Plant-Based Tempeh Sandwich

Vegan tempeh sandwich with tomato, lettuce, wholegrain bread, and avocado with a plate of tempeh bacon, one half avocado, and vine tomatoes in the background.

5 from 12 votes

High-Protein Plant-Based Tempeh Sandwich with crispy smoky tempeh bacon is a quick, healthy, and delicious lunch or dinner. Packed with iron, fiber, and B₁₂, this is the ultimate plant-based BLT recipe.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vegan, vegetarian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 528kcal

Author: Nisha Melvani

Ingredients

8 ounces tempeh Lightlife Original Tempeh
3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup or to taste
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional but recommended)
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder (optional)

For serving:

1 large avocado sliced
1 large tomato sliced
Vegan mayonaise (homemade or store-bought)
6 slices high-protein bread (or bread of choice)

Instructions

Slice the block of tempeh into ¼-inch-thick strips.
Make the marinade: Transfer the tamari, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and chipotle (if using) to a rimmed baking sheet or rectangular dish. Mix well to combine.
Marinate the tempeh: Place the sliced tempeh into the marinade in a single layer and cover with the marinade. Let sit for 5 minutes. Flip the pieces over and marinate for at least 10 minutes more, or up to 2 hours.
Cook the tempeh: Heat a drizzle of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tempeh for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Be careful not to let it burn, and add more oil as needed.
Add marinade: Pour the remaining marinade over the tempeh bacon and cook for about one minute more, or until all the marinade is absorbed, tossing the tempeh strips gently. Remove them from the pan.
For serving: Prepare a plant-based BLT with bread, mayonnaise, tempeh bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes. Add avocado for a TLTA!

Notes

I used Lightlife Original Tempeh (18 grams protein per serving) to make the tempeh bacon.
I used Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted high-protein bread.
For crispy tempeh bacon, make sure to cook the tempeh in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the skillet. You may need to cook it in batches. Be careful not to let the tempeh burn.
For oil-free, bake or air fry the tempeh strips instead.
Nutritional yeast is option but recommended. It adds an umami flavor and vitamin B₁₂to the marinade.
Storage: Marinate the tempeh up to one day ahead of time and refrigerate. You can also cook the tempeh bacon beforehand and reheat it in a microwave, oven, or skillet. It's good for up to 4 days.

Nutrition