Easy Tempeh Bacon

To ensure smoky, salty, sweet flavor, we infused the tempeh with lots of tamari, liquid smoke, black pepper, maple syrup, and a dash of cayenne for a bit of heat. Once baked, you have tender bacon strips with crisp edges and major flavor ready for brunch, scrambles, sandwiches, and beyond! Just 8 ingredients required. Let us show you how it’s done.

Origin of Tempeh

Fun fact: Tempeh originated in Central or East Java, Indonesia, sometime around 1800 (source). It’s a fermented soy product that’s made of cooked, dehulled soybeans that are inoculated with mold, packed, and incubated until the beans are bound together by the mycelium. Sounds like weird science, but this fermentation process makes nutrients more available to your body. Plus, tempeh is rich in prebiotics, which are known to promote gut health. It also boasts a whole range of other health benefits, including its iron and calcium content (source).

How to Make Tempeh Bacon

It all starts with the marinade. Made with a combination of savory, sweet, and smoky elements, it infuses the tempeh bacon with so much flavor! Tamari is the salty, savory component, maple syrup adds a subtle sweetness, and liquid smoke and paprika make it smoky. While avocado oil adds richness and prevents sticking, black pepper and optional cayenne provide a little heat that’s reminiscent of pepper bacon. The marinade is used to coat strips of thinly sliced tempeh. Using a pastry brush can be helpful for thoroughly coating the tempeh. After marinating, the tempeh strips are baked, flipped, brushed with additional marinade, and baked once more. When they come out of the oven, the strips are nicely browned and slightly crispy — yum! We hope you LOVE this tempeh bacon! It’s:SmokySaltySubtly sweetCrispy on the edgesProtein-rich (8 grams per serving)& SO delicious! It’s perfect for brunch, mixed into (or served alongside) scrambles, on sandwiches, and beyond! Make it a meal by serving with fresh fruit and our Vegan Scrambled Eggs and The BEST Crispy Hash Browns (Restaurant Style!).