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Learn how to make tempeh at home with just 3 ingredients! Homemade tempeh is easy to make and tastes so much better than the store-bought. Follow this step-by-step recipe to make tempeh in the Instant Pot!
📘 What is Tempeh
Tempeh is an Indonesian food prepared from fermented soybeans. As opposed to tofu, tempeh is prepared from whole soybeans that are bound together by a white mold growing between each bean.
Tempeh is high in protein, healthy, and versatile!
⭐️ Why Make You Should Make Your Own Tempeh
If you have never made your own tempeh, you should definitely try! It’s not as complicated as it seems and requires very little active time. Plus, it tastes so much better than store-bought (no bitterness or aftertaste)! It’s also budget-friendly and makes a fun experiment!
Instant Pot Benefits
Making tempeh in the Instant Pot is not only easier, but it’s also quicker. Obviously, it still requires several hours to incubate, but the pressure cooker simplifies the whole process.
So, what are the advantages of making tempeh in the Instant Pot?
- You don’t have to soak the beans! Just rinse and pressure cook.
- Beans cook a lot faster and require less attention. This is the main advantage to me, I used to cook beans on the stovetop, and it took over 1 hour and constant attention, checking from time to time to see if there was still enough water or if the beans were not overcooked.
- No oven is required for the incubation step. Yes, you read right! Thanks to the yogurt mode of the Instant Pot, the tempeh is at the perfect temperature, meaning the mold develops well. I used to incubate tempeh in my oven, meaning I couldn’t use it for 48H. Not good when you have a cookie craving…Problem solved with the Instant Pot!
Ready to make your own tempeh? Let’s do it!
🥣 How to Make Tempeh
You will only need 3 ingredients:
- Soybeans – Preferably non-GMO soybeans. I personally went with peeled split soybeans here.
- Tempeh starter – It is sold as a powder, and a little goes a long way! Tempeh starter will keep in the fridge for years. You can order tempeh starter online.
- White vinegar – Regular white vinegar or rice vinegar either will work.
1. Cooking the Soybeans
Start by pressure-cooking the soybeans for 40 minutes. No soaking is needed. Just rinse the beans, cover them with water, and pressure cook in the Instant Pot.
To speed up the process even more, I used peeled split soybeans. They don’t only cook faster, but they also do not require peeling, which is usually the most time-consuming step when making tempeh from whole soybeans. If you can’t find split and peeled soybeans, there is an extra step you will have to do. Check out the recipe notes.
Once your soybeans are cooked and soft, the next step is to pat them dry. This step is essential as the mold won’t grow well if there is too much moisture. I usually spread the beans on a clean kitchen towel and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then top with another kitchen towel and press slightly to absorb excess moisture.
Next, stir in a tablespoon of white vinegar. The vinegar will lower the PH and prevent bad mold from growing. Sprinkle the tempeh starter and mix well to coat the soybeans before transferring them to freezer bags.
Tip: Make sure to pack the soybeans well in the freezer bags, you don’t want too much space between each soybean.
2. Incubating
To incubate, we will use the Instant Pot’s yogurt mode! Pour 1 cup of water into the liner, add the steamer rack, and place the soybean bags on the steamer so they don’t touch the water.
Set the Instant Pot on yogurt mode and let it do its magic! After 16 hours, you can turn it off and let it incubate for another 24 hours. You don’t need the Instant Pot to generate heat anymore, as the mold will start to generate its own. It’s actually funny how the tempeh is still warm after 24 hours!
You will start to see white mold growing after about 18-20 hours (2 hours after you turn off the yogurt mode), and it will fully cover the beans after about 40 hours.
Finally, when your tempeh loaves are firm and completely white, transfer to the refrigerator and use them as you wish!
This recipe yields two tempeh loaves of about 13 ounces. If you like tempeh as much as I do, it won’t last long. Otherwise, it freezes very well and will keep for months in the freezer. For those of you who eat soy-free, check out my chickpea tempeh recipe. The base is basically the same.
