Since I got my Instant Pot last Christmas I have been constantly looking for ways to use it and save time. Tempeh is the perfect food to make in an Instant Pot because it makes use of its two most useful modes: pressure cooker and yogurt maker.
Making tempeh in the Instant Pot is not only easier, 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 stove top 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 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?
Start by pressure cooking the soybeans for 40 minutes, no soaking needed. Just rinse the beans, cover with water and pressure cook.
To speed up the process even more, I used peeled split soybeans. They don’t only cook faster, 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 15-20 minutes. Then top with another kitchen towel and press slightly to absorb excess moisture.
Next, you stir in a tablespoon of white vinegar, which lowers the ph and prevents bad mold from growing. Sprinkle the tempeh starter and mix well before transferring to freezer bags.
Make sure to pack the soybeans well in the freezer bags, you don’t want too much space between each soybean.
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 loafs are firm and completely white, transfer to the refrigerator and use as you wish!
This recipe yields two tempeh loafs 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.
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!
You can use this tempeh to make Sesame & Peanut Tempeh Skewers, Tempeh Khao Soi, or these Thai Tempeh Buckwheat Wraps.
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
Easily make your own tempeh in an Instant Pot! No other equipment required. It’s cheaper and tastes a lot better than store-bought tempeh!
Yield: 2 Loafs of tempeh
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 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 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 loafs 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 on “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
If you can’t find split and peeled soybeans: Soak the whole soybeans overnight. The next morning, rinse and place in a large bowl. Cover with water. Using your hands, massage the beans to remove the hulls. Hulls will float on top, remove them using a colander and discard. Then you can cook the soybeans and follow the recipe.
Hi! I have an instant pot but mine does my have the yogurt setting. What can I do instead?
Hi Jennifer!
I would recommend following the incubation steps of my Chickpea Tempeh recipe. You will have to use your oven with the light one.
Love this and love Instant Pots! I would never have thought of making tempeh in it. You have totally inspired me to have a go!
Great recipe! I make lots of tempeh at home too. One further time saving step…. You can freeze the bags of tempeh after adding the mold. Then when you want to continue and complete the process just take the bags from the freezer and into the instant pot. Once they thaw they will start to grow the mold.
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Interesting! I had no idea this was possible, thanks for sharing Beryl 🙂
So nice article, glad to read this post, thanks so much!
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Where do you get the peeled and split soybeans? Also, where do you get the tempeh starter?
I get peeled split soybeans at my local organic store. They don’t always have them though, so sometimes I get the whole beans and just peel them (and slightly crush them with my hands).
For the tempeh starter, I included a link in the recipe. You can also get it here: https://www.tempeh.info/
Do you have the valve in the sealed or venting position when in yogurt mode?
Personally, I don’t use the Instant Pot lid while making tempeh, I just use a glass skillet lid that I put on top, this way I can see the progression. You can use the Instant Pot lid though, the valve position doesn’t matter, the heat is not hot enough to create pressure.
I get a lot of condensation on the inside of the bags holding the soybeans. I’m pretty new to Instant Pots, but I made sure to choose the “less yogurt” setting, only difference is my pot didn’t let me start until the lid was in the locked position. Is there an overwrite setting you use so yours lets you use a different lid that might result in a less steamy pot interior?
Well, I have no idea why your Instant Pot didn’t want to start without the lid! I use the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 and I can start the yogurt mode with a simple glass lid on top.
Regarding the condensation, did you make sure the beans were dry before placing them into the bags? I do get some condensation but it’s very minimal and disappears after a few hours once the mold has grown.
I thought the Instant pot yoghurt function is too warm (about 40 degrees C) for making tempeh (sbout 30 fegrees C) … Do different models of Instant Pot have different temperature settings for yoghurt?
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I’m not sure what is the exact temperature when the Instant Pot is set on Less Yogurt mode. I never measured the temperature but since I put a glass lid on top it may lower the temperature a bit. All I can say is that I made 3 batches of tempeh in the Instant Pot and the mold always grew very well! 🙂
Thanks Thomas. I have failed 3 times (once with adzuku beans that were clearly too cooked… twice with soy beans that perhaps had too much hull). No mold started forming.
