Name: Tempeh Marinade
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 Servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 package tempeh; 1 tbsp olive oil; 0.25 cup soy sauce; 2 teaspoons ginger; 2 cloves garlic; 3 tablespoons maple syrup; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 package tempeh; 0.25 cup peanut butter; 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce; 1.5 tablespoons lime juice; 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons maple syrup; 2 cloves garlic; 2 teaspoons ginger; 1 package tempeh; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup or honey; 0.5 cup cilantro leaves; 2 cloves garlic; 0.25 tsp salt; 1 package tempeh; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 0.25 cup BBQ sauce; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 cloves garlic; 0.5 tsp onion powder; 0.5 tsp paprika; 0.25 tsp salt

Looking to add delicious flavor to your tempeh? I’ve got you covered with 6 different Tempeh Marinades that are easy to make and will liven up any tempeh recipe! Use these marinades to bake, pan-fry or air fry your tempeh. No more boring tempeh!

Other

10 m

American

Food with Feeling

April 28, 2026

Foodwithfeeling.com

From the Cook

1/6

Tempeh Marinade

Food with Feeling Verified

Foodwithfeeling.com

Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Tempeh Marinade

TERIYAKI MARINADE:

1 package tempeh

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons gingerfresh grated

2 cloves garlicminced

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

THAI PEANUT MARINADE:

1 package tempeh

¼ cup peanut butter

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

1 ½ tablespoons lime juice

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 cloves garlicminced

2 teaspoons gingerfresh grated

CILANTRO LIME MARINADE:

1 package tempeh

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or honey

½ cup cilantro leaveschopped

2 cloves garlicminced

¼ tsp salt

BBQ MARINADE:

1 package tempeh

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup BBQ sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlicminced

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp salt

1 dash liquid smokeoptional

BALSAMIC MARINADE:

1 package tempeh

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 cloves garlicminced

¼ tsp salt

FAJITA MARINADE:

1 package tempeh

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup lime juice

2 tablespoons water

1 tsp maple syrup

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground cumin

2 cloves garlicminced

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

1 tsp onion powder

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 dash liquid smokeoptional

Instructions

Visit Blog

Instructions

Prep your tempeh: Remove from packaging and slice the tempeh as desired. I show you lots of different ways to cut it. I usually go with simple cubes.

Make the marinade: I like to whisk together my marinade directly in the dish/ bag that I plan to marinate the tempeh in. A plastic bag, silicone bag, or really any kind of shallow resealable container works well. Add all of the ingredients (minus the tempeh) and whisk until fully combined.

Add the tempeh: add in your tempeh pieces and let marinate for 30 minutes or even overnight. Ideally this will marinate for a good few hours but even just 30 minutes makes a big difference.

Cook as desired and ENJOY!

As desired, you can use the leftover marinade to make a sauce for your tempeh (this works with all of the marinades EXCEPT the peanut marinade). Add it into a saucepan with a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of water + 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch) and cook over medium heat until thickened (about 3-5 minutes). It makes for a great sauce to put on top of the tempeh!

Notes

These marinades work well for tofu as well!

Once the tempeh is in the marinade, you can freeze it (sitting in the marinade) and leave it in the freezer for up to 6 months. When ready to eat, simply place it in the fridge to thaw and cook as desired.

Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

0
Review & Earn

Be the first to review this recipe and earn a 20% Bonus

Level up & unlock free Premium by reviewing recipes!

My Notes

Your kitchen notebook is waiting.

Whether it's a recipe tweak or an inspiration burst — jot it down here.

Tips & Tricks (5)

Score Your Tempeh Before Marinating 🔪
Cut shallow crosshatch patterns into tempeh slices to increase surface area and allow marinades to penetrate deeper, resulting in more flavorful, evenly seasoned tempeh throughout.
Press Tempeh First for Better Absorption 🤲
Wrap tempeh in a clean towel and place a heavy object on top for 15-20 minutes to remove excess moisture, allowing it to absorb marinades more effectively and achieve better browning.
Balance Your Marinade Ratios 🧪
Use a 3:1 ratio of liquid to acidic components (vinegar, lime juice) to prevent overly sour marinades while ensuring enough liquid for proper flavor absorption and moisture retention.
Marinate Strategically for Texture 🕐
Marinate tempeh for 30 minutes to 2 hours maximum—longer marinating can make it overly soft, while shorter times work perfectly for quick pan-frying or air-frying applications.
Reserve Marinade for Glazing 💧
Save a portion of your marinade before adding raw tempeh, then brush it on during the final cooking minutes to build layers of caramelized flavor and add a professional restaurant-quality finish.