🌯 Where to Use Tempeh
Tempeh is super versatile and can be used:
- Sautéed: You can marinate diced or sliced tempeh in your favorite marinade and then sauté in a skillet until golden brown. Then, it can be added to vegetable stir-fries, noodles, or soups like this Tempeh Khao Soi. It’s also delicious in sandwiches or in wraps.
- Fried: Tempeh can be deep-fried for a crispy texture.
- Grilled: Tempeh is also perfect for grilling! It holds up well on the grill and can be charred. These Sesame & Peanut Tempeh Skewers are one of my favorites!
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can cook the soybeans in a regular pressure cooker and incubate the tempeh in a warm place, like an oven, with the light on.
85°F (30°C) is the recommended temperature for good mold growth.
Yes, you can use black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and more!
Yes, you need to be patient. It can take up to 72 hours before the tempeh is ready.
📔 More Tempeh Recipes
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Note: This post is not sponsored, I just really enjoy cooking with the Instant Pot. This post contains affiliate links though. I earn a small commission if you order through one of these links. It helps support this blog and keeps the recipes coming.
How to Make Tempeh in the Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups split and peeled soybeans see notes for whole soybeans
- 6 cups water
- 1 tbsp white rice vinegar
- 1 tsp tempeh starter
Instructions
- Rinse the soybeans under cold water. Transfer to the Instant Pot liner. Cover with the water and close the lid. Set the valve to "Sealing."
- Pressure cook for 40 minutes and let the pressure release naturally (about 25 minutes). Once there is no more pressure, open the Instant Pot and drain the cooked soybeans.
- Transfer the cooked soybeans to a clean kitchen towel and let dry for 20 minutes. The soybeans should not be wet. If they still appear too wet, top them with another clean kitchen towel and press a bit to absorb excess water.
- Transfer the soybeans to a large mixing bowl. Add the rice vinegar and stir using a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the tempeh starter and stir again until well combined.
- Take two freezer bags and pierce them using a fork or a chopstick at 1-inch intervals. Divide the soybeans into the freezer bags and pack them well. Then fold the rest of the bag over the soybeans to keep it tight.
- Wash the Instant Pot liner. Place 1 cup of water in the bottom and top with the steam rack. Place the two tempeh loaves on the steamer. Cover with a glass lid (or use the Instant Pot lid if you don't have a large glass lid).
- Press the Yogurt button 3 times to set it to "Less" mode. Set the timer for 16 hours.
- After 16 hours, turn off the Instant Pot. You should start to see some white mold appearing. Remove the excess water from the lid using a paper towel. Place the lid back into place and let the tempeh incubate for another 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, the tempeh should be fully covered with white mold and bind the soybeans together into a firm cake. You can now place it in the refrigerator and use as you wish!
- Tempeh will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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Thank you very much for this recipe, I am excited to give this a try!
On step 8 of your instructions it says to remove excess water from the lid with a paper towel and and then place the lid back in place and let the tempeh incubate for another 24 hours. Do you also dump out the cup of water that is at the bottom of the Instant Pot that you put in there when you ran the 16 hour yogurt setting? Or do you just wipe the lid and leave the water at the bottom while it’s incubating?
You’re welcome!
You should always have water in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Can’t wait to try
Is adding water to the pot during incubation really necessary? I have found another recipe for Instant pot Tempeh that says specifically “NO” water. I really want to get this right. I’m going to attempt Chickpea tempeh. I worry that the extra water can run the risk of growing other pesty bugs.
Thanks!
I can relate to that. The first time I did it following Thomas’steps, including the water, my tempeh did not grow white mold. I added extra time but then it was still not white and now smelly, so I put it in the garbage.
The second time I followed Thomas’steps but with less water, and I discarded the water completely at some point. It then grew beautifully!
I guess it can depend on several criteria (the type of lid, the amount of starter, the weather…)
Anyway that’s for my experience. Thanks for the recipe Thomas!
