The crispiest, crunchiest Nutritional Yeast Tempeh! A spin on my viral Nutritional Yeast Tofu, this quick and easy tempeh recipe is incredibly versatile, packs in over 30 grams of protein per serving, and can be made in your air fryer or oven. Such a weeknight winner!
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Ok, so I did a thing. My nutritional yeast tofu is one of my most loved recipes and on a whim, I decided to give it a try using tempeh. With a couple of little tiny tweaks, here we are with the first tempeh recipe on AVV!
This seasoned tempeh is honestly blowing my mind. It's a texture lover's dream with it's firm almost creamy, smooth interior and the super crispy, craggy, crunchy coating. It's nutty, toasty and earthy, savoury, cheesy, slightly salty, oniony, garlicky, and just full of umami.
As well as being the best tempeh I've ever tasted, it's super versatile. You can use it in or on so many recipes. It's great for adding texture to creamy pasta dishes, for adding protein and crunch to your salads or soups, stuffing tacos, topping pizzas, and piling on bowl meals. It's also amazing served with a dip like my creamy sriracha sauce, vegan ranch, or pizza sauce as a snack or appetizer.
I've been trying to love tempeh for years without success but this recipe has changed that. I'm now as obsessed with it as I am my nooch tofu and my easy shredded tofu. Honestly, if you've never been a tempeh lover this is the recipe to try!
Mel x
🤍 WHY YOU'LL LOVE MY NOOCH TEMPEH RECIPE
- Really quick and easy. Ready start to finish in as little as 20 minutes.
- Over 30 grams of protein in one serving!
- You get a super crispy, crunchy golden exterior without using any oil.
- Packed with umami savoury flavour.
- Extremely versatile and can be served in endless ways.
- Make it in your oven or air fryer.
- Finally, an easy recipe that makes tempeh actually taste good!
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:
- Tempeh - You can use soy tempeh or any other variety such as green pea, lentil or chickpea tempeh. For the nutritional yeast tempeh in the pictures and video I used Lightlife tempeh.
- Cornstarch - Essential for truly crispy tempeh. Nothing else works quite the same.
- Nutritional yeast - This gives the tofu cheesy, umami, savoury flavour and makes it incredible!
- Garlic powder & onion powder - For flavour and really delicious with the nooch flavour. You can switch them for any other spices you like or add a pinch or two of something else extra. Chili powder or smoked paprika both work really well in this!
- Dairy-free milk - Just a tiny bit to help the coatings stick better. I haven't tried it, but I'm sure you could use water instead.
Let's Make Nutritional Yeast Tempeh!
Can't wait to make it? The full printable recipe is below, but first, let me walk you through the steps to set you up for success in your kitchen. I recommend watching my recipe video if you're more of a visual learner.
- Rip apart the block of tofu into chunky bite-sized pieces. Don't cut it because there won't be as many nooks and crannies for the seasonings to stick to and you won't get the best craggly, crunchy texture.
- Sprinkle over the seasonings. Toss, then add a few teaspoons of dairy-free milk and toss again to form a batter of sorts.
- Spread the coated tempeh out on a baking tray leaving lots of room between each piece. Be sure to include the tiny broken off pieces because they get really yummy and crunchy!
Or put the tempeh in your air fryer basket and spread out to leave a little room around each piece.
- Bake or air fry until supremely crispy and golden! There isn't much of a difference between the oven and air fryer versions, however I do think the texture is marginally better when cooked in an air fryer.
Recipe FAQs
Nutritional yeast (a.k.a nooch) is a really unique ingredient and cannot be replaced in this recipe. It is definitely one that I recommend you keep in your vegan pantry at all times. Don't, whatever you do, use regular bread-making yeast in place of nutritional yeast in this or any recipe.
Not all nutritional yeast is created equally. The flavour of them all varies hugely. My absolute favourite brand is Hoosier Hill Farms. It's really delicious and comes in a great big tub that lasts ages. Everland Nutritional yeast and Anthony's are my backups. Compliments and Bob's Red Mill are my least favourite.
Recipe
Nutritional Yeast Tempeh
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 1 block (about 227g or 8oz) tempeh , pack sizes vary. It doesn't have to be exact.
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- heaping ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- heaping ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- heaping ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 3 to 4 teaspoons dairy-free milk , it must be unsweetened and unflavoured! Water should work ok instead.
INSTRUCTIONS
- If using an oven preheat to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. If using an air fryer you don't need to preheat it or line it.
- Break the tempeh up into irregularly shaped bite sized chunky pieces and put it into a bowl. Don't cut it with a knife or you won't get the best texture.
- Sprinkle over the nutritional yeast, cornstarch, pepper, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Toss gently to coat.
- Drizzle over 3 teaspoons of milk and toss gently again. The aim here is for all of the seasonings to be slightly damp and stuck to the tempeh pieces without getting too wet. If you still have some dry bits, add another teaspoon and gently toss again. I find it easier and gentler on the tempeh to use a clean hand rather than a spoon.
- Spread the coated tempeh pieces out on the lined baking tray, or in your air fryer basket making sure to leave some room around each piece.
- Bake for about 25 minutes in your oven, or for about 15 minutes in an air fryer at 400°F (200°C). When done, it will be golden and super crunchy.
NOTES
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