Easy Tempeh Bacon

GFVGVDFNS
Jump to Recipe
Baked tempeh bacon strips on a baking sheet

Of all the vegan bacons, tempeh bacon may be king. Why? It’s hard to compete with the health perks of tempeh, mainly the protein, which makes it a true bacon substitute.

To ensure smoky, salty, sweet flavor, we infused the tempeh with lots of tamari, liquid smoke, black pepper, maple syrup, and a dash of cayenne for a bit of heat. Once baked, you have tender bacon strips with crisp edges and major flavor ready for brunch, scrambles, sandwiches, and beyond! Just 8 ingredients required. Let us show you how it’s done.

Tamari, cayenne, smoked paprika, maple syrup, avocado oil, tempeh, salt, and liquid smoke

Origin of Tempeh

Fun fact: Tempeh originated in Central or East Java, Indonesia, sometime around 1800 (source). It’s a fermented soy product that’s made of cooked, dehulled soybeans that are inoculated with mold, packed, and incubated until the beans are bound together by the mycelium. Sounds like weird science, but this fermentation process makes nutrients more available to your body. Plus, tempeh is rich in prebiotics, which are known to promote gut health. It also boasts a whole range of other health benefits, including its iron and calcium content (source).

How to Make Tempeh Bacon

It all starts with the marinade. Made with a combination of savory, sweet, and smoky elements, it infuses the tempeh bacon with so much flavor!

Tamari is the salty, savory component, maple syrup adds a subtle sweetness, and liquid smoke and paprika make it smoky. While avocado oil adds richness and prevents sticking, black pepper and optional cayenne provide a little heat that’s reminiscent of pepper bacon.

Whisking a marinade for tempeh bacon

The marinade is used to coat strips of thinly sliced tempeh.

Pouring a tamari-based marinade over strips of thinly sliced tempeh

Using a pastry brush can be helpful for thoroughly coating the tempeh.

Using a pastry brush to spread marinade on tempeh bacon

After marinating, the tempeh strips are baked, flipped, brushed with additional marinade, and baked once more.

Baking sheet with thinly sliced strips of tempeh coated in a marinade

When they come out of the oven, the strips are nicely browned and slightly crispy — yum!

Strips of crispy tempeh bacon on a baking sheet

We hope you LOVE this tempeh bacon! It’s:

Smoky
Salty
Subtly sweet
Crispy on the edges
Protein-rich (8 grams per serving)
& SO delicious!

It’s perfect for brunch, mixed into (or served alongside) scrambles, on sandwiches, and beyond! Make it a meal by serving with fresh fruit and our Vegan Scrambled Eggs and The BEST Crispy Hash Browns (Restaurant Style!).

More Vegan Bacon Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Spices next to a plate of vegan tempeh bacon slices

Easy Tempeh Bacon

Quick, crispy tempeh bacon with maximum flavor thanks to tamari, maple syrup, liquid smoke, and black pepper. Just 8 ingredients required!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Strips of crispy vegan tempeh bacon on a baking sheet
4.64 from 46 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 (3-slice servings)
Course Breakfast, Side
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Indonesian-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 2 Months
Does it keep? 5 Days

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces tempeh (ensure gluten-free as needed)
  • 1 Tbsp oil (avocado oil // if oil-free, omit or add slightly more tamari and maple syrup)
  • 3 Tbsp tamari (or coconut aminos if soy-free, just use a bit more as it’s not as salty as tamari)
  • 2 ½ Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 healthy pinch sea salt
  • 1 ½ tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (plus more for coating)
  • 1 dash cayenne (optional // omit for less heat)

