Tempeh bacon

Frequent recent breakfasts at The Highline and Wayward Cafe have reminded me how much I love tempeh bacon. Since I can’t eat at those places as often as I’d like, I decided it was time to perfect my own recipe.

Here’s what you’ll need:

8 oz. tempeh, sliced very thin (I like Turtle Island’s 5-grain tempeh, but any kind that’s nice and firm will work.)

Marinade:

3 Tbsp. soy sauce (I use a low-sodium, wheat-free tamari, which makes this bacon gluten free)
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke

Canola oil for frying

Combine all marinade ingredients, and then pour over the tempeh in a small, shallow dish.

Shown is a 3-cup Pyrex, which is just right for a batch. Marinate for one hour or more, tipping the dish several times to make sure the marinade is well distributed throughout the tempeh. You could also do this in a Ziploc bag, being careful not to break the tempeh strips.

Heat a skillet over medium-low heat, and add a generous amount of oil. Fry the tempeh strips for several minutes on each side, until crisp and medium-brown.

Watch them carefully since the sugars in the marinade will burn easily, and don’t be shy about adding more oil as you go (this is bacon, after all–not a health food!). Drain on brown paper or paper towels and serve with breakfast, on sandwiches, with dinner, or all by itself.