Our Crispy Tempeh is such a great protein to incorporate into your diet if you haven't yet. Air Fryer Tempeh is a simple yet delicious recipe to enjoy this plant-based ingredient. Easy, quick, and it comes out tasty and with a crispy texture! Enjoy it on its own, or serve it with your favorite salads, curries, or noodle dishes.
It took me a while to get to love Tempeh. The first few times I tried this soy-based protein, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. The flavor - a bit tangy and much stronger than tofu - put me off it for a while. Also, tempeh wasn't widely available in Spain until recently. Nowadays, you can find it in most supermarkets and health food shops.
Eventually, I decided to give tempeh another chance to discover that when slightly marinated and nicely cooked, it makes for a great addition to your vegan and vegetarian dishes. Our kids are still getting used to it; they generally prefer tofu, but some days, depending on how we marinate it, they love it.
We’ve found that cooking tempeh in an air fryer is a game changer. It gives it a crispy texture without the risk of overcooking, which can sometimes happen in a pan. This has become our go-to method for preparing tempeh, and we hope it becomes yours too!
Ingredients
Tempeh. For this recipe, we recommend using unflavored tempeh. Some tempeh brands sell it already seasoned, but we like adding our seasoning. You can find tempeh in most supermarkets, health food stores, or online.
Curry powder. This is our special touch. We got inspired by one of our favorite spots in Malaysia. They served the tempeh coated with curry powder. We have been cooking tempeh like this since we tried it!
Vegetable oil. To air fry, you won't need much oil. We use olive oil, but you can alternatively use coconut oil, avocado oil, or another type of vegetable oil.
Salt and black pepper.
Cooking Method
Cut the block of tempeh into bite-sized pieces.
In a mixing bowl, combine the curry powder, salt, pepper, and oil. Add the cubed tempeh and toss until they’re well coated in the spice mixture.
Preheat your air fryer to 375F (190C). Place the marinated tempeh pieces in the air fryer basket on a single layer.
Air fry for 10-15 minutes, shaking occasionally, until golden brown on all sides. Adjust the cooking time depending on the size of your tempeh cubes.
Air Fryer Tempeh
Ingredients
- 9 oz tempeh
- 1 ½ tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoon neutral oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cut the tempeh into bite-sized pieces.9 oz tempeh
- In a bowl, mix the curry powder, salt, pepper, and oil. Toss until they’re well coated in the spice mixture.1 ½ tablespoon curry powder, 2 teaspoon neutral oil, Salt and pepper
- Preheat your air fryer to 375F (190C).
- Place the tempeh pieces in the air fryer basket, making sure they’re not overlapping.
- Air fry for 10 minutes, shaking occasionally, until golden brown on all sides.
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Nutrition
Variations to our Air Fryer Tempeh
- Make it spicy: Add a teaspoon of chili powder or cayenne pepper to the spice mixture for a spicy kick, or serve with a spicy dipping sauce such as sriracha mayo, or a hot sauce.
- Flavor the tempeh with dried herbs: Mix in a tablespoon of dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, or oregano.
- Sweet and Savory Tempeh: Add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey to the spice mixture.
- Choose a different seasoning ingredient. We like using curry powder, and for us, is a delicious way to flavor the tempeh, but of course, there are many other options that are equally delicious that you can try: Soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid smoke, cumin, five-spice powder, or sweet paprika are other ingredients that will flavor the tempeh in a fantastic way.
- Use Air Fryer Tempeh to make vegan bacon. You can marinate tempeh strips with soy sauce and liquid smoke to create a plant-based version of bacon. Kiipfit has a mouth-watering recipe for Air Fryer Tempeh Bacon.
Serving Suggestions
Our favorite way to serve this crispy tempeh is as an appetizer, or snack. We also cook it this way to add the tempeh to our favorite Asian meals, such as Teriyaki tempeh, ramen, curries, stir-fries, or noodle salads.
To serve the Air Fryer Tempeh as an appetizer or snack, you'll need a delicious dipping sauce to go with it. We highly recommend trying this Gochujang Mayo if you like spicy food, or you can serve it with a simple sweet chili sauce, peanut sauce, mayonnaise, bbq sauce, or even ketchup.
Other serving suggestions:
- Wraps: You can add air-fried tempeh to your wraps to add protein and a delicious touch.
- Grain bowls: If you want a hearty grain bowl, adding tempeh is a great way to complete it with this delicious curry tempeh.
Store and reheat
When we make Air Fryer Tempeh, which is normally every second week, it doesn't last more than two days. We love having it as a snack while cooking or in the evening.
You can store the air-fried tempeh using an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat the tempeh, use the air fryer, or the microwave. We prefer using the air fryer, as it reheats the tempeh maintaining the crispiness.
FAQ
We have a Ninja Air Fryer and are honestly very happy with it. It works well, and it has different functions that we often use, such as reheating or baking. If you are looking into buying an Air Fryer, we recommend checking this post from Homes & Gardens, in which we participated, to avoid common buying mistakes.
Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans. Fermented food improves your gut bacteria, and according to WebMD, this complete plant-based protein has many health benefits, containing a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. Due to its rich nutrient profile, Tempeh is considered to be healthier than tofu.
You can keep cooked tempeh for about 4 days when it has been safely stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Tempeh is a fermented plant-based protein, and some people find it hard to tell when it is no longer good. When tempeh has an off odor, becomes soft, mushy, or slimy, has a slightly pink discoloration, or the beans become brown, you should throw it away, as it won't be safe for consumption.
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