A healthy and kind twist on a classic, this Vegan BLT is made with smoky-sweet baked tempeh bacon. It’s so easy to make, just marinate, and bake for 20 minutes or less.
Have you heard about the TTLA craze at Whole Foods? It’s basically a Vegan BLT, but instead of mayo, they add vegan garlic aioli. It’s also served with avocado slices, red onion and pressed ciabatta bread.
The TTLA was made famous by actress, Tabitha Brown’s viral video of her happily eating the sandwich. Her genuine enthusiasm had everyone running to get one.
Sadly, I still haven’t made it to Whole Foods because they are almost an hour from me. But, I’ve been making my own classic Vegan BLTs for years and this video sparked me to share it on Vegan Huggs.
You can easily turn this into a TTLA if you prefer. Sometimes I’ll change things up with Creamy Chipotle Sauce or a slice of Vegan Cheddar Cheese. It’s a versatile sandwich!
I don’t usually buy the premade tempeh bacon, because it’s so easy to make it homemade. I like adding my own flavoring and easily switching it up too.
What is Tempeh?
It’s typically made from whole fermented soybeans and it usually comes in block form. Some contain only soybeans and some also include grains and seeds.
Tempeh has a hearty texture and a mild nutty flavor. It does have a slight bitterness too, but I usually don’t notice it after cooking in seasonings.
However, if that slight bitterness bothers you, the tempeh can be steamed for 10 minutes before marinating. This will mellow it out.
I love tempeh because it’s healthy, protein-rich, and it has a great texture. BUT, without seasonings, it’s kind of blah! That’s where the marinade comes in and It will turn that blah into oh-so-tasty!
How do you make Tempeh Bacon?
STEP 1
Cut the tempeh block into 1/4 ” slices (see photo above).
STEP 2
Whisk the marinade ingredients together and pour into an 8 ” rimmed shallow dish or baking dish.
STEP 3
Place the tempeh slices into your prepared marinade and let the pieces marinate in the fridge for 15-20 minutes or longer if preferred.
STEP 4
Place the marinated strips on your parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little room in between each piece.
STEP 5
Pop the pan in the oven and bake until lightly browned and the surface is slightly crisp on each side. Watch the tempeh closely to prevent burning.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE A VEGAN BLT
To assemble your sandwich, coat each bread slice with vegan mayo and top with tomato slices, lettuce, and tempeh bacon. Close bread together and cut if desired.
Make it your own!
I made a classic Vegan BLT which I love, but feel free to add your own twist. You can add things like hummus, guacamole, avocado slices, red onion, chipotle sauce, garlic aioli, pickles, jalapénos, roasted peppers, sauteéd mushrooms and so much more.
THE PERFECT SIDES FOR A VEGAN BLT:
Enjoy!
I’d love to hear from you
If you make this Vegan BLT, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Vegan BLT with Baked Tempeh Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 ounces tempeh (*not all brands are GF)
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo , more to taste
- 8 slices bread (GF if preferred)
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 2 medium tomatoes , sliced
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or preferred oil)
- 3 tablespoons low sodium tamari GF if preferred (sub soy)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, add all marinade ingredients and whisk to combine well. Pour marinade into an 8 " rimmed shallow dish or baking dish.
- Cut tempeh into 1/4 " slices. * If you cut them thinner, the tempeh falls apart easily in the marinade.
- Now place the tempeh slices into your marinade. Gently flip to coat all sides well. Let the pieces marinate in the fridge for 15-20 minutes or longer if preferred.
- Place the marinated strips on your prepared baking sheet, leaving a little room in between each piece (*save leftover marinade). Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. *If the tempeh seems dry, you can lightly brush on some leftover marinade.
- Now gently flip each slice with tongs and bake 8-10 minutes more, until lightly browned and the surface is slightly crisp (*The inside remains soft). Watch closely to prevent burning. Remove from oven.
- To assemble your BLT, coat each bread slice with mayo and top with tomato slices, lettuce, and tempeh bacon. Close sandwich and cut if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Hannah Doyle
This was SO tasty and so easy with on-hand ingredients. I whisked everything right in the 8×8 bc I’m a lazy vegan. Wow. Amaaaazing. Already forwarded the recipe to friends!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Hannah, I’m so glad you liked it! You aren’t lazy…it’s smart to find quicker ways to provide the same results. Thank you for giving it a try and sharing your feedback.
Melanie
Is the tempeh reheatable? I’m thinking of making this in batches for lunches.
Melissa Huggins
Sure! You can reheat it in the microwave, air fryer, convection oven or regular oven. It will get slightly soft in the microwave though, but it’s still delish! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Melanie
I’m thinking if I cover it and microwave it at the office just enough to get warm, it will hopefully be ok. Fingers crossed!
Melissa Huggins
That’s a great idea! I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try. 🙂
Laurel
Made this tonight– 10/10!!!! We used sprouted sourdough bread and mixed up a vegan buffalo mayo (veganaise with Frank’s hot sauce basically– I added a tiny bit of coconut milk kefir to make it probiotic). SO good! I didn’t have reserve marinade. In fact, I was a bit worried I didn’t have enough. It tasted super, though. Next time I’ll make a little more marinade. Thank you for this excellent addition!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Laurel, thank you for giving it a try! Sounds SO good with the sourdough and buffalo mayo! 🙂
Cathy
I made this last night. The flavors for the “bacon” were spot on! Very delicious sandwich and the ciabatta roll is an inspiring choice! Thank you so much! I will be making this again and again!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Cathy! I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for making it. 🙂
Gene
You’re site is overwhelmed with ads and unreadable because of them.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Gene, I’m really sorry you are having a negative experience on my site. Unfortunately, I need to run ads to keep my site up and running. It’s my main source of income. I’ve considered getting rid of ads and charging a small monthly membership, but that might be a big risk. If the ads are acting glitchy, you can report it or email me. Thank you for the feedback.
Kathleen
Made this for my family this past weekend – adding avocados to the toppings – it was super delish and even the meat eaters in the family were saying yum! Will be making this again for sure! Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Melissa Huggins
Hi Kathleen, this is so great to hear! I’m so happy everyone loved it. Thank you for the feedback 🙂
Liv @ What Liv Likes
Dang that looks good! I love ciabatta and your tempeh looks to die for!
Melissa Huggins
Thank you, Liv! I’m a big ciabatta fan too 🙂