Tempeh and tofu are both soy-based staples of plant-based cooking, but they’re made completely differently — one fermented, one coagulated — which shows up clearly in the numbers.
| Nutrient | Tempeh | Tofu |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 192 kcal | 144 kcal |
| Protein | 20.3 g ✓ | 17.3 g |
| Total Carbohydrate | 7.64 g | 2.78 g |
| Dietary Fiber | — | 2.3 g |
| Total Sugars | — | 0.4 g |
| Total Fat | 10.8 g | 8.72 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.54 g | 1.26 g ✓ |
| Sodium | 9 mg ✓ | 14 mg |
Notable compounds in each
Tempeh
No standout compounds recorded.
When to choose each
Reach for tempeh when protein is the priority — the fermentation process concentrates it, and also means tempeh retains the whole soybean, including its fibre, rather than the strained curd tofu is made from. Reach for tofu for its lower saturated fat and its remarkable ability to take on whatever flavour it’s cooked in, which tempeh’s firmer, nuttier character doesn’t do as readily. Tofu is a notable source of phytates; fermentation gives tempeh a natural head start on reducing its own.
Common questions
Is tempeh healthier than tofu? Both are excellent whole-soy foods — tempeh’s fermentation and retention of the whole bean gives it an edge on protein and fibre, while tofu’s mild flavour and softer texture make it more versatile in more dishes.
Why is tempeh fermented and tofu isn’t? They’re simply different traditional processes: tofu is made by coagulating soy milk into curds, similar in principle to cheese-making, while tempeh is made by fermenting whole cooked soybeans with a mould culture that binds them into a firm cake.
Nutrition values are USDA FoodData Central approximations — see our editorial approach for how we source and verify data.