The Story Behind Tempeh: A 700-Year Tradition That Started in Java

Before tempe became a favorite among chefs, athletes, and health-conscious food lovers around the world, it was simply everyday food in the villages of Java, Indonesia.

In the Javanese language, dhelé (or kedele) means soybean. Long before modern food science explained fermentation, Javanese families had already mastered the art of transforming humble soybeans into something extraordinary called tempe or tempeh.

The story begins more than 700 years ago. The word kedele  first appeared in the ancient Serat Sri Tanjung manuscript during the 12th–13th centuries*, showing that soybeans had already become an important part of Javanese life.

Sometime before the 16th century, local communities discovered a remarkable natural process. By allowing cooked soybeans to ferment with a beneficial mold, the beans transformed into a firm, cake-like food that was easier to digest, richer in flavor, and packed with nutrients. This became what we now know as tempeh.

Interestingly, the earliest tempeh wasn't made with the white soybeans we see today. It was traditionally crafted using native black soybeans (Glycine soja), grown locally throughout Java.

By 1815, tempeh had become so deeply rooted in Javanese culture that it appeared in Serat Centhini*, one of Java's most celebrated literary works. It wasn't just food, it was already part of everyday life, family traditions, and local recipes.

As trade expanded during the colonial era, another change quietly reshaped tempe's history. White soybeans, introduced from abroad, gradually became more available and affordable than native black soybeans. Tempeh makers embraced them, and over time, white soybeans became the standard ingredient used to make tempeh throughout Indonesia.

Tempeh continued its journey beyond Indonesia. In 1875, it appeared in a Javanese–Dutch dictionary, introducing this uniquely Indonesian food to Western readers.

By the early 1900s, European cookbooks had begun mentioning tempeh, marking the beginning of its global story*.

Today, tempeh has earned worldwide recognition as one of nature's most nutritious plant-based proteins. Rich in protein and created through the simple magic of fermentation, it has become a favorite ingredient in kitchens across the globe.