This easy recipe for fried tempeh made me a fan after avoiding cooking with tempeh for years. Now I eat it at least once a week.

I don’t mean to say that before I had never eaten store-bought tempeh, aka fermented whole soybeans molded together. I used to fry it in a pan with barbecue sauce, and that was fine, but this version is so much simpler and versatile.

Making fried tempeh with this quick process takes about five minutes. The final result tastes a bit like chicken and can be used in its place as a vegan protein in salads and sandwiches. However tempeh is not highly processed like faux meats so it is healthier.

The chef David Zilber shared this cooking method during a Master Class on gut health. The entire program was one of the most interesting things I’ve seen on TV. It covers the impact of diet on microbes that live in our gut and have a huge impact on health. This recipe, just one aspect of the show, was a welcome bonus.

Fried Tempeh Ingredients

This is one of the easiest foods you can make for dinner or lunch. Eat it over rice, in a sandwich or salad.

  • One package of store-bought tempeh, about 8 oz.
  • 2 Tbs canola oil
  • Pinch of sea salt
    • browned tempeh fried in canola oil
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    Fried Tempeh

    This recipe for fried tempeh comes from the former head of fermentationat the restaurant noma. It is a fantastically simple, seemingly obvious way ofpreparing a vegan staple that otherwise for me can sometimes seem too bland.For some reason, frying it in a bit of oil makes all the difference and makesme excited to use it in so many foods from sandwiches to tacos and salads. Thisis one of the fastest, easiest things to cook.
    Prep Time1 min
    Active Time5 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Keyword: vegan protein, vegan recipe
    Yield: 2 people
    Calories: 324kcal
    Cost: $5

    Materials

    • 1 pack tempeh
    • 2 tbs canola oil
    • 1 pinch sea salt

    Instructions

    • Put oil in a frying pan and heat on medium-high heat
    • When oil glistens, add tempeh
    • Cook tempeh for two to three minutes on each side to brown the tempeh
    • Salt the tempeh with sea salt to taste
    • Blot the tempeh and slice. You can cut tempeh into strips like a steak or chop it into cubes.
    • Eat with vegetables, rice, soy sauce and more.