Tempeh Bacon
This tempeh bacon doesn't play around. It fries up with a crisp you can hear, and flavor that gets up in your business—smoky, salty, just sweet enough to keep you grabbing another strip off the plate.
Servings: 16 Slices
Calories: 54kcal
Cost: $4.50
Equipment
- Mandoline optional
Ingredients
- 8 oz. Tempeh use a non-crumbly variety, like soy tempeh
Bacon Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons tamari or other soy sauce of your preference
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
To fry the bacon:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil vegetable oil, or sunflower oil
Instructions
- Using a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife, slice the tempeh into thin, even sheets, approximately 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick.
- Cut those sheets into long, irregular strips that are more natural than perfect rectangles.
- In a cup or bowl, whisk together the tamari, toasted sesame oil, liquid smoke, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, molasses, sriracha, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Place the tempeh strips into a pie pan or wide shallow bowl and cover with the marinade. Turn each piece to coat all sides evenly. Let marinate for 20 minutes, carefully flipping once halfway through.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. After 90 seconds when the oil is hot, place several tempeh strips in the skillet without overlapping. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until browned and crisp on the edges. Repeat with the remaining tempeh, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.
- Place all cooked tempeh back into the pan and pour any remaining marinade over it. Continue cooking until all liquid has either absorbed or evaporated.
- Transfer the cooked strips to a clean kitchen towel or rack to cool and stiffen briefly before serving.
Notes
🔪 What What in the Cut:
Cut the tempeh into consistently thin 0.5 cm slices to keep the cooking even and texture on point. A mandoline makes this fast and precise.
🍳 Fry Hard with a Vengeance:
Don’t crowd the pan—each strip needs room to sizzle. Overlapping causes steam, not crisp.
🔥 The Heat Is On:
Medium-high heat gives you that golden crust without scorching the sugars in the marinade. High heat can go burnt and bitter, fast.
🧊 Cool Runnings:
Rest the tempeh on a wire rack for a minute before serving. It crisps as it cools, locking in that firm, snackable texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg