Crispy Tempeh “Bacon” Recipe

Okay, truth time. The first time I ate tempeh “bacon” I was new to a plant based diet and I was like… “this is not bacon”. Although I have become more used to it, tempeh certainly has a different texture than a smooth crisp piece of bacon. That said, this crispy tempeh bacon recipe is delicious with its bacon-like flavours and added texture!

Slightly charred & crispy
Smoky, nutty flavour
Easy preparation
And endless uses!

Ingredients

The main ingredient for this tempeh bacon recipe is of course, tempeh! I love buying smoked tempeh if I can find it but a plain tempeh will also work.

If you are new to eating tempeh, this food network article can answer some of your questions about what it is, its health benefits, and how to cook it. In short, tempeh is a fermented soy product so those little ovals you see throughout it are soy beans. Originating from Indonesia and Malaysia tempeh has been consumed for hundreds of years and is a complete protein.

Flavour wise, tempeh is quite nutty tasting but it also has a natural bitterness. For this reason, I suggest always steaming tempeh for about 15 minutes before cooking with it. This isn’t entirely necessary but I do find that it much improves the flavour. This way you taste the seasonings more so than the bitter flavour of the tempeh.

To give the tempeh a smoky bacon-like flavour I marinate it in:

• A touch of olive oil
• Tamari (or soy sauce)
• Vegan worcestershire sauce (or more soy sauce)
• Maple syrup
• Liquid smoke
• Smoked Paprika
• And a pinch of black pepper

How To Make Crispy Tempeh “Bacon”

As mentioned above, I like to start by steaming the block of tempeh to release some of that natural bitterness.

Meanwhile, mix the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish.

Slice your steamed tempeh as thinly as you can. Sometimes tempeh can crumble a little bit as you slice it because of those individually pressed soy beans. Do your best to slice it as thinly as you can without it crumbling on you!

Lay each slice in the marinade, turning the slices to fully coat. Allow the tempeh to marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight (in the fridge).

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet. Place the tempeh bacon slices on the baking sheet, baste with any leftover marinade, and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the pieces halfway through and baste again if you still have some marinade.

*Depending on how thinly you were able to slice the tempeh you may want to keep it in for up to 30 minutes to get as crispy as you’d like.

Recipe Cost

For most of my recipes the plant based version tends to be more cost effective than the traditional version. This is one instance where, at least for me, tempeh is priced higher than traditional bacon.

This recipe makes 225 grams (or about 20-26 small slices of “bacon”) and costs us just under $6 Canadian. 225 grams of traditional bacon would cost me around $3.

Admittedly, I tend to cook more with tofu than tempeh because I find tempeh to be higher priced. As a treat though, I love having this as an option.

Also, there is a plant-based store-bought bacon product that I could buy which would cost me $8.99 for 200 grams. So in comparison to a store-bought vegan product, this version is still cost effective.

Uses For Crispy Tempeh Bacon

The most traditional use for this bacon substitute would be to enjoy it alongside my 10 Minute Tofu Breakfast Scramble or my Scramble & Spuds Breakfast Bowl.

For those special breakfasts, try it on my delicious Vegan Eggs Benedict! And why not have it for lunch as part of a Vegan “BLT” Sandwich!

Let me know in the comments below how you enjoy your crispy tempeh bacon!

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