Instructions

  • Slice the tempeh in half widthwise (so you have 2 even squares), then thinly slice each square in thirds so you have six very thin squares (it’s easiest to do this by placing the tempeh flat on your cutting board and holding the knife horizontally for an even cut). Then slice each square into three rectangular strips. You should have ~18 pieces of tempeh (as the original recipe is written).
  • In a shallow bowl, rimmed plate, or baking dish, whisk together the oil, tamari, maple syrup, salt, liquid smoke, smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne (optional). Taste and adjust flavor as needed. It should be quite salty, smoky, a little spicy, and plenty sweet (even a little too sweet, as it needs to balance the bitterness of the tempeh).
  • Add the tempeh and toss to coat (using a pastry brush is helpful for fully coating). Marinate for 10-15 minutes, flipping once for even flavor dispersion.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Transfer tempeh (reserving excess marinade for brushing) to the parchment-lined baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven, flip, and brush generously with reserved marinade. Bake for 8-10 minutes more, or until browned and slightly crispy.
  • Enjoy immediately or store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F (176°C) oven or on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with avocado oil and without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 three-slice serving Calories: 112 Carbohydrates: 11 g Protein: 8.2 g Fat: 4.3 g Saturated Fat: 0.7 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.1 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 520 mg Potassium: 165 mg Fiber: 3.3 g Sugar: 5.1 g Vitamin A: 201 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 28.1 mg Iron: 1.1 mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker so we can see all the deliciousness!

If you love this recipe...

Get Our Fan Favorites eBook Here!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating!

Have a question? Use ctrl+f or ⌘+f on your computer or the "find on page" function on your phone browser to search existing comments! Need help? Check out this tutorial!

My Rating:




    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      YAY! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Michelle. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  1. birgit says

    This recipe is all I need and more! Liquid smoke was recently banned in the EU, unfortunately… Would you know of an alternative or a workaround? Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Birgit, You could add more smoked paprika. It won’t be quite as smoky, but other readers have reported enjoying it that way!

  2. Sarah says

    Unfortunately I am not one of the ones this worked out for! I had high hopes after reading reviews and was craving a BLT-style sandwich. I followed the recipe exactly but all I could really taste is just tempeh, with a slightly odd sweet taste. My partner agreed with me and sadly we threw the batch away.
    I won’t be making this particular recipe again but I do still like a lot of Minimalist Baker recipes – this one just wasn’t for me it seems!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Bummer! We’re so sorry this one didn’t work out for you, Sarah. What brand of tempeh were you using? Did you use tamari or coconut aminos? Coconut aminos is sweeter.

  3. Mimi says

    It occurred to me today – after taking stock of what I had in the fridge – that I could try my hand at making this bacon. I am thrilled that I did because it is just DELICIOUS. The only ingredient I subbed was liquid allulose for maple syrup, which made the marinade a little runny but the flavors were still there. I may have eaten half of it with a piece of toast and an avocado. Thanks for such a great recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mimi! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo

  4. Amy S says

    first time use Tempeh! I have made it the according to the recipe but I made a mistake to have it in the spring roll like wrapper. other than that, it taste wonderful! will definitely put in other recipes. thank you!

  5. Lauren says

    Love this recipe! I usually buy bacon flavored tempeh but the store only had the original. Made a batch of this today and it turned out amazing!

  6. linda says

    I just made this and had aI BLT for lunch. It was delicious! I have tried several recipes for tempeh bacon or even tofu bacon and this was the only one I would recommend. I made the recipe exactly as above but also pan fried several slices to see how that method worked. Although it was good, the oven method was hands down the winner. I finally found my go-to. Thank you for this great recipe!

  7. Scott says

    It would be *great* if liquid ingredients could be given by weight: just put a bowl on a scale, and pour in the ingredients straight from the bottle, no measuring cup needed. It’s much easier to measure by weight than by volume–especially with a viscous/sticky ingredient like maple syrup.

  8. Chris says

    Extremely disappointed. I can’t get it to work at all. Tastes awful and looks nothing like your photos. Please show in the video how to cut the tempeh. I think mine was too thick. I love tempeh bacon and have never had a recipe turn out inedible before.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for the feedback and we’re sorry you had a negative experience with it, Chris. This recipe is usually a reader favorite! Did you make any modifications to the ingredients that might cause the flavor to be different? If you’re up for giving it another try – the slices should be ~1/4 inch thick.