I have been making this tempeh over 10 times and never had problems with bugs or molds and always added water to the bottom of the IP.
This a fantastic and clear instruction on using the instant pot for tempeh thank you. I have been searching for a detailed instruction as many leave out critical details which is confusing when following. You don’t specify the setting you use on the yoghurt button (critical detail:))but I was pleased to discover the following just thought I’d mention this as it works a treat and some comments have been made that the yoghurt setting is too hot if left on NORMAL. The instant pot has a setting that is actually designed for fermentation at exactly 30c – 35c ideal for tempeh if you toggle the yoghurt setting to “LOW”. In the manual it is page 12 yoghurt LOW setting for Jiu Niang. comes up 24 hours. Less warm than the normal yoghurt setting but longer. It changes from 8 hours to 24 hours. Apparently the temp range for this setting is 30c-35c ideal for tempeh. I add 1 cup of water at the beginning of the 24hours then leave the tempeh to continue on its own for at least another day or two. I actually don’t use the instant pot for cooking the beans but presoak and boil on the stove however the instant pot is a great incubator for fermentation. It would be more useful if the manual mentioned Tempeh as well as Jiu Niang. Hope this might be useful info.
Thanks for sharing this info Yvie! Will definitely test next time!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I failed 3 times at making tempeh before I read yours blog post. The biggest trouble before was incubating it at the correct temperature. I tried the oven on low, then the oven with only the light on, and then even tried it with a seedling-heating mat, but all of those were too hot and/or inconsistent. Had no idea I could incubate it in the Instant Pot– I thought the yogurt setting might still be too warm, but it worked perfectly! So thank you thank you thank you!! I’m so excited about this!
Thanks for your feedback Teri! 🙂 I’m happy to hear you had success making your own tempeh.
I was having no luck incubating my tempeh until I ran across this article as I never thought about using my Instant Pot Ultra 6 quart for that. I started using this Sterilite 03111606 Ultra Seal 3.1-Cup Rectangle container – https://tinyurl.com/y4vy6mts – which fits perfectly. I also used this steamer basket – https://tinyurl.com/yxvf6gvm – to put the container in. Two container stack perfectly. I have used a 10 bean soup mix from the bulk bin, black bean, green mung bean, red mung beans, and combination of red and green mung beans. I do soak my beans because I find that one cup of beans will expand 3x in size after 12 to 24 hours. I also use the steamer basket to steam my beans before putting them in a half sheet pan lined with a kitchen towel to cool.
My basic recipe is one cup of beans, 1 TBSP vinegar, 1/2 tsp tempeh starter, 1/8 cup of toasted sesame seeds.
The yogurt setting on Low is 91 degrees and I add a cup of water before setting it for 16 hours. I check the container’s temperature and when it measured 95 degrees I would set it on a wire rack for 15 minutes to see if it can maintain its temperature. If the temp dropped to 88 degrees I would put it back in the Instant Pot for another couple of hours. Once it can maintain its temperature I would let it set on the wire rack for another 18 hours.
My last recipe had the bean tempeh having a temp of 103 degrees F after 18 hours in the Instant pot. Temps went to 120 degrees over the course of the next 18 hours and then started declining. I would steam the tempeh for 20 minutes in the steamer basket to stop the fermentation process.
Arthur, I love the idea of a reusable dish instead of a bag! I assume you use the lids in the process. Any more specifics you could offer? Do you need to fill these all the way full to the lid? Do you stack the containers one of top of the other? Vents open? Any advice you have would be so appreciated!