I will try once more with more careful bean preparation, with half the portion in my oven (the thaw function holds 30 degrees) and half in my Instant Pot.
I know the “cake” must not be too thick. But what do you think is the minimum thickness that will work?
Ah, yes hulls can prevent the mold from growing. Also, make sure your beans are not wet. Oh it can be quite thick actually, I usually go for about 2-inch/2.5-inch thick.
Thanks, Thomas! I think the current batch is going to work!
I did a very careful preparation of the beans … it took me more than an hour to de-hull and split, but I listened to the radio and enjoyed it … I am sure I will get faster as I get practice
I also used the oven to help me dry the beans better after cooking.
After 15 hours incubation, nothing seemed to be happening. So I gave it another 10 hours (in all 25), and the mold seemed to be developing beautifully in the packet which had started in the IP (the one that I had had in the oven for the first 15 hours got really weird looking … fuzzy in patches … I threw it out)
Now the probably-successful loaf will get 12-15 more hours with no heat input. (I have it on my kitchen counter with a tea cozy covering it because I can’t get the IP temperature low enough).
I will let you know how it goes.
I found that the yogurt function holds about 33.5 degrees centigrade … which is about as perfect as you can get. So I have learned to trust in you ;o) … If this trial fails, I will be even more careful to follow your instructions exactly.
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It worked! It worked! Delicious result.
I am going to try it with different ingredients such as adzuki beans and split peas and black beans and, yes, maybe chickpeas. Thank you!
Great! 🙂
What size freezer bags did you use?
I would recommend using 7-inch freezer bags. Honestly the size of the freezer bags doesn’t really matter as long as you pack the soybeans tightly by folding the bag. You could even use a large freezer bag and make only one large tempeh loaf.
Do you poke holes in the freezer bags to let the tempeh breathe? I make tempeh with my dehydrator and that has always been the technique but I’d like to try making it in my instant pot on yogurt mode like you show here. Thanks.
I do! It’s explained in the recipe. You are right, poking holes is essential to get a good mold growth! Making tempeh in the Instant Pot is really easy, you definitely have to try it!
Thank you, I was hoping a way to do this would come along!
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Thanks for the wonderful recipe. Made it this weekend and it turned out great
Thanks for the feedback Ellen!
This is genius!! I love tempeh and have been wanting to make my own, but the oven method seems like such a commitment so I haven’t tried yet…
Thanks Caro!
I tried this recipe the other day (well, still mid-process). Not sure it’s going to work or if it’ll be safe to eat, maybe you can help. I followed the instructions pretty carefully but I had to hull them myself (I live in the UK and can’t find any presplit, prehulled soybeans) so not sure about the measurements. I measured 2 cups dry but obviously they expanded a lot when soaked. So I increased the vinegar and starter a bit each, by about 25% (1/4 tbsp extra vinegar, 1/4 top extra starter). Followed directions about drying beans, etc and put in bags in instant pot on low yogurt setting for 16 hours. At the end of the time I thought maybe there was a slight bit of mold starting so I went ahead and turned it off. Checked on it again after prob 20 hours and barely any mold at all. And I felt it and the bags were cold! So I turned it back on low yogurt setting and it’s been on nearly 12 hours and it actually is looking pretty good now but still needs more mold to grow. Do you think I should just leave it on thr low yogurt setting until it’s fully done? And do you think any harm has been done by letting it cool down and not continue to culture for 20 hours? Any idea why it didn’t generate any heat of its own? Every single hull from the beans was removed, I was very careful and it took me 2+ hours! Thanks in advance.
