Tempeh is a fermented soy product originating from Indonesia, made by culturing cooked whole soybeans with Rhizopus mould to form a firm, dense cake. Unlike tofu, it uses whole soybeans and the fermentation process partially breaks down phytic acid, improving mineral bioavailability. It provides excellent plant protein (~18–20g/100g), dietary fibre, iron, calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins. Fermentation also produces some vitamin B12 precursors in certain preparations, though this is not a reliable B12 source.
Slice and pan-fry in a little oil until golden brown on both sides before using in dishes — tempeh benefits significantly from browning which develops a nuttier, richer flavour. Marinate first in soy sauce, garlic, and ginger for 30 minutes for the best flavour.
Where Tempeh (Soy) Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 370 mg | 19% | |
| Phosphorus | 200 mg | 29% | |
| Calcium | 120 mg | 15% | |
| Folate | 76.0 µg | 38% | |
| Magnesium | 70.0 mg | 19% | |
| Niacin equivalents (NE) | 7.90 mg | 49% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 5.00 µg | 1% | |
| Iron | 3.60 mg | 26% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 3.20 mg | 20% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.86 mg | 133% | |
| Zinc | 1.80 mg | 18% | |
| Manganese | 1.40 mg | 70% | |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.06 mg | 18% | |
| Copper | 0.670 mg | 67% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.480 mg | 34% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.190 mg | 17% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.100 µg | 9% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Sucrose | 0.900 g | — | |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 0.000 g | — | |
| Maltose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Fructose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Glutamic acid | 3.73 g | — | |
| Aspartic acid | 2.28 g | — | |
| Leucine | 1.67 g | — | |
| Arginine | 1.55 g | — | |
| Lysine | 1.51 g | — | |
| Valine | 1.16 g | — | |
| Phenylalanine | 1.08 g | — | |
| Serine | 0.932 g | — | |
| Isoleucine | 0.932 g | — | |
| Proline | 0.932 g | — | |
| Alanine | 0.869 g | — | |
| Threonine | 0.807 g | — | |
| Glycine | 0.725 g | — | |
| Tyrosine | 0.725 g | — | |
| Histidine | 0.538 g | — | |
| Methionine | 0.331 g | — | |
| Cysteine | 0.311 g | — | |
| Tryptophan | 0.269 g | — | |
| Beta-carotene | 30.0 µg | — | |
| Biotin (Vitamin B7) | 53.0 µg | 106% | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →