What is Tempeh? A Guide For Newbies

You’ve heard of tofu, but what is tempeh?

Tempeh is tofu’s more flavourful and exciting cousin and it has its own health benefits.

Plant-based sources of protein, including tempeh, have been growing in popularity in the last several years. More and more people are looking to add healthy, plant-based, environmentally-friendly and sustainable sources of protein in their diet.

What is Tempeh?

Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian soy-based product, but unlike tofu, is fermented. The fermentation of the soybean gives tempeh a unique, nutty flavor, and firmer texture, making it a nice addition to a plant-based diet. It’s made with whole cooked soybeans that are fermented with Rhizopus (a mold). The mold holds the fermented soybeans in a firm brick.

Health Benefits of Tempeh

All soy products are a great source of complete protein. A complete protein contains all the essential amino acids we need to build and maintain muscles and remain healthy. This is especially important for plant-based eaters because most complete protein sources come from animals.

A half-cup serving of tempeh contains as much as 16 grams of protein which is the most per serving for soy products! Tempeh is also high in manganese, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. On top of this, tempeh is low in saturated and trans fats, making it a great heart-healthy addition to your diet.

Nutrition Info for a 100g Serving of Tempeh

Tempeh has even more health benefits because of its fermentation during production. It has antibacterial properties once digested within our intestines, creating a healthy gut environment and preventing infection from bacteria. Tempeh is also known for preventing and reversing diarrhea due to illness or bacterial infection.

How to Use Tempeh

Tempeh is an extremely versatile addition to any diet, especially a plant-based diet. Tempeh is a practical source of protein because it can be used in so many different ways. Most soy foods have a very neutral flavor profile meaning they usually take on the flavor of the dish they’re in. Marinating tempeh overnight will make it very flavorful and be a great addition to your meal.

Grilled tempeh is a great addition to any salad for a punch of protein. Or try using a few slices of tempeh for the protein in a sandwich. Add chopped tempeh to a stir fry or quinoa bowl. A perfect plant-based protein source!

We’ve learned that tempeh is a fermented soy product with many health benefits, such as improved gut health and being a complete protein source. We also learned how to easily incorporate tempeh into our diets because of its versatility! Tempeh is a great addition to any diet but makes for an especially unique source of protein in a plant-based diet.

Have you tried tempeh? If you have, let us know in the comments how you like to prepare your tempeh!