Make chewy, sweet + smoky tempeh bacon with the easiest marinade – no liquid smoke! High in protein, pan-fry in under ten minutes.
It’s very not on brand for me to admit this, being a plant-based dietitian and all… but dang I could absolutely CRUSH like a half pack of bacon when I was a kid. Bacon was one of my favourite foods.
It’s a bit sweet, a bit smoky and I loved it chewy – not crispy – which was exactly the inspiration for this ridiculously easy tempeh bacon recipe. The marinade takes like 5 minutes to whip up from pantry ingredients and then it just sits in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
And if you’re new to tempeh, this is a great way to introduce yourself to this nutrient-dense plant-based protein because I know it can feel a little intimidating. Tempeh is actually so protein rich – typically about 18g protein per 100g serving – and packed with minerals like iron too!
This deeply savoury tempeh bacon is so great as a breakfast meal prep, whether you want to dress up a breakfast sandwich or add some extra protein to my 5 minute chickpea breakfast scramble. Aaaaand since I originally created this recipe for my vegan cobb salad, maybe, I dunno, check that one out too!
If you want more healthy plant-based recipes that are actually fun to eat, pick up a copy of my cookbook, Plant Magic!
A couple of tips to help you rock this vegan maple tempeh bacon
If you’ve never made tempeh bacon before, know that tempeh has quite an earthy flavour, although some lovely new tempeh brands like Tempea in Canada are exceedingly mild! But for standard tempeh, the key to neutralizing it is a flavourful marinade with acid, salt and sweet.
How long do you REALLY have to marinade? Over the years, I’ve tested the marinade from 30 minutes to 2 days and I find 1 hour is the minimum. And 6 hours or longer really helps infuse the flavour into the tempeh.
This tempeh bacon allows a bit of tempeh flavour to shine through without being too overly sauced. If you really want to pump up the flavour, once you’ve fried the tempeh, you can put the reserved marinade in the pan and let it bubble away and then add the fried tempeh back for a minute to glaze them.
More easy, flavourful tempeh recipes!
- Sweet + Spicy Vegan Lettuce Wraps with Tempeh
- Super Simple Kale + Tempeh Saute
Chewy Pan-fried Tempeh Bacon with Maple
Ingredients
- 7 oz package tempeh sliced into ¼ inch (½ cm) slices
- ¼ cup soy sauce or gluten free tamari
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder skip for low FODMAP or add a pinch of LoFo garlic flavour
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or your fave neutral cooking oil
Instructions
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In a sealable glass container, whisk up tamari, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, cumin and smoked paprika. Add sliced tempeh, seal and gently invert to coat tempeh with marinade.
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Marinate on counter for up to 1 hour or in the fridge for up to a day.
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When ready to cook, heat avocado oil in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Fry tempeh until golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes a side. Remove from heat.
Notes
Also, I’ve quoted 2 servings here if you’re using tempeh as your protein source…but if you just want a few slices as a side dish, you could serve up to 4 from one batch.
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