Cooks Class: Tempeh

If you haven’t tried tempeh before, I don’t blame you. Although it’s becoming a much more popular food item, the un-known of how to prepare it can turn you away. Tempeh, hailing from Indonesia, is a nutrient cake made with fermented soybeans. It has a nutty flavor and nougat like texture. It’s also packed with protein, soy, manganese and riboflavin. But, that’s not the main reason DK loves it so much… it’s also a very inexpensive source of protein with zero cholesterol or saturated fat ($1.99 a lb at my Trader Joe’s in California).

So, onto the main question at hand: how do you cook it? I sometimes forget that while I enjoy quirky ingredients, they are not of mainstream know-how. Today’s post is a back to basics approach in learning how to prepare tempeh for my taco salad recipe.

Tempeh is showing up in more and more grocery stores around the country. Look for it near the refrigerated tofu section. As with all soy products, you should really try to only purchase organic soy. I’m definitely not a stickler on using only organic produce but I am really adamant about organic soy. Non-organic soy is a genetically modified organism (GMO) and as bad for your health as it is for the planet. This now motivates me to write a post on GMO’s but until I explain in more detail, try to only purchase soy items that are organic or specifically say Non-GMO.

this Recipe

I almost always steam my tempeh first before using it. I find that softening it this way allows for better flavor absorption. Set up a steamer like you would for any food item. Cut the 1lb tempeh package in 1/2 and place in steamer basket. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.

Remove the tempeh from the steam basket and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Depending on what you want to do with it, there are different approaches you can take. I often use tempeh to replace ground meat in dishes like tacos, spaghetti, sloppy joe’s, ect. If you want to use it as crumbles, you can grate it on a wide cheese grater, use a food processor or chop it finely. You can also leave it as steaks, add a sauce or seasoning, then bake or fry.

From here, I added the chopped tempeh to a large frying pan, with a can of pinto beans and taco seasoning. This is a really easy filling and can be used to make burritos, enchiladas, tacos, taquitos, ect. I love to make a salad with this filling plus lettuce, corn, salsa, and my own 1,000 Isle dressing.

What are your favorite ways to prepare tempeh? Let me know when you try this and how you like it!

The Ultimate Plant-Based Protein Cookbook + Course

(Includes 40+ recipes!)

LEARN MORE

FREE 7-DAY COURSE + COOKBOOK