Buffalo Tempeh Tenders

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

I originally made these Buffalo Tempeh Tenders years ago, back when I first started cooking with tempeh.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

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!

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.

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.

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!)

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.

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