Vegan Bacon BLT Grilled Cheese (Printable)

A mouthwatering plant-based twist featuring smoky tempeh bacon, fresh lettuce, juicy tomato, and melty vegan cheese grilled to golden perfection.

# Required Ingredients:

→ 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 Assembly

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

# Directions:

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 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 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 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
06 - Slice each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tempeh gets edges so crispy they shatter like bacon, but the marinade keeps it tender inside.
  • Melted vegan cheese holds everything together in gooey, golden layers that stretch when you pull the sandwich apart.
  • It comes together in thirty minutes, which means you can pull this off on a weeknight without losing your mind.
  • Every bite gives you smoky, tangy, creamy, and fresh all at once, no compromise required.
02 -
  • Keep the heat medium-low when grilling or the bread will burn before the cheese melts, leaving you with a sad, cold center.
  • Marinate the tempeh for the full ten minutes because that time lets the flavors soak in deep, not just cling to the surface.
  • Press the sandwich gently while it cooks to help the cheese melt and bind everything together, but don't smash it flat or you'll lose all the texture.
03 -
  • Let the sandwich rest for a minute after grilling so the cheese sets slightly and doesn't all slide out when you cut it.
  • Double the tempeh bacon and keep extra in the fridge because it's incredible crumbled over salads or folded into scrambled tofu.
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, the even heat gives you the most consistent golden crust.
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