Name: Tempeh Marinade
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup oil olive or avocado; ½ cup maple syrup; 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon liquid smoke; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

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This simple 5 minute Tempeh Marinade is the perfect way to spice up any plant-based protein source. It's great on tofu, tempeh, or roasted veggies. The whole family is sure to love it!

Photo of Tempeh Marinade in a small glass jar, with a spoon in the jar. There is air fryer tofu in the background and a kitchen towel in the foreground.

Why This Tempeh Marinade Recipe is So Good

There's no protein that isn't better marinated. I love whipping up this simple Tempeh Marinade to bring tons of flavor to my dinner.
This easy soybean protein is super versatile, and it soaks up this 5-ingredient marinade in minutes.
I call this my tempeh marinade, but I use it on tons of things! Tofu also absorbs all these flavors beautifully, and it's perfect on asparagus or broccoli, too. I always have a jar ready in my fridge for weeknight dinner emergencies.

Tips and Tricks for Making Tempeh Marinade

I always use vegan Worcestershire sauce. No anchovies here! If you are gluten-free make sure your sauce is labeled gf.
I love using liquid smoke. It adds so much smokey flavor with just a few drops.
Every marinade needs a little sweetness, and maple syrup is my favorite. It has such a rich depth of flavor.
What's the difference between tofu and tempeh? Tofu has a very neutral flavor and can absorb any marinade you choose. Tempeh, however, has a nutty, earthy flavor thanks to the fermented soy beans and has more chew than tofu.
If you think tempeh is too bitter, throw it in a steamer and cook it for about 15 minutes. I tend to do this after it's marinated. I'm not trying to make dinner harder!
I tend to sauté or bake my tempeh because it gives it that perfect crunch. You can always do this after steaming, too.

Top view photo of Tempeh Marinade in a small glass jar, with a spoon in the jar. There is tempeh to the right of the jar and a kitchen towel to the left.

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Tempeh Marinade

Yield: 1 marinade

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

This simple 5 minute Tempeh Marinade is the perfect way to spice up any plant-based protein source. It's great on tofu, tempeh, or roasted veggies. The whole family is sure to love it!

Ingredients

½ cup oil olive or avocado
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Whisk all the ingredients together. Store in your refrigerator until it's time to marinate.

Notes

How to Cook Tempeh

Cut tempeh into square, rectangles, or even fun shapes for kids!
Put tempeh pieces into a container and marinate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Line a lipped baking sheet with parchment paper and put marinated tempeh on top. Bake at 425 degrees F for 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven, flip, brush on more sauce, put back in the oven for 8-10 more minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1714Total Fat: 138gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 114gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 227mgCarbohydrates: 130gFiber: 14gSugar: 101gProtein: 4g

Insanely Easy Recipes occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only.