  9. Faith says

    I’ve probably made this recipe atleast 20 times in the past year. It’s my go-to tempeh marinade because it super flavorful and hides any of tempeh’s bitterness. It only gets crispy if I cut it superrrr thin which is a little hard to do, but even without being crispy I love the Smokey flavor.

  10. Sylvia says

    I’m in Australia and used Nutrisoy brand tempeh. Unfortunately I didn’t notice that this brand comes in “tasty” variety which already has soy sauce. So the recipe came out way too salty.

    Also it didn’t crisp, even though I cooked in a fan forced oven.

    I will try again using plain tempeh and cutting the slices much thinner

  11. Carsyn K says

    Excellent recipe. Tastes very similar to the lightlife smoky bacon! Love it on salads, sandwiches & just as a snack. Thank you!

  12. Sue says

    It’s the worst! Are these fake reviewers? I am a trained Baker. I can cook. I followed the recipe exactly and I was so excited. Let’s pretend I was going to use this to make a BLT, I would have to put so many other flavors on that sandwich to cover up this fake bacon tempe. It doesn’t really get crispy. It’s brown mystery “meat” with a bad texture.

      • Ruth says

        Based on the wording, I’m thinking this reviewer didn’t actually make the recipe. And calling it mystery meat indicates some series bias and lack of knowledge, considering what tempeh actually is!

  13. Laura says

    The was RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS!!! WOW!! Will be putting this on salads, in pasta salads, wraps and might even make a BLT with it!! I did cook a little longer to crisp up but this is a keeper!! Thank you!!

  14. Donna Resue says

    Excellent recipe, easy and tasty. I did not use the optional cayenne, but I did use the avocado oil. The balance of salty, sweet and smoky is perfect.

  15. Liz says

    Love this recipe so much! I’ve been making myself this little treat every weekend for the last 5 or 6 weeks. And then I can reheat and have it with breakfast to start the week off right!
    Since it’s summer right now, I’ve been making it in the air fryer (about the same amount of time as the oven instructions, but I cook it at 350 so the edges don’t burn.)
    When it’s cold outside I will definitely make multiple batches in the oven so I can enjoy it for longer.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Love that you’re enjoying the recipe, Liz. Thank you for sharing your method! xo

  16. Skipper says

    I went oil-free by slightly increasing the amount of coconut aminos and maple syrup to make up the difference in liquid. The recipe was terrific. I ate the entire block of tempeh in one sitting. :D I look forward to using the marinade with tofu. Thanks for the recipe.

  17. Kelsi says

    I made this and it is wonderful! Also used this marinade on well pressed tofu and it was quite good. Lovely. Making my 3rd batch of this recipe today. Thank you.

  18. Wyatt says

    Can I sub soy sauce for the tamari? I don’t have any tamari on hand and would like to use up my soy sauce. Lol!

  19. Courtney says

    This recipe is an absolute staple in my household. We eat it practically every morning and it never gets old. It’s great as strips and crumbles really nicely for vegan bacon bits.

  20. Margot says

    Yum! Such a solid recipe, thank you! I sauté mine in a pan to save time. 10/10 and make this so frequently! Love to toss in salads, in breakfast burritos and on sandwiches (and as is!).

  21. Emma says

    Have made this twice now. So delicious, I make a batch and use in salads and sandwiches. I have frozen a few slices and defrosted for sandwiches with good results. I didn’t use liquid smoke as I didn’t have any, I used a little extra smoked paprika and I used a little less maple syrup than in the recipe. Definitely recommend this one!

  22. Jessica says

    Omygosh this is so so delicious. It tastes better than the “bacon” tempeh you buy at supermarkets. I put this in a pasta salad and it was so yummy!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Jessica. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Johanna, we don’t! We’d guess ~15-18 minutes at 375 F. Let us know if you try it!

  23. Blake Francis says

    Sorry I’m a little confused on the cutting, so we cut it in half and then slice horizontally into the tempeh to make thin sheets?

