Smoky, saucy, and incredibly easy to make, this BBQ Tempeh starts as a sandwich filling and quickly becomes a versatile main: great in bowls, wraps, or served on its own. With just three ingredients and three simple steps, you can have dinner ready in about 30 minutes—this recipe belongs in your weekly rotation.
Keeping a few dependable plant-based proteins on hand makes weeknight cooking so much easier. Tempeh is one of my favorites because it’s hearty, protein-rich, and soaks up sauces well. Other reliable options include crispy air fryer tofu, lentil taco meat, vegan sausages, and sofritas.
Quick Look: BBQ Tempeh
- 🔪 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 🍽 Total Time: 35 minutes
- 👨👩👧👧 Servings: 4
- 🌱 Calories: 232
- 🫘 Protein: 11g
- 🍠 Dietary breakdown: Vegan, vegetarian, nut-free, and oil-free
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Meaty, saucy, zesty, and sweet—think plant-based barbecue chicken
- ✅ Difficulty: Very simple—slice, simmer, and serve
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: BBQ Tempeh
- Why You’ll Love This BBQ Tempeh Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Recipe Variations
- How to Make BBQ Tempeh
- Jenné’s Recipe Tips
- Make a BBQ Tempeh Sandwich
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Directions
- BBQ Tempeh FAQs
- More Vegan Main Dish Recipes
- BBQ Tempeh Recipe
Why You’ll Love This BBQ Tempeh Recipe
- Quick and simple — three steps and under 40 minutes. If you can slice and stir, you can make this.
- No steaming required — simmering tempeh in BBQ sauce and water softens its texture and mellows bitterness, so there’s no need to steam first.
- Versatile — serve it solo, throw it into sandwiches or wraps, or pile it into Buddha bowls and salads.
- Full flavor — tempeh’s firm, meaty texture pairs perfectly with tangy, sweet barbecue sauce for a satisfying plant-based main.
Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake with a hearty bite and a mild, slightly nutty flavor. It’s often overlooked, but cooked this way it becomes tender and richly flavored. I usually keep a package in the fridge so I can throw together this BBQ tempeh on busy nights. In about 35 minutes you’ll have a protein-packed dish that works in many meals—bowls, wraps, sandwiches, or as the main course.
If you love tempeh, try it in tacos, tikka masala, maple-mustard bowls, or paired with greens for a smoky salad.
Key Ingredients
Tempeh: A firm, fermented soybean cake that slices easily and soaks up sauce. You’ll usually find it refrigerated near tofu.
Barbecue Sauce: The sauce is the main flavor driver here, so use one you enjoy. For a vegan version, choose a sauce without honey.
Refer to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.
Recipe Variations
There are many ways to adapt this recipe to your taste:
- Grilled BBQ Tempeh: Marinate tempeh in BBQ sauce for at least 6 hours or overnight, then grill over high heat for about 5 minutes per side or roast at 375°F for 20 minutes, flipping once.
- Extra spicy: Use a spicy BBQ sauce or add hot sauce or cayenne to taste.
- Saucier: Add 2–4 more tablespoons of water for a looser glaze if you prefer more sauce.
- Extra savory: Sauté sliced onion in a little water or oil substitute before adding sauce for a richer base.
- Garlicky: Add minced garlic with the onion for extra aroma.
- Smoky: Add a splash of liquid smoke or smoked paprika.
- Sweet and sticky: Stir in a tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar for a stickier glaze.
How to Make BBQ Tempeh
- Prepare the tempeh. Slice the tempeh into strips or pieces. Thinner slices absorb more sauce and cook a little faster.
- Add to the pan. Combine the BBQ sauce and water in a skillet, then add the tempeh, turning or stirring so each piece is coated.
- Simmer. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tempeh is tender and the sauce has reduced to glaze the pieces.
- Serve. Serve the tempeh hot—pile it into sandwiches or wraps, spoon it over grain bowls, or plate it with sides.
Jenné’s Recipe Tips
- Even pieces: Cut tempeh into evenly sized pieces so everything cooks at the same rate. Thinner strips will absorb more sauce.
- Skip steaming: The long simmer softens and flavors the tempeh, so pre-steaming isn’t necessary.
- Coat first: Mix the water and BBQ sauce before adding tempeh so slices coat evenly from the start.
- Control the simmer: If the sauce thickens before the tempeh is tender, cover the pan to finish cooking or stir in a few tablespoons of water.
- Pick a good sauce: Use a BBQ sauce you love—thicker sauces may need a splash of water. For fully vegan dishes, avoid sauces with honey.
Make a BBQ Tempeh Sandwich
One of the best ways to enjoy this tempeh is in a saucy sandwich. Pile hot BBQ tempeh on sourdough with vegan mayo, lettuce, and tomato, or use slider buns or your preferred bread. For a gluten-free option, wrap the tempeh and veggies in a collard leaf.
Serving Suggestions
For a full plant-based BBQ plate, serve the tempeh alongside potato salad, sweet potato biscuits, corn ribs, mashed potatoes, or mushroom gravy. For lighter meals, add it to Buddha bowls, broccoli salad, chickpea “tuna” salad, baby kale salads, or even nachos.
If you want more plant-based main dishes, explore easy tofu recipes and other hearty vegan entrees.
Storage Directions
- Refrigerate: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm in a skillet with a splash of BBQ sauce and water, or re-crisp in an air fryer at 350°F for 3–5 minutes, brushing with sauce in the final minute.
BBQ Tempeh FAQs
Plain soy tempeh is naturally gluten-free, but some varieties include grains or are processed on shared equipment. If you need gluten-free tempeh, check the package labeling.
No. This recipe relies on a long simmer in sauce and water to soften and mellow the tempeh’s flavor, so pre-steaming isn’t required.
Yes. Marinate tempeh in BBQ sauce for at least 6 hours, then air fry at 375°F for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and sticky.
Yes—the base recipe uses no oil. If you choose the sautéed-onion variation, use a water-sauté technique or a small amount of oil if preferred.
It’s flexible—serve in sandwiches, wraps, or over grain bowls and salads. For a traditional BBQ plate, pair it with potato salad, mashed potatoes, biscuits, or roasted veg.
More Vegan Main Dish Recipes
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Classic Vegan Fish Tacos
Main Dishes
Vegan Burrito Bowl | Better-Than-Chipotle
Main Dishes
Thai Pumpkin Curry
Recipes
Instant Pot Whole Cauliflower Piccata
If you try this BBQ Tempeh, please leave a star rating and share how it went in the comments—thanks for visiting!
BBQ Tempeh
Jenné Claiborne
Ingredients
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 pkg soy tempehcut across into three squares, then thinly slice into strips
Instructions
-
Add the barbecue sauce and water to a medium skillet and whisk or stir until combined.
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Add the sliced tempeh and gently stir to coat each piece in the sauce.
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Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tempeh is tender and the sauce has reduced into a glaze.
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Serve hot in sandwiches, wraps, over bowls, or alongside your favorite sides.
Notes
- Slicing: Even slices help the tempeh cook uniformly; thinner strips absorb more sauce.
- No steaming: The simmer softens and flavors the tempeh, so you can skip pre-steaming.
- Cooking: Stir to keep pieces coated. If the sauce reduces too quickly, cover the pan or add a few tablespoons of water.
- BBQ sauce: Use a sauce you enjoy. Thicker sauces may need extra water; choose a sauce without honey for a fully vegan dish.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of sauce and water or crisp in an air fryer for a few minutes.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 34 g
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Protein: 11 g
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Fat: 7 g