Vegan BLTs

I've been waiting MONTHS for tomato season to roll around so I could develop these vegan BLTs! Well, folks, tomato season is finally here and I couldn't be more thrilled. It's vegan BLT time!

For the bacon in these BLTs, I use tempeh. Just steam the tempeh, marinate it and bake. Obvs, baked tempeh isn't an exact bacon replica, but it works really well in this sandwich. 

I didn't have much experience with tempeh before testing this recipe, but I'm a total convert. Tempeh is heartier and easier to work with than tofu and it's just as tasty. This sandwich is the perfect meal for a summer day!

Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Time: 40 minutes

Makes: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 2 slices vegan tempeh bacon

    • 8 ounces tempeh, sliced into about 8 thin strips

    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

    • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin

  • 8 slices bread

  • 1 large tomato

  • Vegan mayo, storebought or homemade

    • Note: I love Sir Kensington brand

  • About 4 large leaves of romaine lettuce

Methods

For the tempeh bacon

  1. Slice the tempeh into thin strips. Steam the tempeh strips for 10 minutes. While the tempeh is steaming, whisk together all other tempeh bacon ingredients in a shallow bowl. Place the steamed tempeh in the bowl and let marinate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F.

  2. Transfer the tempeh to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 5 minutes on the second side, or until crispy. Set aside until cooled. Store in the fridge until ready to assemble sandwiches.

For the sandwich

  1. Spread the vegan mayo on 1 slice of bread. Top with the sliced tomatoes, tempeh and lettuce. Close the sandwich and eat up!

Sustainability Tips

  • Tomatoes: Your best option is to grow the tomatoes yourself, but local or organic tomatoes are another great option. Be sure to make this recipe during the summer or early fall, when tomatoes are in season. This way, your produce won't have to travel very far to get to you.

  • Bread: Buying bread from a local bakery will help support your local economy and help you get to know local food producers!

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