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Learn how to make the best BBQ Tempeh without marinating or steaming! Requiring only 4 ingredients and 20 minutes of hands-on cooking, it’s a mouthwatering meaty sandwich filling or side dish for the summer barbecue. Vegan and Gluten-Free.
Whether you’re ready to swap the tofu for tempeh or craving a really great vegan meat substitute, this Easy BBQ Tempeh is a must-try! A tried and true process transforms the tempeh into a sticky, saucy, and delightfully addicting plant protein you’ll have on the table in just 20 minutes. Layer it in sandwiches, top it on the salad, or pair it with all of your favorites at the backyard barbecue.
Table of Contents
Incredible BBQ Tempeh
If you’ve been cooking with tofu for years and feel intimidated about switching over to tempeh, my BBQ Tempeh recipe is a great place to start. It’s a fuss-free, one pan recipe made with only 4 ingredients. The best part? There’s no steaming or marinating required!
If you’re not familiar, tempeh is an Indonesian fermented soy product. You won’t mistake it for tofu, given that its texture is quite firm and its raw taste is pretty bitter and nutty. Once you cook it, though, tempeh takes on any flavor you throw at it (just like tofu).
Most recipes start by steaming and marinating the tempeh to tone down its unique flavors. To get this BBQ tempeh on the table even faster, I rolled the marinating, steaming, and sautéing steps all into one. It’s the same process I use in my Smoky Tempeh recipe since it gives you perfectly meaty on the inside and crispy on the outside tempeh every time.
One taste and I know you’ll be stuffing the BBQ tempeh into all of your sandwiches and bringing it along to your summer barbecues. Besides, you can’t beat it as a side dish to this Vegan Macaroni Salad and this Crunchy Broccoli Salad!
Ingredients for BBQ Tempeh
You only need 4 simple ingredients to make the best tempeh ever! All that’s required is the tempeh, of course, and 3 everyday ingredients to fill it with its characteristic smoky and savory flavors:
- Tempeh: you can usually find tempeh near the tofu in most well-stocked grocery stores. If you can’t find it right away, head to the natural foods section or take a trip to your local health food store.
- Vegetable Broth: the broth is combined with the BBQ sauce to make a sauce that doubles as a marinade and braising liquid for the tempeh. The broth will evaporate as it cooks with the tempeh in a hot skillet, leaving savory-infused tempeh coated in sticky BBQ sauce. Water works as a substitute for broth, but the tempeh won’t be as flavorful.
- BBQ Sauce: pretty much any barbecue sauce you like goes here! I used this organic store-bought one, but you can use your favorite or even a homemade version.
- Oil: I seared the tempeh strips in avocado oil, but you can use any high-heat neutral oil (like olive oil or vegetable oil) as a substitute.
How to Make BBQ Tempeh
- Cut the tempeh blocks into thick strips. Whisk the broth and BBQ sauce together in a large jar or measuring cup. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tempeh strips in an even layer and sear until golden on both sides.
- Pour the BBQ sauce mixture into the pan and increase the heat to high. Once the BBQ mixture is simmering, reduce the heat and cook the tempeh until the sauce thickens and the broth evaporates.
- Serve the BBQ tempeh right away and enjoy.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Flip the tempeh every 2 to 3 minutes: Once the broth starts to evaporate (this should take between 8 and 10 minutes), keep flipping the tempeh pieces every 2 to 3 minutes to help them brown evenly and puff up.
- The right pan makes a difference: I recommend searing the tempeh in a cast iron, stainless steel, or nonstick skillet. All three options will prevent sticking and give each tempeh strip mouthwatering crispy edges.
- You can grill the tempeh instead: Finish the tempeh strips on the grill to give them classic char marks and an extra layer of flavor! You’ll need a grill or grill pan, oil for the grates, BBQ sauce for brushing over the strips, and an extra 10 minutes. Find the grilling instructions in the recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions
You can’t go wrong with a side of seared barbecue tempeh at the cookout or barbecue. It’s a meaty and filling dish to pair with all of your favorite summer classics, like vegan baked beans, grilled veggie burgers, this Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad, corn on the cob, grilled veggie skewers, and anything else you like! You can even layer a few tempeh slices on a bun with extra BBQ sauce and this Pineapple Coleslaw for an epic BBQ sandwich.
