• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

our recipes + your inbox = the eatmail

Join now

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

  • About
  • Contact

Live Eat Learn

Easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time

free ebook

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

  • Recipe Index
  • Vegetarian 101
  • Travel
  • Meal Plans
  • Course
    • Breakfasts
    • Lunches
    • Dinners
    • Appetizers
    • Sweets
    • Drinks
  • Diet
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Raw
    • Vegan
  • Season
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Ingredient
    • Avocado
    • Bean
    • Cauliflower
    • Chickpeas
    • Eggplant
    • Mushroom
    • Tofu
    • Quinoa
    • View All
  • Collections
    • All Time Favorites
    • Air Frying
    • Budget Friendly
    • Comfort Food
    • High Protein
    • Meal Prep
    • Meatless Monday
    • View All
  • Visit our kombucha site
    Visit our dog food blog
Home Eat Dinners

Buffalo Tempeh Tenders

4.85 from 13 votes
Recipe Print Share
Share on:
By: Sarah BondUpdated: Jun 05, 2022 14 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

These Buffalo Tempeh Tenders are baked to crispy perfection and slathered in buffalo sauce to make the most addictive vegetarian comfort food!

Tempeh tenders in a red basket with ranch dip and celery sticks

I originally made these Buffalo Tempeh Tenders years ago, back when I first started cooking with tempeh.

But, they just weren’t all the could be. Where I wanted them to be mock-chicken tenders, indistinguishable from their meaty counterparts, the original just tasted like…tempeh.

So we went back to the drawing board to retested the recipes to get them juuuust write. I think you’re going to love them!

Tempeh tenders in a red basket with ranch dip and celery sticks

Here’s What You’ll Need

  • Tempeh: With more taste and texture than tofu, tempeh is a hearty meat alternative. If you’re not a fan of tempeh, you can substitute extra firm tofu.
  • Buffalo sauce: My favorite is Franks RedHot, but you can use whichever you fancy!
  • Breading: We’re baking these tenders rather than frying, meaning we’ll do some basic breading to get them crunchy. You’ll need all-purpose flour, egg (or flax egg for a vegan option), and panko bread crumbs.
  • To serve: And because no tenders are complete without a good sauce, I love to serve mine with ranch or bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks. Here’s a fun recipe for homemade ranch dressing (made with kefir!)

You can serve these Buffalo Tempeh Tenders by themselves, or as a salad topper, or on a sandwich, or in your weekly meal prep. The possibilities are endless here, friends. Enjoy!

A hand dipping tempeh tenders in a red basket with ranch dip and celery sticks

How to make tempeh tenders

Step 1 (Optional): Steam
Prepare a steamer basket on the stove. Cut tempeh into thin rectangular tenders. Place tempeh in a single layer in the basket, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. This is an optional step, but helps to remove the bitter flavor of tempeh, while also helping the marinade to soak into the tempeh better.

Tempeh tenders in a steamer basket

Step 2: Marinate
Place tempeh in a deep dish and cover with buffalo sauce, tossing to evenly coat. Let the tempeh marinate for at least 1 hour (or up to 12) in the fridge.

Marinating tempeh in a glass container

Step 3: Prep
Preheat oven to 375 °F (190°C). Shake excess sauce from the tempeh and set on a plate, reserving the buffalo sauce marinade. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl, egg in another bowl, and panko in the last bowl, with a parchment-lined baking sheet at the end. Getting your breading station set up is crucial for making the breading process smooth and easy!

Step 4: Bread
Coat each tempeh tender lightly in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, and set on the baking sheet. I like to use a fork for this to prevent my fingers from getting too gunky. (Pro tip! Use two forks – one for the wet ingredients and one for the dry. This will prevent the fork from getting caked on breading!)

Dipping tempeh in a bowl of flour
Dipping tempeh in a bowl of egg
Dipping tempeh in a bowl of panko

Step 5: Bake
Bake for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. Brush each tender with remaining buffalo sauce, then return to the oven for 5 minutes, until slightly dry.

Brushing tempeh tenders with buffalo sauce on a baking sheet.
Red tempeh tenders on a baking sheet
Tempeh tenders in a red basket with ranch dip and celery sticks

Pro tip: Serve these tempeh tenders on a classic Buffalo Tempeh Sandwich!

Tempeh tenders in a red basket with celery

Buffalo Tempeh Tenders

4.85 from 13 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Author: Sarah Bond
Calories: 425kcal
Servings: 2 servings
Print Rate
These Buffalo Tempeh Tenders are baked to crispy perfection and slathered in buffalo sauce to make the most addictive vegetarian comfort food!

Ingredients

  • 1 8-oz package tempeh 226 g
  • ¾ cup buffalo sauce 170 mL
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour 65 g
  • ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
  • 1 large egg or flax egg*
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 50 g
  • To serve: ranch or bleu cheese, celery

Instructions 

  • Steam (Optional): Prepare a steamer basket on the stove. Cut tempeh into thin rectangular tenders. Place tempeh in a single layer in the basket, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. This is optional, but helps to remove the bitter flavor of tempeh!
  • Marinate: Place tempeh in a deep dish and cover with buffalo sauce, tossing to evenly coat. Let marinate at least 1 hour (or up to 12) in the fridge.
  • Prep: Preheat oven to 375 °F (190°C). Shake excess sauce from the tempeh and set on a plate, reserving the buffalo sauce marinade. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl, egg in another bowl, and panko in the last bowl, with a parchment-lined baking sheet at the end.
  • Bread: Coat each tempeh tender lightly in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, and set on the baking sheet.
  • Bake: Bake for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. Brush each tender with remaining buffalo sauce, then return to the oven for 5 minutes, until slightly dry.

Tips & Tricks

*Make this recipe vegan by using flax egg. Combine 1 Tbsp flax seed meal and 2.5 Tbsp water. Let thicken for 10 minutes then use in place of the egg.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving Calories: 425kcal (21%) Carbohydrates: 46.1g (15%) Protein: 28.9g (58%) Fat: 15.6g (24%) Saturated Fat: 3.4g (21%) Cholesterol: 93mg (31%) Sodium: 502mg (22%) Potassium: 534mg (15%) Fiber: 1.3g (5%) Sugar: 0.8g (1%) Calcium: 130mg (13%) Iron: 5.2mg (29%)
Did You Make This?

Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating Pin on Pinterest

You may also like...

  • Tempeh sandwich on a white board
    Buffalo Tempeh Sandwiches
  • Collage of vegetarian taco recipes
    11 Best Vegetarian Taco Recipes
  • Meal prep containers with broccoli, chili, and bulgur on a red background - This vegan Tempeh Chili Meal Prep is ready in 30 minutes and takes care of lunch for the week (plus it's like...really tasty).
    Tempeh Chili Meal Prep
  • This Tempeh Tacos recipe tastes just like meat, and with Avocado Kiwi Salsa, it's a refreshingly unique and delicious meal you're going to love.
    Tempeh Tacos with Avocado Kiwi Salsa
Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Rate this Recipe:




  1. Sonia says

    Posted on 11/6 at 7:20 pm

    This recipe is really delicious. I’m finding myself making them all the time.5 stars

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      Posted on 11/7 at 12:09 pm

      So happy to hear, Sonia! Enjoy! 😀

  2. Jessica says

    Posted on 8/12 at 11:50 pm

    Great buffalo sauce flavor on these tempeh tenders! I did sub egg with flaxseed egg to keep them vegan and the flaxseed egg became a little clumpy! I imagine a regular egg works better. I am also curious if frying them would make them a bit more crispy and browned. Overall they were very taster!4 stars

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      Posted on 8/13 at 6:34 pm

      I bet frying them would be delish! So happy you liked them though, flaxseeds and all! 😀

    • Foster says

      Posted on 12/12 at 7:08 pm

      Hello, I just encountered this same issue. My solution was to add slightly more water to the flax egg and dilute it a little more, worked perfectly! I am also going to try putting mine in the air fryer, instead of oven. Great recipe!

    • madilyn says

      Posted on 3/15 at 6:11 pm

      Hi Jessica I just made these on 450 for 10 minutes using panko breadcrumbs and they were super crunchy! Hope this helps 🙂

  3. pallav says

    Posted on 1/10 at 2:00 pm

    Looks delicious. Will make it soon!5 stars

    Reply
  4. madilyn says

    Posted on 3/15 at 6:08 pm

    It was so good!5 stars

    Reply
  5. Karen Moorhead says

    Posted on 8/25 at 11:04 am

    I loved this and I’m new to cooking tempeh, so this was a great first try.5 stars

    Reply
  6. Mike says

    Posted on 12/15 at 5:31 pm

    375 seemed way to cold. It took mine more like 45 min to cook.4 stars

    Reply
  7. MAI says

    Posted on 6/18 at 9:25 am

    How long do these last?

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 6/20 at 9:32 am

      About 3 to 5 days in the fridge!

  8. silver says

    Posted on 9/14 at 7:25 pm

    Amazing recipe! I was a bit tight on time so I mixed the hot sauce with enough vegan chicken stock to cover them in a lasagna pan (I doubled the recipe so two blocks fit perfect) and baked the tempeh strips at 425 for 15 mins on each side. They came out super tender, flavourful and ready for the breading. I used sorghum flour because it’s all I had, about 2 tbsp of flax meal with some water until I reached the desired consistency then finished with the panko breadcrumbs, as written. This is totally my favourite way to enjoy vegan buffalo tenders or wings, much better than cauliflower or tofu, in my opinion. Very filling as well and wholesome! Thank you for sharing xx5 stars

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 9/15 at 8:24 am

      Yay! I’m so happy to hear it, Silver! 😀

Primary Sidebar

Hello

I'm Sarah

A flavor-loving nutritionist and sensory science specialist showing you how to make easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time.

Let's Meet

Freebie alert!

3 reader-favorite cookbooks delivered straight to your inbox.

Get in now!

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

Plate full of crispy chickpeas with a wooden spoon.

15 Minute Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

Personal size mozzarella pizza cooked in an air fryer

Air Fryer Pizza

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Brussels sprouts on a plate with wooden serving spoons.

The Best 15 Minute Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Kale chips on a white plate.

10 Minute Air Fryer Kale Chips

Dinner This Week

Vegan tikka masala with naan and rice in a white bowl

M

Chickpea Tikka Masala

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

T

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

Vegan Thai red curry in a bowl on a red background

W

Thai Vegetarian Coconut Curry

Vegan nachos on a black plate on a white background - These vegan nachos are piled high with easy mushroom BBQ "pulled pork" and a cashew-based queso cheese sauce that will knock your dairy-free socks off.

R

BBQ Mushroom Pulled Pork

Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos

F

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

Lemon risotto in a bowl with basil on a yellow background

S

Lemon Basil Risotto

As featured on:

3 bonus books!

Join our Eatmail newsletter to get free copies of our top 3 cookbooks, new recipes, exclusive meal plans, and more!

Follow Along

  • Easy Vegetarian Facebook Group
  • Kombucha Brewers Facebook Group
Back to Top
  • Web Stories
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Collaborate
© 2023 Live Eat Learn
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Support by Foodie Digital
1.5K shares