    Sorry for the silly question 😂 and thank you! Can’t wait to make this!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Blake, if you didn’t already reference the photos and videos, that might be helpful! Essentially you’re just trying to get it cut into thin strips.

      • Fran Klos says

        I am also confused on the slicing. I was hoping your video would clarify but it basically skips over the slicing. I haven’t made this yet but I do wish you’d show the actual slicing in your video.

  24. Rebecca says

    Made this tonight for myself and my husband to go in “BLTs”, and we ended up eating all the leftover tempeh right off the pan! SO good. We marinated them for a few hours while we ran errands and it worked out really well. They were crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle, and really flavorful. Definitely saving this one!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Rebecca. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  25. Jen K says

    Made for the 1st time so I could have as a BLT w/fresh avacado in place of mayo. I omitted the extra oil and used Less Liq. smoke. It ABSOLUTELY satisfied my craving and I will now attempt again!

  26. CW Mellon says

    Great recipe, but I wound up cooking it closer to 30 min to get it to the crispiness I wanted. Big hit with entire family tho and have had to make multiple times already.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed it overall! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  27. Teresa says

    Just made this. It’s wonderful 😋 there is none left for breakfast tomorrow. Easy and delicious thank you❣️

  28. Lynn says

    OH.MY.LAWWWWD! This is SOOOOO good!

    This was my first attempt at vegan bacon, and it is definitely a KEEPER ! I just sliced my whole tempeh “loaf” cross-ways into thin slices and it worked great.

    The marinade mixed up quick with items always on hand. I did bake it longer, and even added a few minutes under the broiler, for really crispy-around-the-edges pieces.

    Then I chopped it up and put it on my twice baked potatoes, along with vegan sour cream and chives. SO, SOOOOO delicious!

    This bacon just checks allllll the boxes: crispy, crunchy, salty, smoky, sticky, spicy. YUM! I will be making this again and again, Loaded potato soup. Salads. Baked potatoes. BLTs. The list goes on!

    THANK YOU for this amazing recipe!

  29. Allison says

    These were really great!! This was my first time working with tempeh. I steamed it after cutting them into slices because I had heard it gets rid of a bitter flavor in the tempeh (can’t say if that’s true or not but I didn’t taste any bitterness), and then did the marinade for a few hours. At the grocery store I had the option of either a hickory or mesquite liquid smoke option. I went with mesquite and it was great, but I think most bacons use a hickory flavor not mesquite, so I would go with that if you have the option. Thanks for the recipe, will definitely make again!

  30. Sabrina says

    This was ok! I found it a bit salty, and I used low sodium tamari, maybe taste the marinade before adding salt. Next time I will use more spices/flavoring.

    The instructions are a bit confusing because the note about tamari vs coconut aminos is misleading. Tempeh = soy so if you are soy free you wouldn’t be cooking tempeh?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for the feedback, Sabrina! Sorry to hear it was too salty for you. There are some soy-free versions of tempeh available, as tempeh can be made from other legumes/grains.

  31. Alex says

    Yum! Made the best vegan “TBLT” (tempeh-bacon, lettuce, tomato) with this recipe and it was perfect! I baked a little longer for some extra crunch, plus I love the “burnt” taste. I will say, the suggested cutting method in the recipe was so hard! I destroyed my block of tempeh the first time trying to slice horizontally, that must be advanced knife skills. I could not make it even and ended up with “bacon” crumbles, which were still delicious and perfect on salads. The next time I made this, I just sliced strips down the packaged rectangle block of tempeh (without slicing into the thin squares) and it was so much easier. Will for sure be making again….and again!

  32. Tamara says

    This was delicious! I did marinate the tempeh overnight and left out the salt but followed the recipe other than that. I will definitely be making this again!

