Vegan Bacon BLT Grilled Cheese (Printable)

Golden grilled vegan sandwich with smoky tempeh bacon, fresh lettuce, tomato, and melty cheese. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Smoky Tempeh Bacon

01 - 7 oz tempeh, sliced into thin strips
02 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp maple syrup
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
07 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
08 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Sandwich

09 - 4 slices sourdough or sandwich bread, vegan
10 - 4 slices vegan cheese
11 - 1 medium tomato, sliced
12 - 4 leaves crisp lettuce, romaine or iceberg
13 - 2 tbsp vegan butter or margarine

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, olive oil, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add tempeh strips and marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add marinated tempeh and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and slightly crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Spread vegan butter on one side of each bread slice.
04 - Place two slices of bread, buttered side down, on a clean surface. Top each with a slice of vegan cheese, half the smoky tempeh bacon, tomato slices, lettuce, and another slice of vegan cheese. Cover with remaining bread, buttered side up.
05 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-low heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
06 - Slice sandwiches in half and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tempeh gets genuinely crispy and smoky, not sad and rubbery like some vegan bacon attempts.
  • It comes together in half an hour, so you can make it on a weeknight without feeling like you're running a cooking marathon.
  • The melty cheese and buttery grilled bread make it feel like comfort food, not a compromise.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in a skillet, which means lunch is already sorted.
02 -
  • Don't cook the tempeh over high heat, it burns before it crisps and turns bitter.
  • Press the sandwich gently while grilling, but not hard, or all the fillings squish out the sides.
  • Let the marinated tempeh sit for the full 10 minutes, it makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
03 -
  • Double the tempeh bacon and keep extra in the fridge, it's great on salads or breakfast scrambles.
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, it distributes heat evenly and gives the bread a perfect golden crust.
  • If your vegan cheese isn't melting, grate it instead of slicing, it melts faster and more evenly.
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