As tacos - why not make vegan Asian style tacos with the tempeh? Add the cooked tempeh to tortillas with an Asian slaw for a fun spin on Taco Tuesday!
More Asian-style recipes to try
Recipe
Asian Tempeh Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh squeezed
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 8 ounce tempeh
Instructions
- Combine tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, maple syrup and chili garlic sauce in a bowl or large plastic zipper bag.
- Cut the tempeh into cubes.
- Add the tempeh pieces to the marinade and toss to coat.
- Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the tempeh from the marinade and use one of the methods in the notes below to cook the tempeh.
Notes
- How to cook tempeh on the stove (preferred method):
- Heat a large skillet on the stove over high heat.
- Spray the skillet with cooking spray.
- Use tongs to remove the cubes of tempeh from the marinade and add them to the hot skillet.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, flip and continue to cook until all sounds are golden brown and caramelized.
- How to cook tempeh in the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use tongs to remove the cubes of tempeh from the marinade and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Place in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, flip the tempeh and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the tempeh from the oven and serve immediately.
- Tempeh should be marinated for at least 30 minutes before cooking. You can let the tempeh marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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