I’m happy to pass on what I’ve done so far. The way I prepare my containers is to use a ruler and a dry erase marker to make marks along the bottom, sides, and container lid. I used a scratch awl – https://tinyurl.com/y56txdsk – to punch holes going by the marks made earlier. I made two containers: one with holes every 1/2 inch and one with holes every inch. The one marked every half-inch looks better but I see no difference between how effective they are otherwise. The benefit of using the awl is it’s easy to punch holes in the heavyweight plastic containers. Just go slow and you should have no problems. You can even vary the hole size by punching in 1/2 to 3/4 inch along the awl shaft. You may need to experiment to see what hole size works best for you. I have seen some people use a drill with a 1/8 inch drill bit but if you do that you will spend some extra time clearing the holes of plastic shavings.
I don’t bother opening the vent hole since you have added so many other holes. I use this thermometer – https://tinyurl.com/y3rvpsd6 – to monitor the temps of the tempeh. This unit is nice in that it allows you to set a high and low temp alarm to alert you of temperature issues. I punch a large hole in the center of the container lid so I can insert the temp probe into the tempeh. I bought two thermometers so I can monitor each container independently. Since these were designed for aquariums I insert the probes at the beginning of incubation process and don’t remove them until I’m ready to take the tempeh out of the containers.
I have filled the containers completely and had good results but you need to closely watch the temps as the tempeh can easily overheat if you do that. Now I try to shot for 3/4 full or around an inch thick. That seems to make it easier to control the temps. I try to keep the temps between 95 to 100 degrees F as that produces good results for me.
I don’t stack the two containers directly on top of each other because that would block the vent holes. I do stack the containers so that you make a cross in order to keep the vent holes clear. Two containers fit the steamer basket with no issues.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
I followed this recipe and had a bit of a problem. I set the instant pot to the low yoghurt setting for 16 hours (till yesterday 6 pm) no sign of mould yet. Checked on temperature several hours later (10 pm) and still no mold but it felt warm. Checked today at 7 am and it was quite warm with a bit of mold growing on the sides of the beans between where two packages were stacked. Came home from work just now (5 pm) to discover no additional mold growth and the beans at room temperature. Any idea what went wrong and how I can salvage this batch?
Thanks!
I would say this batch is gone and should be discarded. You could break this packs apart to see what it looks like on the inside. It may be that your packs overheated and that’s why you didn’t get mold growth. I use a thermometer like this one – https://tinyurl.com/y62or62m – that was designed to monitor aquarium temperatures. You could buy two and insert the probe into the middle of the packs so you can more closely monitor the temperatures being generated.
As far as what went wrong check how closely you followed the recipe, how clean your workspace is, and the kind of Tempeh Starter you are using using. It could be the starter is old and you need to use more or perhaps you need to use a different Tempeh Starter entirely.
When I’ve made tempeh it was 16 -18 hours until my container reached 95 degrees. I removed my container from the Instant Pot at that time and sat them on a wire rack. It was another 8 hours before I really saw significant mold growth. It would be another 6 – 10 hours before I would remove the new tempeh loaf from my container.
Are you sure your beans were dry before stirring in the vinegar and starter?
Also, the beans must be packed tightly in the plastic bags.
Me again… LOL. I’m getting ready to give this a go. Have one final question. I’ve tried soaking and hand removing the skins. Have been doing that with soymilk recipe and my soy yogurt recipe. More work than I want.
Have you tried cooking the soybeans and after they cool down, trying to remove them as mentioned? I’m gonna give it a try. Might be easier, might be messier. I’ll let you know, but won’t be doing that until tonight, after soaking is over, so I thought I’d ask y’all to see if you’ve tried it.
Hi Jim,
I haven’t as I usually buy split soybeans that have no skin. Let me know if you try it!
Will do. I’ll be back home in a couple weeks. Plan to give it a go. Will update y’all.
Hey there! I wanted to let people know that the recipe works well. I had split non GMO soybeans and I cooked them in the instant Pot for 20 minutes and allowed it to release the pressure naturally. I opted for it to have an al Dante texture so that the culture would have plenty of space to for and access to oxygen. I let it dry for about 2 hours, and then followed the instructions. After turning the instant Pot off, I did have to let it stay in there for 2 days to get a lot of white fuzz but it is good!
