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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 You Will Love It
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 It
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 It
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.
⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
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.
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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.
Leave a Comment
Hi Thomas,
Thank you for all your amazing recipes, I tried to make tempeh but after 24 hours it wasn’t fully covered in white mold and it had tiny black spots and fuzzy mold coming out of the holes of the bag and in some parts inside the bag in the loaf is that normal?
Hi Gaby,
This is not normal. Something definitely went wrong and I would not recommend eating the tempeh if you see black spots.
I would suggest trying again and maybe using gloves when handling the soybeans. It’s possible that some dust or bacteria contaminated your tempeh.
Hi Thomas,
I made this very successfully using your recipe six years ago using whole beans, soaked/skinned, but I don’t remember the details and have lost that recipe. With this current iteration, after soaking/skinning whole beans, how long should they be cooked? After cooking for 40 minutes today, natural release, the beans are still crunchy. Are they supposed to be soft?
Thanks
Hi Camille,
40 minutes is the cooking time for split and peeled soybeans. If using whole beans, I would try soaking them overnight and then pressure cooking them for 45-50 minutes.
Also, ensure your soybeans are fresh and not expired. I have had an issue before where soybeans were past the expiration date and even after 1 hour of cooking, they were still hard.
Hope this helps!
Hi, Thomas,
I cooked them quite a bit longer, and they did develop some mycelium, but it was not nearly as thick as it was the previous time. I think the beans were just too old. Will try again with fresh.
Also I found a place that sells split/peeled beans. so I’m looking forward to not having to skin them.
Thanks for your help!
During the fermentation process, should I set the ip valve to Sealing? I believe that vent mode is better. I also wanted to remove the silicon ring..
Hi Andrea,
Yes, vent mode or sealing, it doesn’t really matter since the Instant Pot is not under pressure or high heat. You can even use a glass lid instead of the IP lid.
Thomas, you are such an inspriation!
I’ve got hulled, split chickpeas and tempeh starter that I bought at an Indonesian shop here in Paris, so my Instant Pot and I are all set to go! The lady who sold me the starter was tickled pink that I was making my own tempeh. She mentioned that cashew-nut tempeh is also delicious; have you tried that? I assume we start with raw cashews, but would we need to cook them first? I’ll have to go back and ask her — when I’ve successfully made your recipe!
Thank you again for all your hard work.
Thanks for your kind words Carole!
Oh that sounds very interesting, I have never heard of cashew tempeh before! I only knew about peanut tempeh.
I’ll definitely check that out. Please report back if you ever try it 🙂
Clearly people in your comments are happy with the recipe but I’m curious about your thoughts in regard to moisture. It seems that adding water to the bottom of the instant pot would create a moist environment that’s bad for the tempeh. What are your thoughts on why that’s not a problem for this recipe?
I have made this recipe countless times and never had any issue with the moisture but I do plan to re-test it soon without adding any water to the pot to compare. I’ll update it if needed.
I had it on the less yogurt setting for 16 hrs then left alone with instant pot off for about 24. Checked this morning and it was ice cold and not covered in spores. I turned the instant pot back on but am now not sure if this would be safe to eat if it does work. Thoughts?
It should be fine. Don’t turn off the heat until you can see white mold.
It seems that in your case, the spores didn’t develop yet, so your tempeh couldn’t generate its own heat.
Turned out great! I started with whole beans, and after soaking and dehulling (which is much easier if you use a big bowl and a few rinses) I cooked them for 18 min on high pressure. I also wrapped them in banana leaves instead of plastic. Question about fermentation: why do we need water at the bottom of the instant pot?
Thanks for your feedback and rating Emily!
Regarding your question, I actually doubt you really need to add water (I’ll try without next time). I just recently made natto (although quite different) and didn’t add any water to the bottom of the pot, got great results.
Oo, sounds delish!
Did anyone else’s smell really bad during the process? It’s starting to grow mold but it’s already been over 24 hours and idk if this is right…
What do you mean by bad smell? It should have a mushroom scent (a bit like a camembert).
What size freezer bags did you use?
