This amazing BBQ jerk tempeh recipe with herby yoghurt dip is the perfect way to have a super healthy, vegan 'meaty' meal. I've always loved Jamaican Jerk flavours; I grew up in Bristol and lived for many years in Brixton, which have large Jamaican populations. I used an incredible Organic Jamaican Jerk Seasoning from Steenbergs for this jerk tempeh, which made it taste out of this world (and without the worry of blending up an authentic spice mix myself). N.B. this is a sponsored post from Steenbergs.
This BBQ jerk tempeh recipe is a real show-stopper at a grill or BBQ, and your meat-eating friends are guaranteed to love it!
🔥Ingredients
This BBQ tempeh recipe has some simple key ingredients:
The tempeh - a healthy meat substitute, full of protein. It's made from fermented soya beans, but now you'll also find tempeh made from other beans such black beans and fava beans, or even grains like quinoa! This means you can find tempeh which is soy free! Tempeh has quite a sour taste, and a brilliant 'meaty' texture. It takes on the flavours you give it (so it's brilliant for this BBQ jerk tempeh recipe) which makes it really versatile.
Jerk Seasoning - I absolutely love the Organic Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (affiliate link) we were given by Steenbergs, which creates a really rich flavour. Their products have no additives or anything artificial, and are organic. They're also a family business who care so much about where they source their spices and their quality. It really is amazing how much time it can save you having these sorts of amazing flavours pre-blended for you (they also do many other incredible BBQ spice mixes). This seasoning has the key traditional Jamaican jerk spices in such as pimento, nutmeg and thyme.
Yoghurt Dressing Spice Mix - so I love things like raita, and serve flavoured yoghurts with breakfast and with Moroccan-style meals, so I was very excited about Steenbergs Yoghurt Dressing herb mix (affiliate link). Their dressing has herbs like spearmint, chives and basil (plus more!), and is just delicious mixed into yoghurt. The yoghurt, especially with the mint, gives such a lovely cooling contrast to the hot and spicy jerk tempeh!
👩🏽🍳How To
This BBQ tempeh recipe is actually very simple, especially as it uses a high-quality spice mix. Essentially all you do is:
🔥 Make up a marinade with the Jerk Seasoning (affiliate link). You also use this seasoning to make an optional extra jerk sauce for drizzling, which uses similar ingredients to the marinade.
🔥 Marinade your cubes of tempeh.
🔥 Make up skewers with vegetables like peppers, onions and cherry tomatoes.
🔥 Grill or BBQ the skewers. You can also just fry your chunks of jerk tempeh if you don't want to make them into skewers.
Cut the tempeh into chunks Make up the jerk marinade (we used Steenbergs delicious Jamaican Jerk Seasoning) Put the tempeh in the marinade Make sure the temeph is covered by the marinade Make up skewers with the jerk tempeh, including things like peppers and tomatoes 
BBQ or grill them, and serve with wraps, yoghurt dressing and extra jerk sauce
🌯Serving
Really, there are lots of ways you could serve up this jerk tempeh. Nothing to stop you doing Jamaican-style rice and peas! We loved this served up with extra jerk sauce (the recipe is very similar to the jerk marinade with similar ingredients, so super easy to make), coconut yoghurt with a lovely spice mix (affiliate link), herbs, salad and then all finished up in a wrap or roti!
❓FAQs
Tempeh is naturally gluten-free. In terms of the marinade, it's easy to make gluten-free if you use tamari instead of soy sauce. Coconut aminos are also a great alternative to soy sauce, and are gluten and soy-free (affiliate links).
This delicious jerk marinade can be used with other ingredients, not just tempeh. Jackfruit, cauliflower, tofu or even commercial vegan chicken pieces, are all great alternatives. You can buy ready-made seitan pieces in jars (affiliate link), which also work really well (and are high in protein).
Yes, this dish is easily frozen. You can freeze the jerk tempeh as it is, and you can freeze the marinade or sauce separately too if you make enough.
🍽️Similar recipes
Jamaican Jerk Jackfruit with Rice and Peas
If you love this BBQ jerk tempeh recipe as much as we do, please share and comment below.
Vanessa x
📖 Recipe
Vegan Jerk Tempeh Skewers with Herby Yoghurt Dip
Equipment
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
Jerk Tempeh Skewers
- 200-250 g tempeh ((or standard block of tempeh))
- 5 teaspoon Jamaican Jerk spice ((we use Steenbergs) add more for extra spice!)
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce ((or use tamari for gluten free))
- 60 g ketchup ((¼ cup))
- 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar ((or brown sugar) omit if using a high sugar ketchup)
- 2 green, red or yellow peppers (capsicum)
- 1 white onion
- 16 cherry tomatoes
Coconut Yoghurt Dip
- 2 tablespoon yoghurt dressing mix ((we use Steenbergs, or you can add a mix of dried mint and oregano))
- 250 g vegan coconut yoghurt ((1 cup))
Jerk Sauce for extra drizzling and dipping (optional)
- 120 g ketchup ((½ cup))
- 5 teaspoon Jamaican jerk spice mix ((we use Steenbergs) use less if you can’t handle so much spice)
- 250 ml water (1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar ((or brown sugar) omit if using a high sugar ketchup)
- Juice of 1 lime ((or 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar))
Extras for serving
- Vegan Jamaican Roti (or wraps)
- Fresh green salad leaves
- Fresh herbs (we love coriander or parsley with this)
Instructions
Jerk Tempeh Skewers
- Cut the tempeh into cubes / chunks (sides should be around 1cm in length but tempeh comes in various shaped blocks so no need for these sizes to be perfect!). You can also buy tempeh pieces in jars already cubed.
- Combine the Jamaican Jerk spice, soy sauce, ketchup and coconut palm sugar in a big-ish tupperware (or use a large bowl). Mix well.
- Add the tempeh pieces and make sure they are covered with the marinade. Do this carefully so as not to break the tempeh. Put the lid on the tupperware (or cover the bowl) and put in the fridge for at least an hour to marinate. The longer the better, such as overnight.
- Once the tempeh has had time to marinate, remove from the fridge.
- Cut up your pepper into chunks, as well as the onion.
- Make up your skewers; no rule about how you should do this. We did about 3 pieces of tempeh per skewer, mixed with pieces of bell pepper, pieces of onion and 2 or 3 cherry tomatoes.
- If there is any marinade left over once the skewers are made, just spoon it out the container and put it on the tempeh pieces.
- BBQ or grill the skewers for the tastiest results! Or you can cook for 25-30 minutes in the oven at 200°C (400°F or Gas Mark 6), which also tastes fab!
Jerk Sauce for extra drizzling and dipping (optional)
- Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan.
- Put on a medium heat until it comes to the boil. Turn the heat down low and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Coconut Yoghurt Dip
- Combine the yoghurt and Yoghurt Dressing mix in a bowl, ready to serve.
To serve
- Take a roti wrap (or any other wrap) and place one jerk tempeh skewer on top (take out the actual skewer).
- Add green salad and fresh herbs on top.
- Drizzle with the jerk sauce and the yoghurt dip.
- You can either eat it by tearing off pieces of roti and having with the various toppings, or rolling the roti up and having it as a wrap. Either way is delicious!
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