This tasty, sweet, and smoky tempeh bacon recipe is made in the air fryer. The air fryer gives it a wonderful crispiness on the outside. This vegan bacon recipe is delicious in breakfast tacos, a wrap, in a vegan BLT, crumbled on top of a salad, and as a side dish with banana oatmeal waffles. It's gluten-free, oil-free, high in protein, has no added sugar, and is ready in under 15 minutes!
What's in this sweet and smoky tempeh bacon
- Tempeh
- Smoked paprika
- Cumin
- Coconut aminos
- Simple Homemade Date Syrup
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cayenne (optional for heat)
This recipe makes about 30 strips of tempeh bacon (approximately 7-8 strips per serving).
How to make this tempeh bacon
Slice a block of tempeh in half. Then, slice each half of the block into smaller strips.
Combine all the other ingredients into a small to medium-sized dish. Stir until it's well mixed.
Carefully coat the tempeh strips in the sauce.
Arrange the tempeh bacon strips in the air fryer and cook at 400 F (205 C) for 6 to 10 minutes. Be sure to check for doneness at 6 minutes. [Note: If using an oven, arrange strips on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet and cook at 400 F (205 C) for 15 to 20 minutes.]
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Leftovers and meal prep
Enjoy this tempeh bacon immediately. Leftovers store well in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This bacon can be frozen in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months, making it great for meal prep!
Frequently Asked Questions
Tempeh is fermented soy bound together by mycelium compacted into cakes. Tempeh originated in Indonesia a few hundred years ago. It has a higher concentration of protein and fiber than tofu. Tempeh is also a good source of iron, manganese, magnesium, and certain B vitamins. Tempeh is available at most grocery stores in 8-ounce packages.
It can be, but you don't have to. Steaming tempeh before cooking is like getting a facial. When steam comes into contact with your face, your pores open up. The same happens with tempeh. It softens and is better able to absorb the flavor of the sauce or marinade you're trying to infuse. I have found that in this recipe, you still get good flavor by allowing the tempeh to sit in the sauce mixture for a few minutes.
Yes, tempeh bacon is higher in protein and significantly lower in saturated fat. Eating a diet high in saturated fat has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke by raising LDL (or "bad") cholesterol levels. Check out this article from Harvard Health to learn more. Also, tempeh bacon is high in fiber and has no dietary cholesterol, whereas meat bacon has no fiber and does contain dietary cholesterol.
Check out these other tempeh recipes
For more tempeh inspiration, check out the BBQ tempeh and tempeh stir fry, and vegan tempeh BLT sandwich.
We hope you love this high-protein, sweet, and smoky tempeh bacon recipe as much as we do! Please rate and leave a comment below. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram and tag us @danielsplaterecipes so we can see your creation!
Tempeh Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 8- ounce block of tempeh
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 Tbsp Simple Homemade Date Syrup
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- pinch cayenne for heat
Instructions
- Slice a block of tempeh in half. Then slice each half of the block into smaller strips.
- Combine all the other ingredients into a small to medium size dish. Stir until it's well mixed.
- Carefully coat the tempeh strips in the sauce.
- Arrange the tempeh bacon strips in the air fryer and cook at 400°F (205°C) for 7 to 10 minutes. Be sure to check for doneness at 7 minutes. See Notes for oven instructions.
- Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes approximately 30 tempeh bacon strips (7 to 8 strips per serving).
- Oven Instructions: If you're using an oven, arrange strips on a parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C) for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serving Suggestions: This vegan bacon recipe is delicious crumbled on a vegan wedge salad, tomato avocado toast, in a vegan BLT, as a side dish with banana oatmeal waffles, and vegan banana oat pancakes.
- Leftovers/Meal Prep: Leftovers store well in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This bacon can be frozen in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Pam
My new go to way to prepare tempeh very good.