“It has a tangy, nutty taste and firm texture,” women’s health dietitian Valerie Agyeman, R.D., tells mbg. After they’re cooked and fermented, the soybeans are packed into a brick-like cake, she explains. Less traditional tempehs use other types of beans, and may add whole grains and seasoning into the mix, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Amy Kimberlain, RDN, says. These alternative options are helpful for people with soy allergies. Along with those nutrients, Kimberlain says tempeh is high in B vitamins, and because it’s packed into a block, it’s more dense in nutrients than tofu. Tempeh is made from whole soybeans, which are cooked, fermented, then packed. Because it’s fermented and less processed, tempeh tends to have a better nutrition profile than tofu, Kimberlain says. Nutritional benefits include higher protein, fiber, vitamins, and prebiotics. Tofu, on the other hand, is made from coagulated soy milk. It comes in firm, soft, silken, and sprouted varieties. “Tempeh is on the chewy side and has a nutty taste,” Agyeman says, “and tofu is a bit more neutral and absorbs the flavors of the foods it’s cooked with.” Agyeman recommends marinating, roasting, or grilling tempeh like meat, or adding it to pizzas, sandwiches, stir-fries, pastas, or stews. Many recipes recommend softening tempeh before cooking, Kimberlain says. This allows it to absorb more flavors, like seasonings and sauces. “You can do this by steaming or simmering it for about 10 minutes,” she says.