And because the tempeh is so quick, easy, and delicious, it can easily become a weeknight staple for dinner. It’s perfect in these BBQ Tempeh Tacos and as a replacement for the tofu in these BBQ Sweet Potato Tofu Tacos on Taco Tuesday. You can even chop up the slices and toss them in a salad, grain bowl, sandwich, or veggie wrap to make it extra filling!
If you’re looking for more unforgettable tempeh recipes, you’ll also love this Saucy Stovetop Peanut Tempeh, this Tempeh “Tuna” Salad, and this Vegan Tempeh Marsala!
How to Store Leftover Tempeh
The leftover cooked tempeh will keep for up to 5 days. Once it’s cool, transfer the slices to an airtight container and store them in the fridge.
Reheat the BBQ tempeh in a skillet or grill pan over medium heat until warmed through and slightly crispy on both sides. Brush the pieces with extra BBQ sauce to make them saucy again, if needed.
Recipe FAQs
Raw tempeh can taste bitter, funky, and a little nutty.
A lot of tempeh recipes begin by steaming and marinating the tempeh before sautéing it in a pan to tone down its “funky” flavors. I don’t like extra steps, which is why I combined them altogether in this recipe, my Smoky Tempeh recipe, and my Baked Tempeh recipe. It’s a quick and easy alternative and makes delicious-tasting tempeh every time.
Yes, you can double or triple the recipe if you need to serve a larger crowd. Sear the tempeh in batches if your skillet isn’t wide enough to fit all of the strips.
This recipe should work just as well with extra-firm tofu (pressed for 30 minutes ahead of time). I’d recommend frying the BBQ tofu in a non-stick pan to prevent the pieces from sticking.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
BBQ Tempeh
Ingredients
- 16 ounces tempeh 2 packs
- 3/4 cup ml low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce of choice*
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Prep: Remove the tempeh from the packaging and cut each block into thick strips about ¾” wide. Add the water and BBQ sauce to a large jar or measuring cup and whisk until combined; set aside.
- Sear: Add the oil to a medium cast iron, stainless steel, or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tempeh evenly across the base of the pan. Sear the tempeh on one side for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden. Flip the tempeh and sear for another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Simmer: Add the BBQ sauce mixture to the pan and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture starts to simmer, reduce the heat to medium and cook the tempeh for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping it every 2 to 3 minutes to cook it evenly. The sauce will start to thicken as the water evaporates from the pan.
- Serve: Serve warm over grain bowls, sandwiches, salads, or as desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Barbecue Sauce: Feel free to use your favorite barbecue sauce in this recipe! I used this organic store-bought one, but you can also make your own.
Tried this for my 2nd experiment with Tempeh as I figured it deserved to be eaten au-naturel for my first experience, but this was absolutely delicious and will probably be my go to way to make it going forward. I may have overdone the liquid in the recipe a bit, but I’ll get better with practice and it made the tempeh taste so very good. Thank you for this.
You’re so welcome, I’m glad you liked this one, Steven!
I was afraid to try tempeh, but finally did with this recipe. Like others have said, there isn’t anything I have not liked from your blog. I will definitely be using tempeh from now on. Thanks for the recipe!
So happy you tried it!
This has become my go-to recipe when I want something quick and delicious or even when I am just craving tempeh. I tried tempeh a year ago, and I did not enjoy it at all, but I decided to give it another try based on liking everything else I have made from this blog, and I enjoy it more than tofu now. I am so happy to follow you and your work, and I look forward to purchasing your cookbook!
That’s awesome! Tempeh can take a little bit of an introduction, but so happy you’re enjoying it now!
This was absolutely delicious! I ate it over rice with some sweet corn on the side. I used a homemade barbecue sauce and the better than bouillon concentrate as my broth which gave it a kind of subtle chicken flavor. I will definitely be making this again!
Sounds awesome! Thanks for making it and your notes on what you did!
Haven’t tried yet but looks great! What kinda grill do you have in your kitchen? Any recommendations? PS: When does your cookbook come out? Can’t wait ????
I use a cast iron grill pan! And it should come out this December 🙂
This made awesome tacos- bbq sauce is always a hit here. This will be in the regular rotation.
Sounds good! Glad it gets to be a part of our rotation!
This was SO good!! I made it for some sandwiches and it hardly lasted 2 minutes! Will definitely make again.
Thanks so much!
Hi Caitlin! Will this work with tofu? Thanks!
If you wanted to do tofu you would probably want to use extra firm, use a tofu press to get the water out, and just be mindful that tofu does have issues with sticking to pans. A good nonstick pan would be ideal!