Smoked Tempeh
Smoked tempeh is a brilliant ingredient — rich, savoury, and full of umami — so it works especially well in dishes where it can replace smoky bacon, pancetta, or grilled meat. Here are a few ideas (from quick to more elaborate)
Smoked Tempeh Tacos (20 min)
Style: Mexican street food twist
Ingredients
200 g smoked tempeh, crumbled
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp chili flakes
1 lime, coriander, corn or flour tortillas
Method
Sauté onion and spices, add tempeh and fry until caramelised.
Serve in tortillas with avocado, tomato salsa, and a squeeze of lime.
Optional: top with pickled red onions and a drizzle of chipotle mayo.
Tempeh & Mushroom Stroganoff (30 min)
Style: Comfort food
Ingredients
150 g smoked tempeh, sliced
200 g mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, 2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
100 ml vegetable stock + 100 ml oat cream
Fresh dill or parsley
Method
Sauté onion and garlic, then add mushrooms and tempeh until golden.
Stir in mustard and stock, simmer, then finish with cream and herbs.
Serve with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.
Warm Lentil & Smoked Tempeh Salad (15 min)
Style: Light but filling
Ingredients
100 g smoked tempeh, cubed and pan-fried
200 g cooked Puy lentils
1 shallot, diced
1 tsp Dijon mustard + 2 tsp balsamic vinegar + 2 tbsp olive oil
Baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, walnuts
Method
Fry tempeh until crisp.
Toss lentils with dressing, shallots, and spinach.
Add tempeh and garnish with walnuts.
Smoked Tempeh Ramen (30 min)
Style: Fusion comfort bowl
Ingredients
150 g smoked tempeh, sliced
1 L miso or vegetable broth
Soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic
Noodles, bok choy, mushrooms, spring onion
Method
Make broth with miso, soy, ginger, garlic.
Simmer noodles and veg.
Top with seared tempeh slices and drizzle of sesame oil.
Smoked Tempeh Carbonara (15–20 min)
Style: Italian-inspired, creamy and rich
Serves: 2
Ingredients
150 g pasta (spaghetti or tagliatelle)
100 g smoked tempeh, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 egg yolks (or vegan alternative: 2 tbsp cashew cream + 1 tbsp nutritional yeast)
30 g grated parmesan or vegan equivalent
Cracked black pepper, salt
Method
Cook pasta until al dente.
Meanwhile, fry tempeh in olive oil until crisp, then add garlic briefly.
Whisk yolks (or cashew mix) with cheese and pepper.
Drain pasta, reserving a splash of water.
Combine everything off the heat so it turns glossy, not scrambled.
Garnish: parsley or extra smoked paprika.