Beans and soy

Tempeh nutrition, and what the pan changes.

1 cup of tempeh lands at 319 calories and brings 34 g of protein with it. That is USDA’s figure for “Tempeh”. What it supplies in quantity is riboflavin and phosphorus. Pick a portion in the panel and it recalculates on the spot; the nutrient table further down moves with it.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

USDA FoodData Central records 174272, 172467 supply every value here. The calculation happens in this page.

How many calories does tempeh have?

1 cup of tempeh supplies 319 calories, which scales to 192 per 100 g. Each serving listed underneath was weighed by USDA rather than estimated.

What tempeh offers in protein

1 cup of tempeh carries 34 g of protein, which is 67 percent of the 50 g Daily Value. Measured by calories, tempeh is 42 percent protein: enough to build a meal on.

Energy-wise, protein contributes 39 percent, fat 47 percent and carbohydrate 15 percent, which makes it mostly a fat.

Does the method change tempeh?

To keep it fair, all figures are for 166 g.

Kitchen notes on tempeh

Tempeh is a firm cake of whole soya beans bound by a white mycelium culture. You will find it sold in refrigerated blocks, sometimes mixed with grains like barley or rice. Look for a clean, solid paste. Some dark grey or black spots on the surface are normal and do not indicate spoilage.

This ingredient behaves like a sponge for liquid marinades when heated. Slicing it thinly allows heat to penetrate the dense structure. The common mistake is failing to steam the block before frying it. Steaming removes the natural bitterness and softens the beans, allowing them to absorb savoury sauces far more readily.

In Indonesian cookery, tempeh is often deep-fried until crisp and tossed with sweet soy sauce and chillies. Western cooks often crumble it into rich tomato sauces or glaze it with maple syrup. It pairs exceptionally well with peanut sauces, ginger, garlic, and bright citrus juices.

Tempeh: the full nutrient profile

Measured against FDA Daily Values, the strongest lines for 1 cup of tempeh are riboflavin at 46 percent of a day, phosphorus at 35 percent of a day, magnesium at 32 percent of a day. Adjust the panel at the top and these rows recalculate.

How far tempeh goes in a day

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, 1 cup of tempeh accounts for 16 percent of them, and for 67 percent of the 50 g protein benchmark. To replace 2,000 with your real number, use the TDEE calculator; to turn that into targets, the macro calculator.

Recipes that start with tempeh

Three recipes from the Calorie Counter Team, each costed ingredient by ingredient against USDA records, so the per-serving figures are sums, not guesses.

Breakfast · British

Tempeh and Potato Breakfast Hash

A pan-fried hash of diced tempeh and potatoes seasoned with black pepper.

25 min · serves 2

377kcal

24gprotein

19gfat

35gcarbs

Ingredients

• Tempeh, diced 200 g
• Potatoes, peeled and diced 250 g
• Olive oil 15 g
• Onion, chopped 100 g
• Table salt 3 g
• Ground black pepper 2 g

Method

1. Cut the potatoes and tempeh into 1-centimetre cubes.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
3. Add the onion, potatoes, and tempeh to the pan.
4. Fry the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring regularly until the potatoes are soft and browned.
5. Stir in the salt and black pepper before serving.

Figures are per serving and come from 6 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Lunch · British

Baked Tempeh Salad Wrap

Baked marinated tempeh strips served in a flour tortilla with fresh spinach.

30 min · serves 2

438kcal

27gprotein

21gfat

40gcarbs

Ingredients

• Tempeh, sliced 200 g
• Soy sauce 30 g
• Olive oil 10 g
• Garlic, minced 6 g
• Wheat tortillas 120 g
• Spinach leaves 50 g

Method

1. Slice the tempeh into 1-centimetre thick strips.
2. Mix the soy sauce, olive oil, and minced garlic in a shallow dish.
3. Coat the tempeh strips in the marinade and leave for 10 minutes.
4. Bake the tempeh on a baking tray at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes, turning once.
5. Place the baked tempeh and spinach inside the tortillas and roll them tightly.

Built from 6 USDA ingredient records. A cooked dish never matches its raw sum exactly, but it stays close.

Dinner · Asian

Tempeh Coconut Curry

A simple stew of cubed tempeh and spinach simmered in spiced coconut milk.

35 min · serves 3

521kcal

25gprotein

45gfat

15gcarbs

Ingredients

• Tempeh, cubed 300 g
• Coconut milk 400 g
• Spinach leaves 100 g
• Curry powder 10 g
• Canola oil 15 g
• Ginger root, grated 15 g
• Table salt 4 g

Method

1. Cut the tempeh into 2-centimetre cubes.
2. Heat the canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry the ginger and curry powder for 1 minute.
3. Add the tempeh cubes and stir to coat them in the spices.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the spinach and salt, cooking for 2 minutes until the leaves wilt.

Nutrition per serving, calculated across 7 USDA ingredient records. Expect small differences once cooked.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

Putting tempeh on a plate

One way to build a meal around tempeh, costed from the same records. Substitute freely; the method carries over.

Tempeh beside its neighbours

All figures are for 100 g. Check the form column before comparing a raw food with a cooked one.

Common questions on tempeh

What is the calorie count for 1 cup of tempeh?

319 calories, according to USDA FoodData Central: the record is “Tempeh”, FDC 174272. That works out at 192 per 100 g.

How much protein does tempeh have?

20 g per 100 g, so 1 cup of tempeh supplies 34 g. Against the Daily Value that is 67 percent.

Is tempeh good for weight loss?

It can fit any calorie target; no single food decides the outcome. What matters here is that 1 cup of tempeh costs 319 calories and returns 34 g of protein, so 42 percent of its energy is protein — a ratio that tends to make a target easier to hold.

How much carbohydrate does tempeh contain?

1 cup of tempeh contains 13 g of carbohydrate. Fibre makes up 0 g of that and sugar 0 g.

Why does my tempeh have black patches?

These dark areas are harmless spores, a natural part of the fermentation process. They do not mean the product has spoiled. You can safely cook and eat the block, provided it smells clean and yeast-like, not like ammonia.

Can you eat tempeh raw without cooking it?

No, you should cook it. Uncooked tempeh has a bitter, unappealing taste and a very dry texture. Applying heat activates the starches, softens the compressed beans, and allows the block to absorb the flavours of your marinade or sauce.

Sources

• Tempeh — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174272
• Tempeh, cooked — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 172467
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9