Which is better? Tofu or tempeh?

Question

I have never tried either, and I was just wondering.. Which one is better for you healthwise? Are there different kinds I should know about? What kinds are good for doing what? Which one tastes better? Are they basically the same thing, or should I include both in my diet?

Yeah. Sorry that was alot of questions.

Answer 1

both can be great tasting, but both can be really disgusting if not cooked in a nice way, especially when you are no used to them.

You are basically dealing with a few different things
- soft tofu
- firm tofu
- tempeh
- fried tofu puffs

Soft tofu is popular in japanese food. It is often served quite plainly and you can taste the tofu taste a fair bit.
It is also often used in vegan desserts. Its got a custardy type consistancy and can be muashed and blended. You can make things like vegan choc mousse from it.
I would not reccomend you buy soft tofu and try to cook with it until you have some tofu experience. you proberbly won't enjoy it.

Firm tofu is really taste if you marinate it. Preferably overnight. Try slicing it up and marinating in a mixture of garlic, soy and honey. Cook it in a stir fry, on a BBQ or dry fry it in a non-stick pan. You want it to get brown on the outside and the marinade to start to caramelise. Have it this way in a salad, on a burger, or in sitr fry noodles

Fried tofu puffs are really good just cut up and chucked in a Thai curry of stir fry. Something saucy as they are spongy and soak up the flavour nicely.

I thought i didn't like tempeh when i first had it, but then i found out you need to fry it in a little oil to make it taste good. it takes a raw edge off the taste and makes it delicious.

Answer 2

I love both! Some folks say tempeh is better for you because it's fermented. Anything fermented as benefits.

I use tofu more because it's easy. But I love love LOVE grilled tempeh. I slice it on the bias - tempeh doesn't absorb flavors as well as tofu so you need as much "cut" space as you can get. Then marinate it for an our or so. Over night is best. Then grill it like you would a slab of meat. Yum yummy for hot a hot sammich on a cold day.

I also love to add small cubes of tempeh to Annie's Vegetarian Chili.

Green Ghost, I'm going to have to agree Xiao Xing. Tempeh is less processed. With Tofu, soy beans are soaked, ground then boiled to make soy milk. Then the soy milk is cooked again and a coagulant added. The curds are scooped off and pressed into tofu. Nutrients in the whey are lost. Well. Except on my plants.

With tempeh you just boil and hull the beans then add a fermentation starter then throw the whole thing in a zip lock. I don't grind my soy beans for tempeh. I like it chunky.

Answer 3

Your basic question is similar to asking the old apple/orange thing,
as they're two really different foods!

Which is better for your health? Possible tempeh since it ends up with a decent dose of B12 but that's a bit of a stretch since they're both good foods.

Yes, there are different kinds of both. With tofu the most common difference will be in the texture that can range from being as soft as mayonnaise to firm tofu that can be as hard as a chunk of Parmesan cheese. Not commonly available in stores but tofu can be made with a wide variety of beans, grains and more. Soft tofu is great for desserts, smoothies and replacing soft cheeses (and mayo). The firmer forms are what you normally see in Asian restaurants and are also good in stuffed pastas, burgers and lots of other things. It gets even more 'complicated' because tofu changes it's texture when frozen and then can be used for BBQ and other things.

Tempeh also has different forms. The most commonly found is based on soybeans but it can be made from most any bean or grain (rice tempeh is really good). The main difference with tempeh is flavor depending on what the base is and how long it was fermented. The most common use is as a meat replacement in burgers etc. It's also really good BBQ'd!!

Which tastes better? Both and neither! Good fresh tofu blows stale tempeh away and vice versa. Good fresh tofu isn't bland and tasteless but instead has a delicate, beany sweetness to it. Tempeh has a meatlike taste that gets cheesier as it ages (and ripens).

You should definitely include both!! They're both good food and good for you!

If you want lot's of recipe ideas for them (and how to make them) look for a book called "The new Farm Vegetarian Cookbook" and/or do web searches for "tofu recipe" and "tempeh recipe".

