Vegan Bacon BLT Grilled Cheese (Print version)

Plant-based BLT with smoky tempeh bacon, fresh lettuce, tomato, and melty vegan cheese grilled between sourdough bread. 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

# Cooking Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tempeh soaks up that maple and smoke marinade like a sponge, giving you crispy edges and a sweet-savory bite that rivals any bacon.
  • It comes together in half an hour, which means you can have a hot, melty, restaurant-quality sandwich on the table before your soup finishes heating.
  • You get all the nostalgic comfort of a BLT and grilled cheese in one gooey, crunchy, satisfying bite.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating time, those 10 minutes let the tempeh absorb all the smoky, sweet flavors and make a huge difference in the final taste.
  • Keep your heat on medium-low when grilling the sandwich, high heat will burn the bread before the cheese has a chance to melt.
  • Press gently with your spatula while cooking, it helps the cheese melt faster and keeps everything from sliding around.
03 -
  • Slice your tempeh as thin as you can without it falling apart, thinner strips crisp up better and give you more surface area for that caramelized crust.
  • Use a heavy skillet or press down gently with a second pan while grilling to get that perfect golden crust and help the cheese melt evenly.
  • Taste your vegan cheese before using it, some melt beautifully while others stay rubbery, so pick one you know will get gooey.
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