How To Marinate Tempeh (Ultimate Flavor Guide!)

This is the ultimate guide to marinated tempeh, with 8 easy tempeh marinades you’ll LOVE! Perfect for baking, sautéing, air frying, or grilling!

There are so many ways we flavor things like chicken, right? But did you know that they all work really well as tempeh marinades as well? I think of tempeh and tofu as blank canvases for vegetarians and vegans because they soak up marinade so well. Whether it’s taco night or you’re craving Indian food, I’ve got you covered with these 8 delicious tempeh marinades.

Once you know how to marinate tempeh, nothing can stop you from creating new flavor options. Plus once you’ve added flavor, you can decide which method is best for cooking things up. Whether you air fry, bake, or saute, you’ll be locking in those delicious flavors (here’s how guide to cooking tempeh).

Tempeh Marinade Ingredients

All the ingredients for these tempeh marinade recipes are super easy to find, and likely in your pantry already. Keep a stash of freezer bags on hand – I think they make marinating proteins so much easier than a bowl.

• Tempeh: Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh has a nutty flavor and lots of chew, making it the perfect protein for many meals.
• Flavors: We’ll jump into details below, but let’s just say we will travel the globe with our eight flavor varieties!

How to make the Best Tempeh Marinades

It’s as easy as opening a bag and tossing stuff in! You can choose to whisk or mix your marinades in a bowl first if you’d like, or just squish it all up in the bag. I’m all for fewer dirty dishes.

Step 1: Cut
Cut your tempeh into cubes or triangles, whichever you prefer. I like to plan ahead to how I’m serving and make sure the shape fits the meal – like slabs for sandwiches or cubes for stir fry. Most tempeh is fairly flat already due to how it’s made, making it easy to slice and dice.

Step 2: Steam
Steam in a basket over water for about 10 minutes. This will help tone down some of the bitterness from the fermentation process. This is totally optional but will ensure that your marinade flavors really come through.

Step 3: Mix
Select a marinade from the list below and mix it up!

Step 4: Assemble
Add the cut tempeh to a large bowl or zippered top bag and pour in your marinade. Either use a spoon or squish the bag around to make sure every piece is coated in flavor. I like to let it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking. Feel free to start the night before to really let things absorb.

Step 5: Cook
Prepare your cooking vessel and then pull out your tempeh pieces and heat them up. A bonus of using this vegan protein is that your leftover marinade isn’t contaminated with raw meat bacteria, so you can always use it in your meal, especially for something like a stir fry where you want extra sauce. (Here’s how to cook tempeh!)

Smoked Bacon Tempeh Marinade

Smoked paprika and liquid smoke add that bit of kick you need (combined with maple syrup) to make a wonderfully warm bacon flavor. I like to slice the tempeh in long strips before marinating and then saute in a pan so it actually looks like bacon. It would be perfect served alongside Cottage Cheese Omelettes or Egg Muffin Cups.

Sesame Ginger Tempeh Marinade

Sesame oil is key to the perfect Asian marinade. This sesame ginger variation also contains ginger and brown sugar – you won’t be able to get enough. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh in Sesame Ginger Marinade would all be perfect on a Buddha Bowl. Try mixing it into Fried Rice for easy meal prep.

BBQ Tempeh Marinade

BBQ marinade couldn’t be easier. I thin out my favorite barbecue sauce with vinegar and add some zing with fresh garlic. Keep your tempeh in larger slabs here and you can grill it outside in summer. It’s the perfect vegan option for when you have a lot of guests over. Pair it with a light Summer Vegetable Salad and Grilled Broccoli Salad!

Herby Balsamic Tempeh Marinade

It’s pasta night! This olive oil & balsamic combo will make your heart sing. Serve along with a caprese salad or why not pop it right into a Caprese Panini? You can also pick your choice of noodles and top both pasta and tempeh with the Best Homemade Marinara.

Fajita Tempeh Marinade

Chili powder, lime juice, avocado oil – those all scream Mexican flavors to me, especially for Taco Tuesday! Obviously, since I’ve named this marinade after fajitas, it would be perfect to add to Vegetable Fajitas. Fajitas are one of the easiest meals to serve to a crowd because everyone can customize their plates. Cut your tempeh in long strips for fajitas or go with cubes and toss them on a burrito bowl with cauliflower rice.

Garlic & Herb Tempeh Marinade

Yup, I put 6 cloves of garlic in this marinade! Paired with Italian seasoning, I’d love to cube this tempeh up bite-size and whip up some Pizza Dough, then add plenty of Parmesan and maybe pesto. The best thing about this type of meal is that you can make up each part as you have time and then when it’s time to cook you already have all the parts ready and just need to assemble.

Tandoori Tempeh Marinade

Garam masala, garlic, coriander, and more all combine to make a really delightful Indian-inspired tempeh marinade. Serve this up with a bunch of delicious textures and watch everyone dig in with delight:

• Homemade Naan
• Chipotle Copycat Cauliflower Rice
• Homemade Greek Yogurt

Cilantro & Lime Tempeh Marinade

Just look at all that beautiful greenery! Fresh cilantro has to be my favorite herb of all time. I think cubed and seared cilantro lime tempeh would be a great way to add protein to Avocado Soup or on top of Spanish Rice. And don’t forget – pop this into your Crispy Avocado Tacos. The crunchy-creamy avocado will contrast nicely with chewy tempeh.