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This Crispy Air Fryer Tempeh needs only 5 ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes. With a vegan peanut sauce, you’ve never tasted tempeh in the air fryer this good.

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Are you someone who is intimidated by tempeh? I used to be! But now, I especially like it and I really enjoy the texture.

It tastes great in my winter roasted vegetable bowl, or paired with any stir fry or noodle recipe.

Most people don’t understand how versatile tempeh is, and once you taste this crispy air fryer tempeh, you’ll want to throw it on everything!

Marinated baked tempeh takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with, which is why I chose a peanut sauce for this recipe. Lots of other options in my meal prep ebook!

Peanut tempeh has always been my favorite. We make an iteration of it pretty much every time we make tempeh or tofu.

When I was searching for tempeh air fryer recipes, though, there were not a ton to choose from, and none included a peanut sauce!

So, I got to experimenting. I figured it was a great opportunity to create my own air fryer tempeh recipe with a delicious marinade that you will hopefully want to make over and over again.

Once you make this air fried tempeh recipe, you won’t make it any other way. But if you prefer tofu to tempeh, try these crispy air fried tofu nuggets.

Gather What You Need

Air Fryer tempeh is so easy and quick, and really, the only way I cook tempeh now. Here’s what you need.

• tempeh
• avocado oil (or sesame oil)
• peanut butter
• maple syrup
• coconut aminos
• chili powder (optional)

Tempeh is a great plant based protein, and one that we often eat weekly.

Hopefully, you and your family can enjoy this tempeh air fryer recipe. It happens to be a vegan gluten free air fryer recipe, too.

AIR FRYER ESSENTIALS – I love to keep some go-to’s on hand for my air fryer recipes. Here’s what I recommend using:

Fast Instant Read Thermometer – You’ll use this more than you know! It works for meat on the grill or stove or oven, too. It’s super fast and the large screen is easy to read.

Reusable Air Fryer Liners – I love these for easy cleaning!

Plate Gripper – This is great for HOT things when they come out of the air fryer. Take care and don’t burn yourself.

Tongs – Tongs can be helpful for transferring seasoned items and then hot items after cooked in the air fryer.

How To Cook Tempeh in the Air Fryer

I have a thing for crispy foods. Crispy broccoli and vegetables, roasted vegetables with brussels sprouts, crispy air fryer green beans, crispy chicken (love some fried chicken). Crisp = flavor.

To make air fryer tempeh, you’ll just add your tempeh cubes to the air fryer bowl.

Let’s discuss how to season tempeh in the air fryer because that’s really what sets this air fryer tempeh recipe apart.

I like cubing my tempeh (1/2″-1″) because I feel like each piece gets a better coating of the peanut tempeh sauce, but tempeh strips would also work well.

I prefer to add the seasoning AFTER cooking air fryer tempeh because it seems to coat the tempeh more.

But you are also welcome to make the tempeh marinade before air frying the tempeh.

In the recipe card, you’ll find an option if you choose to add the seasoning marinade first. 

To air fry the tempeh, set it to 380 and 12 minutes, and let it do its magic! Just a pinch of sesame oil is all you need to smell up your kitchen. 

Peanut Butter Tempeh and Tempeh Peanut Sauce

I knew I wanted to make a tempeh marinade without soy sauce because I didn’t have any soy sauce on hand.

This tempeh peanut sauce contains:

• coconut aminos
• peanut butter
• maple syrup
• avocado oil (or sesame oil)
• chili powder

We often use Thrive Market‘s coconut aminos in place for soy sauce, anyway. Thrive Market is the best kept secret.

For the sauce, follow your personal preference. You can make it spicier with more chili powder or even red pepper flakes, or omit it completely.

You can swap out honey for the maple syrup if you’re not vegan.

What To Serve With Air Fried Tempeh

Just like any other protein source, tempeh is great served with carbohydrates and veggies.

I love noodles, rice or potatoes/sweet potatoes paired with this tempeh air fryer recipe (See 20 ways to use sweet potatoes here).

• Egg Noodle Stir Fry
• Corn Cucumber Salad
• Atop a Mango Quinoa Salad
• Alongside a Broccoli Kale Salad

Bottom line, get creative!

More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love

• Air Fryer Parsnips
• Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans
• Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
• Chicken Tacos in Air Fryer
• Pizza Rolls in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges

Servings 3 servings

Crispy Air Fryer Tempeh

Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN

This Crispy Air Fryer Tempeh covered in a delicious tempeh peanut sauce is a 20 minute vegan air fryer recipe that everyone will love!

4.50 from 4 ratings

Print Pin

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 8 ounces tempeh, cubed
• 1 tbsp avocado oil or sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1/8 tsp chili powder can be increased

Instructions 

1. Preheat air fryer to 380.
2. While the air fryer is preheating, slice your tempeh into cubes about 1” thick.
3. To marinade the tempeh, place cubes in a medium sized bowl and add remaining ingredients. Marinade for up to 30 minutes, or if you think of it, you can marinade overnight.
4. Spread tempeh out into even layer in air fryer tray.
5. Air fry for 12 min, or until desired crispiness.
6. Let cool and add marinade over crispy tempeh cubes and enjoy!

Notes

Peanut marinade adapted by Minimalist Baker.

I prefer to add the seasoning AFTER cooking the tempeh because it seems to coat the tempeh better/more. But you can also make the tempeh marinade and coat the tempeh before air frying. If doing so, allow at least 30 minutes for the tempeh to sit in the marinade.

Equipment

Kirkland Organic Creamy Peanut Butter U.S. Valencia Peanuts 28 Ounce Each Jar 2 Pack

Primal Kitchen – Avocado Oil, Whole 30 Approved, Paleo Friendly and Cold Pressed (16.9 oz) – Two Pack

Organic Maple Syrup – 32 Oz. Jug – 100% Pure Canadian Maple Syrup – Small Family Farm Sourced – Grade A: Amber Rich Taste – Non-GMO, Healthy and Gluten-Free

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 16gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 168mgPotassium: 396mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 25IUCalcium: 100mgIron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?Let us know how it was!