  33. Mimi says

    I’ve had (and loved) vegan BLTs with tempeh from restaurants before but I’ve never cooked tempeh myself. I’d love to try preparing a BLT using your recipe to take to work. Since I can’t reheat the bacon, would it taste ok cold? I don’t mind it getting soft, just wondering if it’ll be tough to chew straight out of the fridge.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Mimi, the tempeh won’t be too tough out of the fridge! It won’t be as crispy as the first day but it will definitely be tasty! Hope you enjoy. xo

  34. Bloodthirsty Vegan says

    Perfect! We have bought a product called “Fakin’ Bacon” that was exactly like this for about 30 years but I’ve only run into once in the past 5. I absolutely love it and it’s so great to be able to make it myself, just like the vegan “parmesan” I was always searching for. So easy, raw cashews, nut. yeast, garlic powder, and salt.

  35. Jacques says

    I tried this recipe but did not use Maple syrup (even though I love the stuff), so I put I few spoons of Monk fruit instead…. I did maybe 3 times the amount of the ingredients with smoked paprika, and some notational yeasts….. I was tempted to use my air fryer which I did before and turned out very yummy but now they are in the oven…… I know ahead that they will be excellent …. thank you

    PS … Maple syrop is not used in Keto . Being from Canada, true maple syrup and honey, It was hard for me not to use these….. C’est la vie

  36. Jenny B says

    We eat mostly plant based and love tofu. Tempeh is so-so in our house but this recipe is a winner! We made a double batch with the Lightlife flax tempeh. I omitted the liquid smoke but it was still delicious! We served it in some BLTs. It was easy to simply spoon the reserved marinade on the tempeh strips. Super yummy and quick with everything I had on hand! Thanks for another great recipe!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Paige, Cumin will add a little smokiness, but not as much. Another option would be to increase the smoked paprika by ~1/2 tsp.

  37. L Holmberg says

    First time cooking with Tempeh – Thank you for providing an oil-free/baked recipe for this. It tasted good, was easy to make and I’m so pleased I don’t have to pay so much for ready-made at the store anymore – I can make it myself! Thank you!

  38. Loren Gebo says

    Amazing! This recipe is another winner in our book! We made it as is and once it was done, quickly realized we should have doubled the amount! We were fighting over the last piece! We used it to make TLTs tonight and I’m making another batch in the morning to have on egg sandwiches. We have yet to try one of your recipes that isn’t fantastic. Thank you for keeping us healthy and enjoying everything we eat!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We love to hear this. So glad you enjoy this recipe so much, Loren. Thanks for the great review!

  39. Mary I Pastrana says

    Love this simple recipe. I wanted to know which brand of Paprika did you used that it came with such a rich red color?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Mary! Sadly we don’t remember the brand, but we often get spices in the bulk section. Thanks for the review!

  40. Trina says

    This Tempe bacon is awesome! I steamed my Tempe before cutting and marinating. I did adjust the seasonings to taste, adding little more of everything.
    Made BLT with my bacon.
    Thank you,
    Trina

  41. Cammy says

    Amazing tempeh bacon! I love Lightlife Smoky Tempeh Fakin Bacon but it’s not available near me. OMG! This recipe is awesome. I made the recipe as directed (added some ground Chipotle pepper to increase the smokiness) & it was terrific. Super quick & delicious. Perfect for a blt 😀 thank you for another fantastic recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Cammy! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jenny! We think this is pretty smoky without it, and you could just increase the smoked paprika by ~1/2 tsp? Let us know what you think if you give it a try!

  42. betzy says

    I made this just as the recipe states. Yum Yum Yum. I have to make mo9re next time because my kids ate mire than they should have! Thank you for all your recipes. You help keep us well fed.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Betzy! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo

  43. Erin H. says

    This was dynamite! My young kids (3 and 1) DEVOURED this! Next time I’ll have to make a double batch just so I can actually eat some! Great recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Dori! Thanks for being here, we appreciate you! You can definitely marinate this overnight, but they may be a little saltier or more flavorful!

  44. Aubrey M. says

    I’m not vegan or plant based and I love this recipe. It reminds me of the tempeh bacon we used at the vegan bakery I worked for. I’ve made it 3x this week! I prefer it after it’s sat in the fridge overnight so the flavors have time to marry. Thank you!