I used “small-size” freezer bag that I folded in half. The size doesn’t really matter, use what you have and fold them or cut as needed.
Hi. I tend to cook by scale. How heavy are two cups of (uncooked) soybeans, approximately?
Hi Trang,
2 cups of uncooked soybeans will equal to approximately 360g. Hope this helps!
Is this the same measurement for soybeans that were soaked overnight? They swell up, so I want to be sure the original dry measurement is correct.
It is a dry measurement, not after soaking.
Hi. I’ve read that making tempeh requires air circulation. Does the Instant Pot allow for air circulation?
Hi Kate,
I am not sure if the Instant Pot allows air circulation but I never had any trouble making tempeh in the Instant Pot.
I made this recipe today. It took 2 hours to dehull the soybeans. Despite the good directions, I will have to achieve enlightenment before I try this again unless there’s some work-around. Difficult to find hulled soybeans online. One recipe fits into 2 1-quart freezer bags. Is there an extra step that will make this easier?
I’m afraid there is not. If you want to save time, the only option is to start with hulled soybeans.
I’m not able to get dehulled soy beans so I did the extra step and soaked first. I then cooked for 40 minutes which was far too long. I think the cooking time for soaked beans should be halved.
Thanks for your feedback Lisa, I’ll make sure to try again with whole soy beans and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Great vid and very helpful. I have seen other versions in which (a) no water has been used during the fermentation process and (b) the pot has been left on the “Low” setting from the time mould has started forming u til the end product. If the IP is switched off, is fermentation guaranteed to continue?
It will continue if the mold is already well developed. Usually at this point, the heat from the tempeh itself will allow the mold to develop without any other heat source.
I tried making natto in my instant pot and it turned out very wet – am concerned if I use the lid which seals, that it will do the same thing to the tempeh. Can I put any glass lid over if it covers the pot – I don’t have one that fits exactly. Would appreciate your input. Cheers
Yes, I usually use a glass lid too. Just be aware that it will also produce steam so you will have to pat it dry from time to time.
You could try taking the removable silicon ring out of the lid. I think that is crucial to sealing.
Super recipe. Enjoy the mild and somewhat sweet taste. I don’t buy premade food and appreciate finding this recipe. Many thanks.
You are welcome!
My employer had served many different cuisines that were “complimentary” during Covid Days so I tried many World Cuisine dishes. I searched and followed this recipe since my wife bought a Magic Pot or whatever you call it. The recipe (16hrs at 109F) didn’t quite make it as I needed to “incubate” within the Insta Pot another ~24hr – with no heat – I was worried to overcook it – until I saw the two punctured freezer bags become white inside. I froze them within non-perforated bags and I must say about 9mos later I remembered my adventure and I took one out, partially defrosted it, cut it into cubes, tossed in corn flour, and then sprayed generously with olive oil and put them on my barbecue grill over a perforated tray and they came out so crispy and delicious! This was a teal treat to go down this culinary pathway and I def want to do it again as I have more Tempeh Starter dormant in the fridge. I took many photos but alas I cannot share. Cheers!
Yes, it can sometimes take longer for the mold to develop, depending on the temperature.
Thanks for your feedback!
Is it possible to follow these instructions using chickpeas? Isee your chickpea tempeh recipe has slightly different ratios
Yes, this recipe should definitely work with chickpeas as well!
Using the instant pot as an incubator for tempeh is a great idea. Thank you. Now I don’t need to go out and buy an incubator. It worked perfectly.
You are welcome Roger 😉
For me, The temperature was a great issue for making tempeh.
Tempeh is fussy! It needs to ferment at between 85°F and 90°F. Much cooler and the mycelium won’t grow (giving rise to undesirable microorganisms to grow instead) But I was always confused between 85F to90F.
Thomas I am a fan of your recipes and always tell friends about them. I love how you push us to try new things.
I recently ran across a couple of recipes using Pumfu (pumpkins seed tofu) and I’d love to know how to make it if you’re ever inclined.
Please know that we know a lot of hard work goes into your recipes, testing, testing and more testing and we all appreciate it!!
