Time for tempeh?

We understand your reluctance, really we do. Fermented soybeans? Formed into brick-like cakes? With a chunky, chewy texture? With all these strikes against it, why oh why should you give tempeh a chance?

We understand your reluctance, really we do. Fermented soybeans? Formed into brick-like cakes? With a chunky, chewy texture? With all these strikes against it, why oh why should you give tempeh a chance?

Well—because it’s good, for one thing. Stuffed into enchiladas. Marinated in tahini and glazed with an orange dressing. Sautéed with barbecue sauce and served up as sandwiches. Tempeh is highly versatile and can adapt to a host of dishes. And unlike jiggly tofu, which relies solely on its accompaniments for taste, tempeh has a hearty texture and subtle flavor—a nutty, slightly mushroomy essence.

It’s also insanely healthy—much more so than its appealing taste would suggest. Packed with 15 grams of protein and 3.5 grams of fiber per half-cup, it’s also a good source of B-12, calcium and iron.

And while you may think of meat substitutes as hippy-dippy “pseudofoods,” this vegetarian favorite actually has a long history. The Javanese first produced tempeh two millennia ago, historians believe, and it remains a staple of Indonesian cooking today.

Finally, tempeh is easy to prepare. Packages can be found refrigerated in the fresh produce section or frozen in most health stores and select supermarkets. Simply slice, dice or crumble and you’re ready to cook it up by baking, stir-frying or sautéing. Tasty possibilities abound, and we’re willing to bet at least one will melt any “must-eat-meat” resolve. You just have to give it a chance.