Tempeh bacon is my favorite plant based bacon! It’s smoky, savory and sweet and only takes 20 minutes to bake and doesn’t require hours to marinade. This quick and delicious plant based tempeh bacon can be baked or even made on the stove top.

Bookmark this recipe because you’re going to want to put this protein packed tempeh bacon on sandwiches, salads, and soups!

What You Will Need For This Baked Tempeh Bacon

Kitchen Essentials:

You’ll need a shallow bowl or baking dish for the tempeh to marinate in. You want it to be shallow so that the tempeh can be placed without overlapping to ensure each strip will be marinaded.

Main Ingredients:

Tempeh cut in to thin strips
Soy Sauce or Tamari
Liquid Smoke
Smoked Paprika
Maple Syrup

Substitutions:

Tempeh: I love the texture of tempeh in this recipe but you can use this marinade for just about anything. Tofu, Mushrooms and Coconut Flakes are all good substitutions.
Maple Syrup: I love the flavor that maple syrup brings but you can also use agave syrup or brown sugar.
Liquid Smoke: Simply leave out or add more smoked paprika.

Tempeh Bacon Marinade

Maple Syrup: Maple syrup brings some sweetness to a very savory and smoky marinade. I also like to brush with a little maple syrup after they come out of the oven.
Liquid Smoke & Smoked Paprika: I prefer the mix of both instead of using just one. The liquid smoke adds the smokiness while smoked paprika adds smokiness but also some flavor.
Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: Optional but delicious.
Cayenne Pepper: A little heat is never optional to me.
Nutritional Yeast: Adds a richness to the marinade that works really well in marinades.

tempeh in a large baking dish with a marinade poured over.

How to Make Easy Tempeh Bacon

Baked Tempeh Bacon:

Place the tempeh on to a parchment lined baking tray and brush on half of the remaining marinade and bake for 10 minutes. Then, flip and brush on the remaining marinade and bake for another 10 minutes. If you want it a little crispier, bake 5 more minutes.

Pan-Fry Tempeh Bacon:

Heat a pan on medium heat and brown each side of marinaded tempeh bacon in a bit of olive oil. Once golden and crispy, add in remaining marinade and cook until absorbed.

How to Serve Tempeh Bacon

On sandwiches! This tempeh bacon is great on breakfast sandwiches, grilled cheese, vegan BLT & club sandwiches!
Serve in breakfast tacos or burritos or on top of these breakfast tostadas.
Chop up and serve on a salad. This bacon would be very good on a Kale Caesar Salad.
Use as a topping on this Creamy Vegan Potato Soup.

Tips & Tricks for the Best Tempeh Bacon

The longer you marinate the tempeh, the better it’ll be! I usually marinate mine for at least 15 to 30 minutes but I like to cook just what I’ll use for that meal and save the rest in a container to marinate for later.

Use the method that is best for you! Baked tempeh bacon is delicious and my preferred method because it’s more hands off so I can prepare the remaining elements of the meal I’m making. But pan-frying is faster and creates a really delicious caramelized outside so if you prefer that, go with pan frying!

Customize this to your preference! I love the maple flavor and the smokiness from the paprika and liquid smoke but you could use brown sugar or agave instead or sub out the liquid smoke if you don’t have it around. I do recommend leaving in a sweet element, a smoky element and the soy sauce. Those are the main components of this bacon and where the flavor comes from.

Learn More About Cooking with Tempeh:

Read my Ultimate Guide to Cooking with Tempeh to learn all about tempeh!

Close up shot of the glaze over the tempeh bacon.

Tempeh Bacon FAQ:

Can I make this tempeh bacon without liquid smoke?

Yes! Simply leave it out without any other substitutions.

Is tempeh bacon gluten free?

Tempeh is gluten-free as long as you don’t get the ones that have added grains. Soy sauce has gluten so you’ll want to switch it out with tamari instead.

Does this taste like bacon?

No, tempeh bacon does not taste like bacon but it is a good substitute for bacon. It’s smoky and very flavorful which is why it’s a good replacement in sandwiches, burritos, etc. The texture of tempeh has a crispy exterior with a more nutty chewy interior.

More Breakfast Recipes You Might Like:

If You Make This Recipe:

I would greatly appreciate if you share your review in the comments below and leave a star rating. Don’t forget to add if you made any fun substitutions. Thank you!