Vegan Tempeh Bacon

This crispy, smokey and sweet tempeh bacon can be made on the stove or in the oven. Perfect in BLT sandwiches, crumbled into soups or enjoyed with breakfast!

Tempeh is such a versatile ingredient. From vegan tempeh taco meat to tempeh hash, this nutrient-rich ingredient can do it all!

One of my favorite ways to enjoy tempeh?

Crispy and pan-fried with a sweet, savory marinade. Mmmm yes!

This tempeh bacon is sweet, salty and smokey, thanks to a simple 5 ingredient marinade. You can make it on the stove-top or in the oven, though my personal favorite way is nice and crispy on the stove.

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Ingredients

Combine these pantry staples together for a sweet and savory marinade. Add extra maple syrup for sweeter bacon or increase the smoked paprika for an extra smokey recipe.

• Tempeh
• Maple syrup
• Soy sauce
• Apple cider vinegar
• Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika
• Vegetable broth (or water)

How to Make Tempeh Bacon

You can either pan-fry/saute or bake the tempeh. I personally prefer the pan-fried tempeh over baked because it gets a little crispier and has extra marinade added during the cooking process.

Step one: slice tempeh width-wise into 20-22 pieces about ½ cm each. Steam sliced tempeh in a steamer basket for 10 minutes (see tips below if you don't have a steamer basket).

Step two: Meanwhile, mix together the marinade (image one).

Step three: Line the tempeh up in a 2-3 quart baking dish. Pour the marinade over the tempeh (image two). Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Why steam? Steaming tempeh removes the bitter flavor that it can sometimes have. It also helps the tempeh absorb the marinade.

Pan-fry method

1. Drizzle a large skillet with enough oil to coat (you can use canola or olive oil). Bring to medium heat.

2. Once hot, add the marinated tempeh (image one). Reserve the marinade for later.

3. Saute until lightly browned. Flip the tempeh (image two). Pour in the reserved marinade (image three). It will look like a lot of liquid, but should cook off completely within 3-5 minutes. This will get the bacon extra crispy and adds a lot of extra flavor.

4. Continue sauteing until the liquid is evaporated and bacon reaches your desired crispiness, flipping again as needed (image four). Turn the heat up to medium-high if the liquid isn't evaporating.

Oven baked method

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Line tempeh up on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet (full or half sized will work), careful to not overlap. (image one) 

3. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The tempeh is ready when crispy (image two). 

Note: This is an oil free option. If you prefer a crispier result, simply toss the marinated bacon in a bit of olive oil before baking.

Recipe notes and tips

DIY steamer: You can use an all-metal colander or metal sieve in place of a steamer basket. Simply fill a similarly sized sauce pan with 1 inch simmering water. Place the colander on top the of the pan. Cover with that pan's lid to steam. 

Marinating: Marinating the tempeh isn't required but it makes the end result so much more delicious. You can marinate the tempeh for up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.

Smoke flavor: Don't have smoked paprika? Liquid smoke can be used to add smokiness to the bacon. Start with ¼ teaspoon -- this stuff is strong!

Shapes: For longer pieces of bacon, simply slice lengthwise instead of widthwise. This will yield about ⅓ as many pieces. 

Spice: Add hot sauce or cayenne pepper to the marinade for a spicier result.

How to serve

Serve anywhere you would traditional bacon. Crumble tempeh bacon up on baked potatoes, in soups, or even as a pizza topping.

I personally love a classic TLT (tempeh, lettuce, tomato sandwich) with avocado added. Or you can keep things classic by pairing with a tofu scramble and vegan pancakes for the ultimate veg-friendly breakfast.