How to Cook Tempeh for Beginners | Simply Soy Australia

Cooking tempeh for the first time is easier than most people expect. Tempeh is a firm, fermented soybean cake with a naturally nutty flavour and a dense, satisfying texture — and it responds beautifully to almost any cooking method, from pan-frying and baking to crumbling and marinating. Unlike tofu, it holds its shape, soaks up flavour aggressively, and cooks golden and crisp in under ten minutes. If you've been curious about tempeh but unsure where to start, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

At Simply Soy, we've been making Australian-made tempeh from locally sourced Australian soybeans in Bayswater, Victoria since 2000. Our tempeh is preservative-free, dairy-free, vegan, and made with nothing artificial — which means what you cook with is exactly what it says on the packet: whole, fermented soybeans and nothing else. Clean ingredients make for better cooking, and in this case, they also make for a much more forgiving ingredient for beginners to work with.

Whether you're reducing your meat intake, looking for a high-protein plant-based food, or simply want to expand your cooking repertoire, learning how to cook tempeh is one of the most practical skills you can add to your kitchen this year. Let's get into it.

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What Is Tempeh and Why Should Beginners Care About It?

Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food made by fermenting cooked soybeans with a natural culture called Rhizopus oligosporus. The fermentation process binds the soybeans into a firm, dense cake and partially breaks down the soy protein — making it easier for your body to absorb. The result is one of the most nutritionally complete plant-based proteins available.

Here's why tempeh is worth learning to cook:

• High in complete protein: Tempeh contains all essential amino acids, making it a genuine whole-food protein source
• Gut health benefits: As a naturally fermented food, tempeh supports a healthy digestive system
• High in fibre: Unlike most protein supplements or isolates, tempeh keeps the whole soybean intact — fibre and all
• Versatile: It can be sliced, diced, crumbled, marinated, pan-fried, baked, or air-fried
• Satisfying and filling: The density of tempeh makes it a genuine meat alternative for hearty meals

Simply Soy's Australian-made tempeh is crafted using locally sourced soybeans and contains no preservatives, making it one of the cleanest options available on the Australian market. You'll find it in Melbourne health food stores and online at simplysoy.com.au.

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Do You Need to Steam Tempeh Before Cooking It?

This is one of the most common questions beginners ask — and the answer is: it depends, but often no.

Steaming tempeh before cooking is a traditional technique that softens the texture, opens up the surface to absorb marinades more deeply, and mellows any bitterness that can sometimes occur in tempeh (particularly in brands that use artificial preservatives or extended shelf-life additives).

With a high-quality, preservative-free tempeh like Simply Soy, the natural flavour is already mild and nutty — so steaming is optional rather than essential. That said, if you're planning to marinate your tempeh, a quick 10-minute steam before soaking will dramatically improve flavour absorption. Simply place sliced tempeh in a steamer basket over boiling water, steam for 10 minutes, then transfer directly into your marinade while still warm.

If you're pan-frying or crumbling tempeh and adding it straight to a sauce, you can skip steaming entirely and go straight to cooking.

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How to Pan-Fry Tempeh (The Easiest Method for Beginners)

Pan-frying is the quickest and most beginner-friendly way to cook tempeh. It produces a golden, crispy exterior with a firm, chewy centre — and it takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish.

What you'll need:

• 1 block Simply Soy Original or Garlic Tempeh
• 1–2 tablespoons neutral oil (sunflower, rice bran, or light olive oil)
• Salt, pepper, or your preferred seasoning
• Optional: a splash of soy sauce or tamari in the last 60 seconds of cooking

Method:

1. Slice the tempeh into strips or cubes approximately 1cm thick
2. Heat oil in a non-stick or cast iron pan over medium-high heat
3. Add tempeh in a single layer — don't crowd the pan
4. Cook for 3–4 minutes without moving, until the underside is deep golden
5. Flip each piece and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side
6. Optional: add a splash of soy sauce or tamari and toss to coat in the final minute
7. Remove from heat and serve immediately

Pan-fried Simply Soy tempeh works perfectly sliced over a grain bowl, tucked into a wrap, served alongside roasted vegetables, or eaten straight from the pan with steamed rice.

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How to Marinate Tempeh for Maximum Flavour

Tempeh is a flavour sponge — and marinating is where it genuinely shines. Because of its dense, porous structure, tempeh absorbs marinades in a way that tofu never quite manages. The result is deeply flavoured, satisfying pieces that taste anything but bland.

A simple everyday tempeh marinade:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or rice malt syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, crushed (or use Simply Soy Garlic Tempeh for built-in flavour)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Method:

1. Slice tempeh and steam for 10 minutes (optional but recommended for deeper flavour penetration)
2. Combine marinade ingredients in a shallow dish or zip-lock bag
3. Add warm tempeh slices and toss to coat
4. Marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge
5. Cook by pan-frying, baking at 180°C for 20–25 minutes, or air-frying at 190°C for 12–15 minutes

Marinated tempeh keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, making it an excellent meal-prep ingredient for busy Melbourne households.

