All About Tempeh
Your complete guide to tempeh - discover how to store it properly, identify when it's gone bad, and find the best substitutes for your recipes.
How Long Does Tempeh Last?
Storage times and freshness tips for tempeh in different conditions.
Safety first: This guide provides general information. When in doubt, throw it out! Trust your senses and err on the side of caution. If something smells, looks, or tastes off, don't consume it.
Opened Raw Tempeh (Refrigerated)5-7 days
Signs of Spoilage
Visible pink, yellow, or orange mold, strong sour or ammonia-like smell, slimy or overly sticky texture.
How to Check
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Visual: Look for any brightly colored fuzzy mold (pink, yellow, orange) or excessive dark fuzzy mold that wasn't there when opened.
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Smell: Take a good sniff. If it has a distinct sour, putrid, or ammonia odor, discard it.
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Touch: If it feels slimy or unusually sticky, it's gone bad.
Storage Tips
To maximize freshness, store opened tempeh in an airtight container or a sealed zip-top bag. Some people store it submerged in water (changed daily) to extend its life by a day or two, but an airtight container is generally sufficient.
Raw or Cooked Tempeh (Frozen)6-8 months (for best quality, safe indefinitely)
Signs of Spoilage
Freezer burn (dry, discolored patches), significant texture degradation upon thawing (excessively crumbly or mushy, though some texture change is normal), loss of flavor.
How to Check
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Visual: Check for ice crystals or white/grey dry spots, which indicate freezer burn and a loss of quality.
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Texture (after thawing): While some crumbliness is normal, if it's excessively mushy or falls apart too easily, the quality has significantly degraded.
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Smell (after thawing): Should still smell neutral or mildly nutty. Any off-smells mean it might have gone bad before freezing or during thawing.
Storage Tips
For raw tempeh, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, or place in a freezer-safe bag, removing as much air as possible. For cooked tempeh, ensure it's completely cooled before freezing in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw frozen tempeh in the refrigerator overnight for best results. Freezing can slightly alter the texture, making it a bit more crumbly, but it remains perfectly safe and suitable for most recipes.
Unopened Raw Tempeh (Refrigerated)Up to 1-2 months past 'best by' date (check package date first)
Signs of Spoilage
Strong ammonia-like or sour smell, distinct pink, yellow, or orange discoloration (beyond normal white mycelium and benign grey/black spots), slimy texture, bloated packaging.
How to Check
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Visual: Examine the package for bloating. Look at the tempeh itself for unusual bright colors (pink, yellow, orange) or excessive fuzzy dark mold that wasn't present when purchased. Normal tempeh has a white, sometimes slightly grey/black, mycelium.
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Smell (if package is opened): A strong, pungent, sour, or ammonia-like odor indicates spoilage. Fresh tempeh has a mild, nutty, or mushroomy aroma.
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Touch (if package is opened): If it feels slimy or excessively sticky, it's likely spoiled.
Storage Tips
Always refer to the 'best by' or 'use by' date on the packaging. The white mold (mycelium) is normal, and sometimes benign grey or black spots (spores) are also present and safe. Unusual bright colors are a red flag.
Cooked Tempeh (Refrigerated)3-4 days
Signs of Spoilage
Visible mold of any color, off-smell (sour, putrid, rotten), slimy film on the surface, noticeable change in color or texture.
How to Check
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Visual: Inspect for any fuzzy growth, discoloration, or signs of drying out.
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Smell: Sniff for any foul, sour, or unpleasant odors. Cooked tempeh should smell like the dish it was prepared in, or mildly nutty.
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Touch: If it feels slimy or unusually sticky, it's no longer safe to eat.
Storage Tips
Cool cooked tempeh rapidly (within 2 hours) before refrigerating. Store in a shallow, airtight container to prevent bacterial growth and absorb odors from other foods. Reheat to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).