Edit:

Xiaoxing51, I didn't thumb-down you but I'm tempted. Tempeh isn't more processed than tofu! If anything tofu is more processed than tempeh but it doesn't really matter! Standard forms of both start with crush soy beans. Tempeh just gets inocculant and then basically sits for a few days. For tofu you use the beans to make 'milk', add nigari to the 'milk' and then strain the 'whey' off. Tofu is more work!

Answer 4

They are quite a bit different in terms of texture and format. It sounds to me like you could do with a trip to a good vegetarian restaurant, assuming you have one around. That is the best way to find out about what kind of foods people have been making.

Tempeh info:
http://www.tempeh.info/
I've only had it a few times. A little nutty tasting to me, but not bad.

Tofu tends to be more soft, although they typically come in silken, soft, firm. Generally doesn't have any taste until cooked with something. Other kinds, such as premarinated with flavor, pressed, baked, fried. There are also tofu skin (usually found in chinese soups) and small fried tofu blocks, etc...

Answer 5

i like the two! some human beings say tempeh is bigger for you by way of fact that is fermented. something fermented as reward. i exploit tofu greater by way of fact that is common. yet i like love LOVE grilled tempeh. I slice it on the prejudice - tempeh would not soak up flavors as nicely as tofu so which you like as a lot "decrease" area as you may get. Then marinate it for an our or so. Over night is maximum suitable. Then grill it such as you may a slab of meat. Yum yummy for warm a warm sammich on a chilly day. I additionally like to characteristic small cubes of tempeh to Annie's Vegetarian Chili. eco-friendly Ghost, i'll could desire to agree Xiao Xing. Tempeh is way less processed. With Tofu, soy beans are soaked, floor then boiled to make soy milk. Then the soy milk is cooked back and a coagulant further. The curds are scooped off and pressed into tofu. nutrients interior the whey are lost. nicely. different than on my vegetation. With tempeh you basically boil and hull the beans then upload a fermentation starter then throw the entire factor in a zipper lock. i do no longer grind my soy beans for tempeh. i like it chunky.

Answer 6

tofu and tempeh are great food during world war II tempeh are used in prison (Japanese prison) many prisoner are life in difficult condition there only soy bean in the area and cheaper so the soy bean have many save the prisoner when this become tempeh easy to digestive.

Even Indonesia people have many debt to this food with out this food many would starving to death. don't forget tempeh are from Indonesia. and tempeh would help people with mall nutrition.

Indonesia people have hundred recipe to make tempeh better to consume, and don't forget there oncom too. Yes oncom maybe not very popular than tempeh but they are good taste too.

Answer 7

I prefer tofu. :)

The soy protein in tempeh is more digestible, but I like tofu just because it's not processed. Tofu is fabulous on its own. It varies in firmness; you can get it really soft, to put in shakes and stuff, or firm, to barbecue or grill. You can also substitute it in meat dishes, but that's more what tempeh is for. Tempeh is firmer and has a more meat-like texture.

I like the taste of tofu more. I've tried tempeh a few times and I find the taste to be too concentrated and almost cheesy.

Best of luck!

Answer 8

Both tofu and tempeh are rich in vitamins and calcium. In the malay cuisine, both are used together in the dishes. I personally love both of them and will eat them at least once a week.

There is only one type of tempeh whereas there are various types of tofu, namely: japanese tofu, soft tofu and hard tofu. Basically, all the different types of tofu are the same thing.

Which one tastes better? Well, it is up to you on how to prepare them.

Yes, please, do include them in your diet cos they are good for your bones.

Answer 9

It depends on what you are preparing. They have different textures and possibilities. If you are making a vegan tartar or remoulade sauce, you would use tofu. If you wanted to make a bbq sandwich, tempeh would have a better texture. They also taste much different. Tempeh has a slight nutty flavor, tofu is pretty plain. I think of it as the vegan complement to chicken. "Everything tastes like chicken", "Tofu tastes like everything"

Answer 10

get tofu, please get tofu, you won't eat tempeh unless you reall really like asian type food and have been eating it 4 times a day for 7 days a week, i luv tofu and won't eat any tempeh,
horriable thing that tempeh is, worst tasting food, i will only eat tempeh if it will save small animals.