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    Home » Tofu

    The Vegan Tofu Bacon BLT Sandwich

    Published: Jul 12, 2020 · Modified: Feb 1, 2023 by Louise-Claire Cayzer · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy vegan Tofu Bacon BLT is the answer to one of the most common questions I get 'but don't you miss bacon?'  The answer is no! It's so easy to make this protein-rich vegan bacon substitute with tofu, then layer it into my favourite BLT!

    A vegan blt using tofu bacon being held by a hand over a plate. this recipe
    Jump to:
    • 🥪Key Ingredients
    • 👩‍🍳Instructions
    • 🥫Storage
    • 🍅Variations and Substitutions
    • ❓FAQ
    • Love Tofu?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Tofu is kind of a magic ingredient, it can be flavoured in so many ways, and one of my favourites is to turn it into a smokey crispy bacon alternative, which is perfect for making a vegan BLT! Yum.

    Smoked tofu is pretty good in other sandwiches too, just choose the fillings you love best! Because who doesn't love a sandwich piled high with scrummy ingredients? Why not try this Scandi Inspired Smoked Tofu Sandwich which uses tofu in place of smoked salmon.

    I also love to just use this method of making smoked tofu bacon for using as part of a bigger vegan breakfast. Try it with these Perfect Silken Tofu Scramble and my best ever Vegan Baked Beans without Sugar. Add OJ and coffee for the ultimate plant based breakfast.

    🥪Key Ingredients

    Ingredients for tofu blt laid out.

    🥓The Best Tofu to make 'Facon'

    The first key to making the vegan BLT is the tofu 'bacon'.

    To make it I buy smoked tofu, in Europe the best brand is Taifun, it's organic and not genetically modified, and they make a great range of tofu styles. I slice it thinly & either pan fry or bake it with a drizzle of soy sauce &  extra smoked paprika to give an extra salty,  smoky flavour. Cook it until it's crispy and it makes a super duper sandwich filler, snack or addition to pasta or a stir fry.  There are other brands around that do a great smoked tofu too.. be sure to find the one you like best!

    If you can't get smoked tofu, choose a firm tofu and marinate it in a smokey dressing. I have a full method How to Tofu! Beginner Level- Basic Crispy Tofu which gives lots of tips on how to achieve this, or head to the recipe card below for more details.

    Other Ingredients:

    • Lettuce: I like to grow my own lettuce when I can, and I would urge you to at least once try growing lettuce. It's brilliantly easy to grow in a pot and you can just snip off leaves as you need them. Otherwise choose a crispy leafed lettuce like mini gem or baby romaine.
    • Tomatoes: The tomatoes were fresh from the market, and kept out of the fridge to allow them to keep their delicious tomatoey flavour. Chilling tomatoes destroys their flavour, and you want all the flavour you can get in a sandwich. The juicy sweet tomatoes balance out the salty tofu bacon.
    • Good Vegan mayo: I make my own mayo sometimes with chickpea water (aquafaba). Alternatively Hellmans makes a good vegan mayo now.
    • Good Bread: The bread must be a good one. It needs to be able to stand up to whatever extra sauces you want to add to it. I like a good sourdough, but you can also go old school with plain white.

    Finally, you need to pimp your sandwich with whatever sauce you like. My husband prefers Brown Sauce.. I like a spicy tomato sauce on mine. You do you.

    👩‍🍳Instructions

    Smoked tofu being marinated in soy sauce to make bacon.
    Smoked tofu bacon in the air fryer basket.
    1. First marinate your sliced smoked tofu in some soy sauce. If you need to use unsmoked tofu, press it firmly, then slice and marinade in the smokey marinade for at least half an hour.

    2. Air fry your marinated tofu for 4-5 minutes until crispy.

    Smoked Tofu Bacon in a frying pan.
    Tofu BLTs being assembled.

    3. Alternatively, pan fry your marinated tofu until crispy.

    4. Toast your bread and assemble your BLT the way you like it.

    🥫Storage

    You can marinate the tofu for up to 48 hours. The longer you leave it, the more intense the flavour.

    I like to grill or air fry an entire pack of tofu, then snack on any leftovers cold later. You can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.

    🍅Variations and Substitutions

    The vegan BLT can be made just as you like it: check out these easy swaps.

    • Tempeh Bacon- Click through to this easy Air Fryer Tempeh Bacon recipe and use that instead.
    • Shop Bought Vegan Bacon such as 'THIS isn't' Bacon or Moving Mountains or any other vegan bacon you can buy in the shops can be used.
    • Avocado- I love adding avocado to my BLT
    • Other types of greens: Don't have lettuce? Use rocket (arugula) or baby spinach.
    • Hot Sauce: Add a splash of hot sauce for tang and heat.

    ❓FAQ

    Can I use plain tofu instead of smoked tofu?

    Yes choose extra firm tofu and press it. Then marinade it in a mixture of smoked paprika, soy sauce, maple syrup and liquid smoke. Details in the recipe card below.

    What does smoked tofu taste like?

    Smoked tofu tastes a little like mild smoked fish or bacon. It is slightly chewy and is great to add to sandwiches or to grill or pan-fry to make vegan bacon.

    Love Tofu?

    Why not check out my other tofu recipes

    • A casserole dish with vegan tuna noodle casserole in it ready to eat.
      Vegan Tuna Casserole (Tu-no Noodle)
    • Vegan Caesar Salad with chickpea Croutons in a bowl.
      Vegan Caesar Salad with Crunchy Chickpea Croutons (Gluten Free!)
    • A roasted pumpkin filled with hot cheese dip with a hand reaching in with a corn chip to scoop up some dip.
      Cheesy Pumpkin Dip: Savory & Dairy Free
    • A plate of pasta with a sauce made from blended creamy tofu and sundried tomatoes. There is another plate of pasta in the background, some basil leaves on top of the pasta.
      Creamy Tofu Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes (No cook sauce!)

    If you love this recipe, please share this post with your friends on Pinterest or Facebook, or tag me on Insta! Don't forget to also please comment and star ⭐this recipe too!

    Love & Vegan Yummies, Louise xx (P.S. Follow me on Insta and Tik Tok!)

    📖 Recipe

    A tofu blt being held up ready to eat.

    The Vegan Tofu Bacon BLT Sandwich

    Louise-Claire Cayzer
    Smokey Tofu bacon with lettuce and tomato. Everything you want in a sandwich but with no cruelty! Totally delicious!
    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2
    Calories 429 kcal

    Ingredients Note:

    For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.

    (Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)

    Ingredients

    For the Tofu 'Bacon'

    • 100 g (¼ lb) Smoked Tofu. (Sliced thinly)
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil

    For the Sandwich

    • 4 slices sourdough bread
    • 2 Lettuce leaves
    • 1 Tomatoes (Make sure it's ripe!)
    • Sauces to taste. (Mayo, Ketchup or even brown sauce. You do you. )

    Instructions

    • Thinly slice the smoked tofu, then sprinkle it with soy sauce & smoked paprika. Leave for up to half an hour to marinate if desired.
      100 g Smoked Tofu., 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • Pan fry in the olive oil until crispy.
      1 teaspoon Olive Oil
    • Toast your bread.
      4 slices sourdough bread
    • Build your sandwich. Try not to eat all the yummy, crispy tofu before you make the sandwich. It's a hazard, I tell you!
      2 Lettuce leaves, 1 Tomatoes, Sauces to taste.
    • Apply to face.

    Notes

    If you wish to use plain, unsmoked tofu in place of smoked tofu you just need to marinate it for half an hour.
    First: Cut firm tofu into slices. With a clean tea towel, press out moisture from the tofu (this allows more marinade to get into the tofu)
    Marinade with 
    • 3tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
    • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
    • 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar or maple syrup. 
    Leave for half an hour, then pan fry or air fry. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 429kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 20gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 1285mgPotassium: 373mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2536IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 147mgIron: 6mg
    Tried this recipe and loved it? Follow and Mention @vegan_larder or comment and ⭐ below
    Vegan BLT with the top not on yet

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

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    1. Trudi Warn says

      January 10, 2023 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      I like tofu. So I'm looking forward to trying this out.
      I've so far not missed bacon. But the idea of that smokey rich tofu sounds rather yummy

      Reply
      • Louise-Claire Cayzer says

        January 10, 2023 at 4:11 pm

        It's such a good replacement when you do want a good savoury sammie!

        Reply
    2. Cheryl says

      June 30, 2015 at 4:50 pm

      ohh this looks tasty 🙂 I will definitely be trying this one out 🙂

      xx
      Cheryl
      DaisyCandle

      Reply
      • louise says

        June 30, 2015 at 6:05 pm

        Do! Let me know what you think of it! X

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Louise-Claire! I believe vegan and plant-based food should be easy to make, never scary and above all, absolutely delicious. Also, it's for everyone, not just for vegans!

    I'm a photographer, recipe developer and gardener. You'll find me in the kitchen, in the studio or wandering the garden, picking delicious veggies to make recipes for you! So why not stay a while, check out some of my recipes and try one or two for yourself...Find out more on my About Me page.

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