Tempeh

Also called tempe

Tempeh is made from cultured, fermented soybeans and has a firm, spongy texture. It can be crisp or soft when cooked, and cooks braise, deep-fry, grill, steam, or stir-fry it. It pairs with garlic and coriander seed.

Allergen: soy

About the plain ingredient, not packaged products; general information, not medical advice. Details

Category: Condiments & seasonings
Made from: Soy bean
Texture: Firm, spongy, crisp
Cooked most in: Asia
Top country: Indonesia
Dishes: 10 in the catalogue
Energy: 192 kcal per 100 g

Photo: Veganbaking.net from USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In the kitchen

How to use Tempeh

Typical ways to cook or use it

Braise
Deep fry
Grill
Steam
Stir fry

Preparing it

Cut tempeh into pieces and soak it in brine or a salty sauce before frying. Grate tempeh for use in place of ground beef.

Cooking with it

Thin slices develop a crisp crust and retain a soft center when deep-fried.

Goes well with

Flavour

Taste and texture

Texture

Firm
Spongy

Texture, cooked

Crisp
Soft

Shopping

Choosing and storing Tempeh

Keeping it

Fridge · whole
Freezer · whole

Sold as: Fresh

Nutrition

What 100 g of Tempeh holds

Per 100 g. Averages from USDA; real values vary by variety, season and growing conditions.

Protein 52%Fat 28%Carbohydrate 20%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of Tempeh
Energy	192 kcal · 803 kJ
Protein	20 g
Fat	11 g
of which saturated	2.5 g
Carbohydrate	7.6 g
Sodium	9 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of Tempeh: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	412 mg
Calcium	111 mg
Iron	2.7 mg
Magnesium	81 mg
Zinc	1.1 mg
Folate	24 µg
Vitamin B12	0.08 µg

Cooked

Protein 51%Fat 29%Carbohydrate 20%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of Tempeh, cooked
Energy	195 kcal · 817 kJ
Protein	20 g
Fat	11 g
of which saturated	3.4 g
Carbohydrate	7.6 g
Sodium	14 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of Tempeh, cooked: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	401 mg
Calcium	96 mg
Iron	2.1 mg
Magnesium	77 mg
Zinc	1.6 mg
Folate	21 µg
Vitamin B12	0.14 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central (foods 174272, 172467), public domain. Minerals and vitamins are listed only where USDA measured a non-zero amount.

Around the world

Where Tempeh is cooked

10 dishes in the catalogue use Tempeh. Here is where they come from.

Dishes by continent

Asia10

Countries whose dishes use it most

Indonesia 10

Counts are catalogued dishes from each country that list Tempeh among their ingredients.

Origins

About 1700 · Indonesia
Tempeh was commonly eaten around 1700 in Central Java.

On the table

Dishes made with Tempeh

10 dishes in the catalogue use it.

Gado-gado
Indonesia
Nasi langgi
Indonesia
Rujak cingur
Indonesia
Tempe orek
Indonesia
Ambal satay
Indonesia
Rojak
Indonesia
Gulai tauco
Indonesia
Mendol
Indonesia
Nasi tumpang
Indonesia
Tumpeng
Indonesia

Dish lists come from Wikidata; a dish counts when its recorded ingredients include Tempeh.

Good to know

Diet and allergens: Tempeh in detail

These notes describe the plain ingredient. Packaged and prepared products vary, so read the label; for allergies and medical diets ask a doctor or dietitian.

Allergens: Contains: soy
Animal origin: No animal ingredients foundChecked and not found: egg, fish, meat, dairy, honey, insect, poultry, shellfish, other animal.
Caffeine: None

Family

Related forms

Made from: soy bean (cultured, fermented)