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How to Crumble Tempeh as a Meat Alternative

Crumbled tempeh is one of the most practical and delicious ways for beginners to use tempeh — especially if you're replacing minced meat in familiar dishes. It has the texture of coarse mince when broken up and cooked in a hot pan, and it absorbs the flavours of sauces, spices, and aromatics exceptionally well.

How to crumble and cook tempeh:

1. Take a block of Simply Soy Original Tempeh and crumble it by hand into rough, uneven pieces directly into a hot, oiled pan
2. Cook over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the crumbles are golden and slightly crispy at the edges
3. Add aromatics: garlic, onion, ginger, chilli — whatever the dish calls for
4. Add your sauce (bolognese, taco seasoning, peanut sauce, teriyaki) and stir to combine
5. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve

Crumbled tempeh works brilliantly in tacos, spaghetti bolognese, fried rice, stuffed capsicums, and Asian-inspired stir-fries. It's a genuinely satisfying swap that delivers more protein per serve than most plant-based mince products you'll find in Australian supermarkets.

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How to Bake or Air-Fry Tempeh

Baking and air-frying are hands-off methods that produce wonderfully crispy tempeh with minimal effort — ideal for batch cooking or when you want to prepare a large amount at once.

Oven-baked tempeh:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (fan-forced)
• Slice or cube marinated tempeh and arrange on a lined baking tray in a single layer
• Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and caramelised at the edges

Air-fried tempeh:

• Preheat air fryer to 190°C
• Arrange marinated tempeh pieces in the basket — don't stack them
• Air-fry for 12–15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through
• Serve immediately for maximum crispiness

Baked and air-fried Simply Soy tempeh makes an excellent salad topper, grain bowl addition, or protein component for a packed lunch. It reheats well and holds its texture even after a day in the fridge.

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Three Simple Beginner Tempeh Recipes to Start With

If you're not sure what to make first, here are three simple, crowd-pleasing starting points using Simply Soy Australian-made tempeh:

1. Golden pan-fried tempeh with steamed rice and greens: Slice, pan-fry with soy sauce and sesame oil, serve over rice with bok choy. Ready in 15 minutes.
2. Smoky tempeh tacos: Crumble tempeh, season with smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic, pan-fry until crispy, and load into corn tortillas with avocado, salsa, and lime.
3. Simply Soy Tempeh Schnitzel: If you're not ready to start from scratch, our Tempeh Schnitzel is already crumbed and ready to pan-fry or bake — a genuinely brilliant shortcut for beginners.

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Frequently Asked Questions: How to Cook Tempeh

Do I need to cook tempeh before eating it?

Yes — while tempeh is technically safe to eat straight from the packet (it's a fermented, cooked product), cooking it significantly improves its flavour and texture. Pan-frying, baking, or air-frying for even a few minutes transforms tempeh from dense and slightly bitter to golden, nutty, and deeply satisfying.

Why does my tempeh taste bitter?

A slightly bitter taste can occur in some tempeh, particularly in brands that use lower-quality soybeans or artificial additives. Simply Soy's preservative-free, Australian-made tempeh has a naturally mild, nutty flavour. If you do notice any bitterness, steaming for 10 minutes before cooking will resolve it immediately.

How long do I marinate tempeh for?

A minimum of 20 minutes is enough to infuse basic flavour, but marinating overnight in the fridge produces the deepest, most complex results. For best flavour penetration, steam the tempeh slices before placing them in the marinade while still warm — the open pores absorb liquid far more effectively.

Can I cook tempeh in an air fryer?

Absolutely — air-frying is one of the best methods for cooking tempeh. Set your air fryer to 190°C, cook marinated tempeh for 12–15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, and you'll get perfectly crispy pieces with almost no effort. It's particularly good for batch cooking meal-prep tempeh.

Where can I buy Australian-made tempeh in Melbourne?

Simply Soy tempeh is made in Bayswater, Victoria and is available at health food stores across Melbourne as well as online at simplysoy.com.au. It's Australian-made, preservative-free, vegan, and crafted from locally sourced Australian soybeans — one of the cleanest and most trusted tempeh brands in the country.

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Ready to Start Cooking Tempeh?

Learning how to cook tempeh doesn't require any special skills or equipment — just a pan, a little oil, and a good-quality block of Australian-made tempeh to start with. From golden pan-fried slices to deeply marinated baked pieces to crumbled taco filling, tempeh is one of the most versatile, nutritious, and genuinely satisfying plant-based proteins you can bring into your kitchen.

Simply Soy has been making honest, preservative-free tempeh in Bayswater, Victoria for over two decades. Our products are crafted from locally sourced Australian soybeans, made without artificial additives, and designed to make plant-based eating easier and more delicious for everyday Australian households.

👉 Explore our full tempeh range and order online at simplysoy.com.au/products-simply-soy-tempeh