I have been making tempeth for years,I learned from a friend who runs a tempeth shop.
1) cook 4 cups soy beans for a couple of minutes in boiling water to create steam. This will help separate the skins.
2-In a food processor place a cup or two of the beans at a time and pulse five times to split the bean and also loosen the skins.
3-Fill a large pot with water, place the beans and strain from one pot to another using a strainer to separate the skins that will be almost on the water surface. This will take about ten minutes.
4-Cook the beans for an hour. Drain well and keep at medium to low heat to dry well as you stir with a large spoon. This will take about five to ten minutes.
5-After the beans are dried and cooled to body temperature add three table spoons of vinegar and a teaspoon or two of the tempeh starter. Mix well.
6-Place in sandwich bags about half full and close, then use a very clean fork (use vinegar or alcohol to clean) to punch holes every 1/2 inch or closer. This will provide ventilation during incubation.
7_-Flaten the bags by padding and place in the incubator for 12 hours at 34c and then reduce to 28c. The tempeth will be ready within 24 to 36 hours.
It is important to keep everything absolutely clean during preparation (counter , hands, utensils) and not to let the beans go above the required temperature!
I hope this guide helps you.
Hi All:
I use dried beans and do not soak them at all. You don’t want them to have lots of moisture during incubation, also after cooking them for an hour they should be still not soft, it should take a hard press with your nails to brake the beans.
When drying the beans in the pot you will know when to stop when you see that the beans are not so shyny or don’t have moisture on them.
Thanks for your great feedback! 🙂
Like some other commenters, I found the cook time way too long, the beans were practically mush; next time, i’ll try 20-25 minutes. However, my tempeh turned out beautifully. I was nervous about the mold developing well, so I ended up leaving it in the InstaPot on low for 24 hours. At this point, the fermentation appeared complete and the loaf was solid. I steamed the tempeh for 10 minutes to prevent further fermenting and I think it’s ready to eat! I agree that homemade tempeh tastes much better, and this method, vs. the oven method, was cleaner and easier, and faster!
Thanks for your feedback and rating Rachael!
Hi Thomas, thanks for your recipe. I was wondering if I do chicken-pea tempeh by using instant pot for incubating, it will work as well?
Thank you
Hi Truyen,
You can definitely make chickpea tempeh in the Instant Pot as well.
Hi Thomas,
Thank you for your reply.
I looked at both your soy and chickpea recipes, one thing I noticed the difference between soy and chickpeas is yeast tempeh / tempeh starter (different tempeh starter: one said soy free tempeh and one said tempeh) Do we have to use different tempeh starters to make different beans? Or does it not matter?
Thank you again for your wonderful recipes. I believe I can do it successfully the first time with your recipe. Thank you.
I went with soy-free tempeh for the chickpea tempeh to keep the recipe soy-free, but it doesn’t matter. Both starters work the same way 🙂
If your tempeh is covered in mold do you eat the mold. Not to sound stupid but you don’t see mold on it at the stores haha
Sure, without mold it’s not tempeh!
Hi Thomas. Thank you for this recipe. Very clear and easy to understand.
I could only find regular whole soy beans. I soaked the beans first and then put for 25 minutes. My conclusion – 25 minutes is still way too much – the were a bit too soft.
I then put them in a food processor and gave it a few pulses – conclusion – next time try the grater attachment as some beans were left whole and others were cut too small.
Despite the above it came out good. Could have been tighter though.
Looking forward to try your other recipes
All the best.
S
Thanks for sharing Shay!
I’ve never used soybeans to make tempeh because I wanted to skip the dehulling and the splitting steps. I used split and whole green mung beans, black beans, adzuki beans(otherwise known as English red mung bean), a 10 bean soup mix, and black eyed peas. Instead of cooking the beans in water I steamed them for 20 – 40 minutes under high pressure depending on which bean I was using.
Thanks for the tips Arthur! Great stuff!
