There are many ways of veganizing this sandwich classic, and there are lots of bacon replacements to choose from, when you want to make a BLT sandwich.
My favourite bacon replacement is tofu bacon. Especially smoked tofu becomes very crispy when you fry it in thin slices, and very hearty when coated in a sauce made of maple syrup, soy sauce and smoked paprika. Smoked paprika is also known as pimenton de la vera. In case this spice is not available, regular paprika powder will do, and you can add a little liquid smoke if you like it smoky.
What else do you need for the vegan BLT sandwich?
Also there’s of course lettuce and tomatoes on a fresh bread roll or baguette, some toast or a nice spelt bagel with hemp seeds.
Vegan mayo should meanwhile be available in many shops, if not, you can always make it yourself. There are many recipes online, I like this one by Vegan Heaven very much.
As a side, I really like to serve my smoked paprika wedges.
SMOKED TOFU-BLT-SANDWICH
Ingredients
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 smoked tofu about 15 thin slices
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 4 slices bread
- vegan mayo
- 2 lettuce leaves
- 1 tomato
- cucumber slices optional
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- First, gather all your ingredients and prepare them in the right amounts. That makes it so much easier and more fun and you're less likely to forget anything.
- Slice the smoked tofu into 3–5 mm thick pieces—the thinner, the better.
- Heat a little vegetable oil in a pan. Add the tofu slices side by side and fry over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together maple syrup, soy sauce, and smoked paprika to make a marinade.
- Flip the tofu slices individually. If some need more color, move them to the center of the pan. Fry for another 3 minutes on the other side until crispy. Brush the tofu with the marinade—using a pastry brush works best.
- While the tofu is cooking, slice the tomato and cucumber and lightly season with salt.
- Spread mayonnaise on your bread, then layer with lettuce, the fried tofu, and the tomato and cucumber slices. Season with salt and pepper, fold the sandwich, and enjoy!
Do you love sandwiches? Check out my blogpost on 10 ideas for your new favourite vegan sandwiches.
I’m trying to go vegan and my go to lunch was ham and cheese, plus salad. this was a tasty alternative as I did not like the fake ham sold at my local supermarket. this may be my new go to lunch!
Thank you Lillian, that’s great to hear. We love the sandwich too and make it all the time 🙂