This is normal that they expand if soaked. I guess 2 cups split soybeans are about the same or a bit more (in weight) than 2 cups whole so you don’t have to increase the other ingredients actually. Yes just leave it on low yogurt setting until you see a lot of white mold around the beans, then you can turn it off and be sure that it will continue to grow by itself until the beans are fully covered. I make tempeh very regularly in the Instant Pot and I’m not sure why but sometimes it takes longer than others before white mold starts to appear. So don’t worry about it 🙂 I admire your dedication to the dehulling of the beans 🙂
Ah, thank you! I left it on the low yogurt setting for probably about 24 hours and then took it out and put it in the fridge. But now that I think about it, I’m sure it would have grown more mold if I left it turned off for another 12 hours or so. The cake is pretty well bound together but there’s not a whole lot of mold on it. I guess I’ll know for next time! Is it normal for it to be very strong, stronger than store-bought tempeh?
Yes, the incubation time is quite variable, next time leave it in the Instant Pot until it’s completely white. I’m not sure about the flavor, mine always has a more delicate taste than the store-bought ones, maybe the brand of mold used can affect the flavor, or the temperature/incubation time.
Thanks for your tips!
Can you stack the tempeh on top of each other in Instant Pot? Or are they need to be on the rack directly?
That is an interesting question and I was wondering the same thing a few days ago! I’m going to try and let you know the results. I have the feeling the mold won’t grow as much on the parts that are touching since there will be less air circulation, but we will see.
What a disaster. I had to soak and hull the two cups of soybeans, which took 12 hours to soak and 2.5 hours of constant work to hull. I reduced the cooking time in the Instant Pot to 20 minutes since they had been soaked and released the pressure after 15 minutes, figuring that they didn’t need any additional cooking. They were mashed. I continued to mix in the vinegar and starter because I’d already wasted over three hours and have it in the Instant Pot now to ferment, but I can’t imagine that I’m going to do anything but throw the bags out after 24 hours. All this with “new crop” non-GMO soybeans that I paid quite a bit to have shipped to me.
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So sorry to hear you had trouble with this recipe!
I almost always use hulled split soybeans and that’s what I used when writing this recipe. Some people here had success with whole beans though it’s definitely more time consuming to hull, there is no debate around it. I’m going to try with whole beans next time and update the recipe accordingly for the cooking time. I hope this won’t discourage you from trying again as homemade tempeh tastes a lot better than store-bought!
I’m on the second attempt now. Dehulling the soybeans went a little easier when, on another recommendation, I used a potato masher. I brought the split beans to a boil and cooked them only 25 minutes or on the hard side of al dente. They stayed coherent as I dried them and are now in the Instant Pot. Believe me, I want this to work; the closest store that carries tempeh is about 90 miles away.
Thanks for sharing your experiments Mark. According to Nicole (comment below), you don’t even have to dehull all the beans, just the majority.
I hope your tempeh went well this time! I also live in a town where tempeh is not available so I can understand your feelings.
Great to see that someone else has put the instant pot to use making tempeh, I’ve been doing this for about a year.
I use the “jiu niang” setting on the instant pot, which maybe is the same thing as what people are calling “low yogurt”. I put it on the yogurt setting and then hit adjust until the screen says “24:00”. This setting is for a Chinese fermented rice dish and is a lower temperature than yogurt, it happens to be exactly the temperature needed for tempeh. I don’t think it’s necessary to reduce the time to 16 hours because the temperature sensor should sense that the tempeh is generating its own heat and will stop heating.
I bought the steamer basket set from instant pot. It allows me to stack a couple of layers.
Re: removing the hulls. I would recommend only spending about 15-20 minutes doing this, it’s not necessary to get all of the hulls off, it’s easy to get obsessed and keep going and going. Finally, if you do soak ahead of time and remove the hulls, then you only need about 15 minutes of cooking and then about 10 minutes waiting before releasing the pressure.
I’ve taken to drying the beans by spreading them out on a cookie tray and putting them in the oven on the convection setting at the lowest temperature (170F) for about 20 minutes, stirring once halfway.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiments Nicole! Super interesting and useful!
I think you are right about the temperature sensor, I never thought about this honestly.
I’m definitely going to try making tempeh from unhulled whole beans next time and share the results.
Hi Thomas, Thank you for this inspirational idea! Where do you recommend purchasing non gmo organic soya beans? Thanks, Lee
Hi Leopold,
I usually get mine from the organic store, they carry split and hulled, and whole beans. I think you can find non-GMO online as well.