Thanks for your tips Arthur! 🙂
Thanks, Arthur… is that Arthur Dent, or, more famously, Dent Arthur Dent? Perhaps that’s your full name?
I read comments here and on a fermentation FB group. I appreciate that you share your wisdom so well. – Jim B
Why yes it is Dent Arthur Dent and I know where my towel is to prove it. I belong to two FB groups on tempeh specifically and two FB groups on fermentation generally so you have seen my posts showing the fruits of my labor. I just recently made some split checkpea tempeh and I posted my process after someone ask for it.
I’ve never tasted tempeh. I made this with my three quart Instant Pot. The beans fit into two quart size bags. Into the 3 quart pot went water, the steamer stand, one bag, a canning jar ring to make an air space and the second bag.
About 42 hours in, the white mold convinced me of its success. When I flipped the bags over, the white stuff hadn’t developed quite as thoroughly–I didn’t poke holes in the underside, against the great of water getting to the tempeh. I just now made the holes and covered both bags with a towel to let them stay warm and cozy.
I’m gonna eat fungus! Thanks!
Oh boy. I put this into a bag in the fridge and pulled it out to sniff it and then to let my wife sniff it. Ew. It smelled like vomit. I think maybe the beans weren’t dry enough before I added the vinegar and culture.
What think you?
Hum…it sounds like some bad mold develop. Tempeh should have a specific smell but shouldn’t smell like this.
Maybe too much moisture or a too-high incubation temperature.
Great! I’m glad to hear it worked! 🙂
Thanks for your feedback.
Well, I looked at what I’d made and thought, hey it looks mostly like the pictures. I pan fried slices of it and didn’t get ill–I actually liked the taste.
Gonna try again!
All good, even after my little bike accident! :9
Thanks!
I made another batch, doing exactly the same. After 72 hours, not much going on in my 3 quart instant pot, but a strong sour smell. Maybe too warm? I saw above that you use a glass pot lid in lieu of the IP lid. I removed my IP lid and relocated one bag to an ice chest sized bread fermenting box. I laid two kitchen towels over the top of the IP where the other bag sat. The sour smell of the bag in the bread box has decreased to nearly undetectable, but lingers in the bag left in the instant pot. The temperature in the instant pot is 88 degrees–it has water in the bottom. The bread box tempeh has progressed to look like it wants to belong to the club.
What can I tell you? Strange things in tempeh world
If you don’t have a glass lid for your Instant Pot 3 Quart model you can try this one – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07215ZYFQ/ref=psdc_289823_t1_B07C97J2J4
To make it easier to get your bags of tempeh in and out you may want to consider using a steamer basket like this one – https://preview.tinyurl.com/qugubw5
One of my early tempeh attempts overheated, my thermometer showed 122 degrees F, and generated an overpowering scent of ammonia. It had good mycelium growth but once I removed it from the container I noted how wet and slimy it felt. I discarded it immediately. To me a sour smell could indicate too much moisture. Are you putting the bags side by side or are you stacking them atop each other?
You can see in my previous comments that I use a thermometer to measure the temperature of tempeh as it goes through the fermentation process. I purchased an Instant Pot Auro Pro 8 quart model because its rectangular shape allowed me to put my containers of tempeh side by side on a wire rack but I was disappointed when I discovered that the Yogurt setting didn’t offer a low, medium, or high like my Instant Pot Ultra 6 quart model. This unit’s yogurt setting runs at 107 degrees F. If you get a glass lid for your Instant Pot I would test what temperature the Yogurt setting runs at.
Hi. Was looking forward to try Arthur’s method with Adoukis (they are already soaked for tomorrow!), but had some soybeans left, so was trying to implement what I learned from the previous experience and indeed it was better:
After soaking, instead of using the regular blender, I used the slicer blade – this chopped the soybeans into half and separated many hulls. When washing this with water the hulls float and many were removed this way.
