Meaning & use
tempeh
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
A firm food from Indonesia made from cooked soybeans that are fermented into a dense cake, often eaten as a meat substitute.
Grammar: Uncountable: some tempeh, a block of tempeh.
Patterns
- a block of tempeh
- tempeh with something
She marinated the tempeh in soy sauce and grilled it.
Tempeh has a nutty flavour and a firmer texture than tofu.
We added crumbled tempeh to the chili for extra protein.
Common combinations
- fried tempeh
- Fried tempeh is a popular street snack in Indonesia.
- marinated tempeh
- Marinated tempeh works well in sandwiches.
- block of tempeh
- I bought a block of tempeh at the market.
- slice the tempeh
- Slice the tempeh thinly before frying.
- tempeh stir-fry
- The tempeh stir-fry was ready in ten minutes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tofu
- Tofu is made from soy milk curds and is softer and milder, while tempeh is fermented whole beans with a firmer, nuttier bite.
- seitan
- Seitan is made from wheat gluten, not soybeans, and has a chewier, more meat-like texture than tempeh.
- meat substitute
- Meat substitute is a general category, while tempeh is one specific traditional food within it.
Word family
- tofu noun
- a soft soybean curd
- soybean noun
- the bean used to make tempeh
- fermented adjective
- changed by bacteria or yeast, as tempeh is
Commonly confused: tempeh or tofu? tempeh or tempura?
tempeh vs tofu
Tofu is soft and made from pressed curds, whereas tempeh is a fermented block of whole soybeans.
tempeh vs tempura
Tempura is Japanese battered and deep-fried food, and is a different dish from tempeh.
Practice
Which description fits tempeh?
Choose one answer.
Tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans into a firm cake. The battered fried dish is tempura, which is a common mix-up.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tempeh”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.