Hi Annie,
Thanks for your kind words 🙂
It’s the first time I hear about Pumfu, but I’m really intrigued! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I will definitely add this to my list!
Hi, my lowest Instant Pot setting is 91 degrees F. Is that too hot? I have made two failed batches and I’m wondering if it’s too hot. It also gets quite damp in the IP with the water put in initially. Both times, I had a lot of white but the beans were only partially covered with white and the loaves were still soft enough to break apart easily after 48 hours. They also started to smell bad, like feet, so I threw them out. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Hi Lilian,
91F should be okay, but I would stop it as soon as the tempeh starts to produce its own heat, usually after 36 hours. Sometimes tempeh can take up to 72 hours to be ready, so let it incubate for a longer period of time if the loaf is not firm enough. Regarding the smell, it should smell like camembert/mushrooms (which some people refer to smelling like feet), so I am not exactly sure if your tempeh went bad or not.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I can’t wait to buy an Instant Pot and make Tempeh this easier way! I saw a comment that said dried hulled split soybeans can be found in EBay. I don’t know how old that post is, but has anyone been able to find them? I can’t find them on EBay. Thanks so much!
I DID IT!!!! The hulling process was pretty tedious – I can totally see the benefit of buying them pre-hulled. But, super thrilled with how well it turned out. Thank you for such great instructions!!!!!
Thanks so much for your feedback Josie!
Yes, pre-hulled are not available everywhere but it’s worth finding it!
Espectacular el resultado!! Definitivamente, no vuelvo a comprar tempeh en la tienda, este es mucho mejor. Gracias!
¡De nada!
Hi!! Thank you for taking the time to share how you made Temph in the instant pot. I am so excited to try this. I have never made temph, and I feel the part that was a little confusing to me was regulating the temperature during the fermenting process.
My question is, have you ever made your own Temph starter in the insta pot using the yogurt mode? I have been reading about how to make my own starter and I am guessing you could use the insta pot to produce the started also.
Hi Leslie!
I have never tried making my own starter, I didn’t even know it was possible!
What size IP did you use? I have a 6 qt but only have room for 4 small bags of tempeh using a trivet and a taller trivet to keep them separate. The tempeh was delicious. I need to be able to make it in larger quantities.
How large is your IP. I have a 6 qt. There is no way I can fit two of those bags in the IP on a trivet. So, I use a second trivet for the second bag. Finding halved/hulled soybeans is now a prority.
I make tempeh in 3 cup Sterilite containers with holes drilled into the container bottom and lid. I steam my tempeh once it is ready to harvest so I found these steamer trays on Amazon. Using the trivet that comes with your IP you can stack two steamer trays in a 6 quart IP. Check them out and see what you think – HapWay Stainless Steel Steamer Basket with Egg Steam Rack Trivet Compatible with Instant Pot 5,6 qt Electric Pressure Cooker
Do you have to wrap in plastic? I don’t keep any in my house. Can I use a beeswax cloth perhaps?
I only tried with plastic, however some readers had success using glass containers (check the comments).
I have made this recipe several times (rated it 5 stars), and I’m back to share a couple of things I’ve learned in case it helps anyone:
1- For anyone using whole soybeans, I’ve figured out a quick way to de-hull. First, I soak the dried beans in the fridge overnight. The next day, I simmer them in water for about 20 mins. Then, I turn off the heat and use a potato masher with a pressing and twisting motion (similar to mashing potatoes). Less than 5 mins of this removes over 90% of the hulls and splits most of the beans without breaking them. After that, you need to pour the hulls out to discard. As for cooking, I do it on the stovetop for 2 hrs so I can’t speak to how long to put them in the IP for, but there are probably resources online that say how long to cook soaked beans for.
2- I believe Arthur also mentioned this somewhere, but if you’ve done everything correctly and the mold isn’t growing, it could be that your starter is bad. In one experience, I noticed that something was wrong when the loaves were not staying warm after the Instant Pot yogurt cycle had ended. It was due to the bad starter batch.