Tempeh Bacon

• porții: 4
• timp activ: 10 mins
• timp total: 25 minutes

Ingrediente

1 (8-ounce/230g) block tempeh (see Ingredient Note 1)

2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral-flavored oil of choice, divided

3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (see Ingredient Note 2)

1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup

2 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil (see Ingredient Note 3)

2 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke (see Ingredient Note 4)

¾ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for a little heat)

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Smoked sea salt for finishing (optional)

Instrucțiuni

Make the marinade. Whisk the oil, sesame oil, vinegar, maple syrup, tamari/soy sauce, salt, cayenne, onion powder, smoked paprika, and liquid smoke together in a medium bowl.

Next, slice the tempeh into thin strips (as thin as you can). Transfer the strips to a sealable bag or shallow container, then pour the marinade over top.

Marinate the tempeh strips for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

When it’s time to eat, heat a lightly oiled nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, lay the tempeh slices in a single layer in the skillet. Work in batches if your skillet isn’t big enough to fit all of the strips.

Fry the tempeh bacon. Flip after a few minutes, then brush on the reserved marinade on the top side of each piece.

Flip the pieces once more and fry until seared on the other side. Keep brushing on more marinade.

To finish, sprinkle some smoked salt over the tempeh bacon for extra flavor and texture. Enjoy!

The slices should be thin

Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the brick of tempeh into very thin slices, about ⅛ inch thick. The thinner the slices, the crispier the texture will be. Thicker slices will feel more like traditional tempeh and less like an alternative to bacon.

How to marinate tempeh

The tempeh strips need to be marinated for a minimum of 1 hour to allow the flavors to absorb.

Always leave the tempeh in a sealed ziptop bag, airtight shallow container, or covered bowl in the fridge while it’s marinating.

While it’s frying, use a silicone basting brush or pastry brush to brush the reserved marinade on top of each piece. This infuses the tempeh with extra flavor and gives it a caramelized, crispy exterior. You should have little to no marinade left at the end.

Vegan BLTs are the answer when you need a satisfying, yet easy lunch, like in the photo below. Spread vegan mayo on your favorite bread, then add the tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, and if you’d like some heat, add thinly sliced chile peppers or pickled jalapeños. Finish with a layer of sprouts, then enjoy.

Make a killer sandwich for picnic lunches. Layer my Vegan Egg Salad on bread, and crumble the tempeh bacon on top as “bacon bits.”

When dinner rolls around, crumble the bacon over a vegan Caesar salad or Cobb salad with Vegan Ranch. It also makes for a protein-packed topping on all kinds of grain bowls, like my Mediterranean Lentil Grain Bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ tablespoon of olive oil, tamari or soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, liquid smoke, smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne, and kosher salt.

Slice the tempeh crosswise into thin strips, almost as thin as you can, about ⅛ inch thick (.3 cm thick).

Marinate the tempeh. Transfer the tempeh to a sandwich-sized ziploc bag. Seal the bag and massage to coat. OR, add the tempeh to a shallow bowl (like a pie plate), pour on the marinade, and gently toss to coat.

Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or 8 hours or overnight for the most flavor. Gently shake or flip the bag a few times during this time to evenly distribute the marinade, or toss the tempeh in the pan.

Cook the tempeh. Line a plate or cutting board with a few paper towels.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering (after a few minutes), arrange about HALF of the tempeh slices or as many as you can in a single layer, leaving behind excess marinade.

NOTE: Don't try to cook all the tempeh at once, or it won't crisp up.

Cook for 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Then generously brush the top side of each piece with some reserved marinade and cook for 1 more minute, or until bottoms are nicely browned (some charring is okay).

Now flip each piece and cook on the second side for 2 to 2 ½ more minutes until seared on the other side, generously brushing more marinade on the top in the last minute.

Transfer to the towel lined surface to absorb excess oil. If desired, sprinkle with just a pinch of smoked sea salt.

Wipe out the pan.

Repeat with the rest of the tempeh, adding 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil (1/2 TBSP if there's oil residue in the pan). The second batch usually cooks quicker because the pan is hotter, 2 ½ to 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the second side.

Note

You’re looking for plain tempeh, not any pre-seasoned tempeh or any other varieties like “three grain tempeh” (the grains get crunchy and detract from the texture).

Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free.