I then put it in the InstantPot for 10 minutes with a lot of water. Again – the hulls floated. I put it only for 10 minutes this time, so the beans will not be too soft and I’ll be able to apply some pressure when I packed them without them being pasty.
I make holes in the bags after they are packed.
The result was a more firm tempeh – Perfect!
Hi Shay, thanks for sharing your tweaks! Glad to hear it worked well! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe, may I ask, is there a way to flavor the tempeh during the process Or does it need to be flavored after it’s made?
Tempeh is very good at absorbing the flavors in the dish you are using it in. One way to flavor the tempeh after it has been made is with a marinade. I have simmered cubes of tempeh in a cup of water with a tablespoon of low-sodium Tamari for 10 minutes.
You have to be careful trying to flavor the tempeh during its fermentation process because what you use could impact that process. You could add something like toasted sesame seeds or sunflower seeds before the process begigns. If you use sunflower seeds they need to be soaked before adding them to your tempeh.
I look forward to trying your recipe. Can you tell me if new starter is required, or can existing Tempeh be used to start the new Tempeh?
I always use a new starter as powder coats all the beans more easily, but it seems some people had success by using a piece of mold from an old batch.
Michael,
You would need to clarify what you mean by “can existing Tempeh be used to start the new Tempeh”. In sourdough bread making you hear a lot about people making a new loaf using a mother dough starter that had been used to make the previous loaf. In some commercial facilities they have been using the same starter for years. I don’t believe that would work for making tempeh.
If you want to make your own tempeh starter you can do a search on “making tempeh starter” to find more information.
Like Thomas I use new starter for each batch. I buy my tempeh starter in 75 gram containers. That may sound small but the recipe I follow only uses five grams for each batch so I can make 15 batches from that one starter container.
Hi, thanks for the recipe. I didn’t notice anything about perforating the freezer bags in which the tempeh is made. Do you do that?
Hi Robert, I do as mold needs air to grow.
Where to buy shelled so?
Depending on where you live you might want to check online or in health/organic stores around.
Hi Thomas and everyone,
I did the recipe again but using reusable glass containers (so without holes on the sides)…and it worked perfectly well !!
I am so glad not to have to use plastic containers or reusable bags anymore. Also, it is super easy to steam afterwards if you wanna stop the fermentation that way.
It took about 30 hours to ferment, but it always takes about that time where I am (it’s often raining in Paris, France), whatever the container I use.
Hi Marie,
I’m surprised you got good mold development without holes to let the air go through, but good to hear!
Thanks for your rating!
I have tested using glass containers in the Instant Pot and metal 4 by 2 pans floating in a water bath. I found the glass container did prove about as good mold growth as using a perforated container but the bottom of the loaf was a bit wetter. The loafs made in the metal pans didn’t have as good growth as I had using the glass container but I think that may have something to do with the thickness of the loaf in question. A thicker loaf has less air getting to the bottom layer.
What sort of cover? Was cover perforated or ajar?
You can try a glass container like this one – Pyrex 3 Cup Rectangle Glass Storage Container Blue – https://www.target.com/p/pyrex-3-cup-rectangle-glass-storage-container-blue/-/A-16654624 – With a little care you can get three of these to stack crosswise in a 6 quart Instant Pot. They come with plastic snap-on lids but I would not use them. I would use aluminum foil instead as you will need to poke holes in the foil to let air in. Poke a small hole using a skewer or small nail every inch across and down the foil. You may need to add or subtract the number of holes as you are seeking to trap enough humidity inside to keep the tempeh from drying out and to allow for good mold growth. Once you find the pattern that works for you you can buy an aluminum foil pan and cut out a lid that can be washed and reused.
Hello! Looking forward to making this recipe, just got my Instapot! When you say Instapot Liner, do you mean the pot? Also, freezer bags will hold up ok with the heat?
Thanks for the post!
Cat
That is correct, the liner is the stainless steel pot. Yes because it’s not very “hot”, just warm.
any worries about leaving the plastic bags on the heat? Any alternatives?
