Vegan BLT Sandwich (with tempeh)
This Vegan BLT Sandwich with tempeh bacon is smoky, savory, and satisfying. Made with marinated tempeh, fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and creamy vegan mayo on toasted bread, it’s an easy plant-based twist on a classic sandwich.
Ingredients
Tempeh Bacon
- 1 - 8 ounce packet tempeh
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic power
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sandwich fixings
- Bread
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Vegan mayonaise
- Avocado, optional
Instructions
Tempeh Bacon
- Cut the block of tempeh in half crosswise to create 2 smaller pieces. Then slice each piece lengthwise into thinner rectangles (you should have 4 total), and cut those into thin strips.
- Grab a shallow dish large enough to hold the tempeh slices in a stacked layer. Add the soy sauce, water, ketchup, liquid smoke, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Add the tempeh strips to the dish and coat them in the marinade. The liquid does not need to fully cover the slices—you can rotate or flip them partway through for more even flavor coverage.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge for even more flavor.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a little extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Pan-fry the tempeh for about 4 minutes per side, or until browned to your liking. After flipping, splash a little extra marinade into the pan for even more smoky flavor as it cooks.
Assemble the Vegan BLT
- Toast your bread slices until lightly golden and crisp.
- Spread vegan mayo onto one or both slices of toasted bread. If using, this is also a great place to add mashed avocado or sliced avocado.
- Top one slice with lettuce, tomato slices, and several pieces of the tempeh bacon
- Place the second slice of bread on top, slice in half if desired, and enjoy right away while the tempeh is warm and crispy.
Notes
The water helps stretch the marinade without adding extra sodium.