Easy Vegan Marmite Baked Tempeh

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An easy vegan Marmite baked tempeh that only requires 6 ingredients & 45 mins. Can be made oil-free & gluten-free. Perfect as a side dish or salad topper !

Before becoming vegan, I have no idea what tempeh is. I was introduced to tempeh when researching for vegan recipe when I first turned vegan. At first, I thought that tempeh is this exotic ingredient that I have to find high and low for it. But alas, I soon found out that tempeh is literally sold in all markets and grocers. 🙂

For those of you who have never tried tempeh before, I urge you to try it now ! Tempeh is one of the cheapest and most nutritious plant protein out there, and it is packed full of micronutrients. It also has a firm meaty texture to it, making tempeh a perfect meat substitute. Still feeling sceptical about tempeh ? All I have to say is try out this easy baked tempeh recipe ! It only requires 6 ingredients and 40 mins.

So, what exactly is tempeh and how to reduce its nutty flavor ?

Surprisingly enough, tempeh is literally just fermented soy beans. Most of you may know its close relative - aka tofu, but not many of us ( or is it just me ?!) know what tempeh is. For all my health nuts out there, tempeh is a very nutritious and healthy food. It is less processed and higher in protein compared to tofu. ( Well, there is of course there is nothing wrong with eating tofu). The downside is, tempeh has a strong nutty flavor that some do not like. To reduce its " nutty " flavor, try steaming them in boiling water for about 10 minutes.

What is Marmite, then ?

I am sure that many of you had heard of Marmite. Marmite is actually yeast extract and is a byproduct of brewing beer. It originates from the UK but I am pretty sure you can find it anywhere now. For Marmite, little does really goes a long way. Its flavor is very intense, if I must say so myself.

Marmite vs Vegemite

I used to think that Marmite and Vegemite are the same thing, until one of my followers called me out about it on Instagram. After doing some research ( or Google search, if you will ), here is my conclusion on the difference between both of them.

First of all, Marmite is from British, While Vegemite is a product of Australia. Both of them are mainly made up of yeast extract, but Vegemite contains additional vegetables and spices that make it different from Marmite. They both are salty and savory with a hint of umami when it comes to taste, but Vegemite has a slight hint of bitterness to it.

Whick one taste better, though ? It all comes down to personal preference. I prefer Marmite as I grew up eating them, but that is only my personal opinion. The good news is, both marmite and Vegemite works well in this recipe, so just use whichever you have on hand !

This baked Marmite tempeh is a great place to start for those of you who are new to Mamite. There is only a hint of Marmite flavor in it that you can barely taste it. Even though I grew up eating Marmite ( for my fellow Chinese out there, do you put Marmite in your congee or is it just me ?! ) , I still cant tolerate eating it straight without diluting it with something.

How to make

Start of by combining the Marmite, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and sesame oil to make the marinade for the tempeh. Toss the marinade into the cubed tempeh and toss to coat. Let is sit for at least 20 mins. ( Remember, the longer you marinade your tempeh, the more flavourful your tempeh will be ! )

Preheat oven to 150c and arrange the tempeh onto a lined baking tray.Bake it in the oven for about 20-25 mins or until the tempeh is perfectly caramelised . Serve it however you like ! My favourite way to enjoy them is to serve them together with a carb sources, veggies and dressing to make a balanced Buddha bowl !

Here are more easy vegan mains that you may like :

• The Best Easy Vegan Tempeh Tacos Recipe
• Peanut Butter Roasted Chickpeas
• Vegan Egg Fried Rice
• Easy Vegan Quinoa Salad
• Vegan Dry Wonton Noodles