No worries, the temperature is not high enough.
Is there any way to make this recipe without using the plastic bags?
In my previous comments you can see I use a 3 cup plastic container. I’m still experimenting with the optimum number of holes between 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch in size. I was browsing another forum and see that others use glass containers with perforated aluminum foil lids. I saw one person that said they were in an office supply store and found a steel mesh container for holding pencils. They were happy to discover it made a great tempeh container after they lined it with cheesecloth. They did find they needed to mist the cheesecloth every so often to maintain a moisture-rich environment.
I do it with glass containers. Same quantity divided in 2 containers. No foil or anything on top, just the lid on the instant pot. Works great (I ve put a picture on my insta moonlightleaves, but I saw videos on youtube where people do it the same way if you need proof ^^ ).
If you’re using the standard Instant Pot lid you are creating a sealed environment so I can see where no container lid would be needed to keep the tempeh moist while it’s incubating. I’m using a glass lid on my Instant Pot and I remove my containers once they start generating their own heat so a container lid is required otherwise my tempeh will dry out.
I use standard and definitely not sealed glass lid.
Hi,
I presoaked beans and used this instruction :
Soaked cooking time: 18-20 minutes on high pressure in enough water to fully submerge the beans. from https://instantpoteats.com/instant-pot-101-how-to-cook-legumes/
However, soybeans became too mushy to be able to de-hull them. I would like to stick to presoaking option but need advice on the pot settings to be able to get right consistency of soybeans for de-hulling and the rest. Thank you to the host and to all who can advise.
Yuliya.
Hello!
I am wondering if after the 16 hours has passed if the loaves can be removed from the instantpot and wait on the counter?
Thanks!
I’m assuming you are using plastic bags to create your loaves. Tempeh does begin generating its own heat during the fermentation process so you could put the loaves on a wire rack on your kitchen counter and monitor its temperature to make sure it remains over 88 degrees F. You may find you need to wrap the bags in kitchen towels to maintain the desired temperature.
I would like to know that what is tempeh starter and what store carry this
I wii try it.
Thank you .
You could check Indian food stores or International food stores to see if they have Tempeh Starter. One person found an Indian restaurant that made their own tempeh and he was able to build tempeh starter from them. Most likely you will need to order it online. You can find more information about tempeh starter from the website http://www.tempeh.info
I’ve bought from them multiple times with no issues. You can do a search on “tempeh starter” for more information and other websites that sell tempeh starter online.
This is the first time I try to make Tempeh, and your method looks very simple, I like to try it, but I don’t know how to get low yogurt setting? Please help, I have everything ready now.
I’m super excited to try this. I’ve been making tempeh for years and would love to get rid of the styrofoam incubator I made:) Just a tip, drying the beans with a hairdryer is magic. I use whole beans, so I massage the cooked beans, and then the skins blow off like chaff.
William Shurtleff specifically mentions not to pressure cook. In addition, the temperature for yogurt making (around 110F) is quite a bit higher than for tempeh (about 88F).
Pictures are great though.
For my Instant Pot Ultra 6 quart model the Yogurt function offers a Low setting which is perfect for Tempeh making. Some Instant Pots that offer the Yogurt function have a Less setting. Checking your owners manual is the best place to look to verify what functions are available to you.
I have no idea who is this guy, but I would recommend trying the recipe before coming to conclusions.
Hello. I have followed the instructions. What is the correct temperature to ferment thru yogurt mode? Mine is crumbly. The some part of the tempeh was not covered with mold. So overferment it more than 48 hours. I also use the oven to dry the beans in like 20 minutes. I worry that paper towels fiber will be transferred to the tempeh. I want to try again and be successful. Any advice and recommendations? Thank you.
Hi Luna,
I simply put the yogurt mode on less. You have to be patient, depending on the temperature it can take more time. If it’s crumbly it’s because the mold didn’t develop enough.