  45. Amber says

    Just made these this morning and enjoyed some on a bagel sandwich with some hummus and just egg. So great! I used blackstrap molasses instead of maple syrup because I had some laying around and figured it would add to the smokiness. I also marinaded the tempeh overnight and thus didn’t bother basting the the tempeh halfway through the bake. It came out crispy on the edges and delicious! Now I don’t have to fork over the money for the pre-marinaded and sliced tempeh bacon at the store! Thank you, Dana!

  46. Christina King says

    This is my go to tempeh bacon recipe. I like to pile it on a fresh salad with tomato, blue cheese, avocado and slivered red onion. I top it off with a balsamic dressing. Yummy! Always!
    Tempeh always has a tough time to marinated fully so I generally leave the tempeh in the marinate for 6 hours or more. When the tempeh is done I also give it a little toss with the extra marinade.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Christina. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your tips!

  47. Aviva says

    Im sorry but its awful. I didnt expect bacon but i expected something tasty. Nope. Hideously salty and yuk. I didnt even add the salt :(

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it, Aviva. Did you make any modifications? Perhaps soy sauce instead of tamari? That would make it more salty. We ask because other readers have enjoyed it.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lauryl, we haven’t tried that, but it might work. Date syrup might stir in better if you have that!

  48. Jaimie says

    I followed the recipe for the seasonings exactly and the flavor is delicious. Definitely cheaper than buying the Lightlife strips and just as good or better. Because tempeh can be so uneven across the block, instead of cutting the two large blocks into three layers, I cut them into the three smaller strips and then cut those into the thin pieces. Worked well for me.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! Thanks for the great review and for sharing your experience, Jaimie! We’re so glad you enjoyed! xo

  49. Jessica Montoya says

    Hi there! I want to give this recipe a try, it looks delicious! What liquid smoke do you recommend?

  50. Maia Knoll says

    We decided to thicken up the remaining marinade (with about 1/2 tsp. organic corn starch, over medium heat) while the tempeh was baking so that once it was flipped and basted more of the flavorful marinade would stick! Didn’t crisp up for us, but deliciously flavorful♡

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for sharing, Maia! We’d suggest slicing the tempeh more thinly for more crispiness.

  51. Sonia says

    I used this in a vegan BLT sandwich, and it was delicious. I steamed the tempeh first and then followed the recipe exactly. It was my first time cooking tempeh, and I will definitely make this again. So easy and flavorful; I was excited for my lunch every day this week!

  52. Alex says

    I made this for lunch and it was SO good! Could not stop eating it and wish I made more for more leftovers! Really quick and easy too. Made a few sandwiches out of it. Followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfectly.

  53. Shannon says

    This looks really good! Can I use soy sauce instead of tamari? I want to make this and use ina B.L.T!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sophia, it won’t have quite the same smokiness, but you could try increasing the smoked paprika a bit to compensate. Let us know how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Marta, perhaps try more smoked paprika? It won’t have quite the same smoky flavor, but should help. Let us know how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Melanie, we haven’t experimented with an air fryer so we’re not sure. Let us know if you try it!

  54. Cindy says

    Other tempeh bacon recipes call for the tempeh to be steamed first before marinating. That step is omitted in your recipe correct? You found that step unnecessary?

  55. Boyd Shepherd says

    Hello… This recipe looks/sounds amazing! I plan to make it soon. Question: Is the maple syrup critical? I’d like to be sugar free, and I realize I could use either a low-sugar syrup or perhaps even Swerve, and I was wondering if you had thoughts on a substitute here, or if the maple syrup could be left out. Thank you!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Boyd, we think the flavor balance would be off if you omit it. But a low sugar syrup might work. Let us know if you try it!

      • Dilushani says

        Can I swap tempeh out with tofu? I really really don’t like the texture of tempeh but want to make this recipe :(

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Dilushani, that might work! We’d suggest extra firm tofu pressed out really well. It may need to bake longer to crisp up. Let us know if you try it!