Vegan 'Bacon' Cheese Toastie

Vegan 'Bacon' Cheese Toastie

Honestly, this is the toastie we never stopped thinking about after the first time we made it. Smoky tempeh bacon, melty vegan cheese, and sweet sticky caramelised onions all piled into golden, crispy bread; it's the kind of breakfast that makes you feel like you've got your life together. The textures are absolutely unreal: crispy on the outside, gooey and savoury in the middle, and those onions take the whole thing to another level. It takes a bit of effort, but trust us, every single minute is worth it. Make this on a slow weekend morning and you'll be talking about it all week.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Small saucepan with lid
  • Frying pan
  • Tray lined with kitchen paper
  • Mixing bowl
  • Largest, heaviest pan (or sandwich iron) for pressing
  • Wooden board for serving

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 thick slices of quality sourdough
  • fresh chives chopped
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp plant-based butter
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 tbsp plant-based butter - more for greasing
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 100g tempeh
  • 1 tbsp plant-based cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp oat milk
  • ½ tsp sherry - or red wine vinegar
  • pepper to taste
  • 60g smoked plant-based cream cheese

Method

1

Start with the caramelised onions

  • Peel and thinly slice the onion
  • Melt the plant-based butter in the small saucepan
  • Add the onion to the pan along with the balsamic vinegar, sugar and salt
  • Stir, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and put the lid on the pan
2

Make the tempeh bacon

  • Put the frying pan on a medium heat and melt the plant-based butter
  • Crush the fennel seeds and cut the tempeh into thin slices
  • Add both to the pan along with the smoked paprika
  • Carefully turn the tempeh slices in the spiced butter to coat, then pour over the maple syrup and soy sauce or tamari
  • Fry the tempeh in the sticky mixture for about 10 minutes until starting to crisp and caramelise
  • Remove the tempeh to the tray lined with kitchen paper and set aside
  • Rinse and dry the pan
3

Meanwhile, make the smoked cheese mix

  • Chop the chives and put them in a bowl with the rest of the cheese mix ingredients
  • Mix everything together with a fork
4

Finish the sandwich

  • Put the frying pan back over a medium heat and add the tablespoon of olive oil, ensuring it coats the base of the pan evenly
  • Lay 2 slices of bread in the pan
  • Top each slice first with the cheese mix, then the tempeh bacon
  • Divide the onions between the slices
  • Lay the remaining bread slices on top
  • Use your biggest, heaviest pan or a sandwich iron to compress the sandwiches
  • Fry for 3-4 minutes, then remove the weight, very carefully flip the sandwiches over and replace the weight on top
  • Fry for another 3-4 minutes
  • Remove the sandwiches to a wooden board, cut in half and serve

Tips & Variations

  • Don't rush the onions: We know it's tempting to turn the heat up, but keep it on the lowest setting and let them go slow. That's where all the magic happens.
  • Slice the tempeh thin: The thinner the slices, the crispier your bacon gets. Ian swears by using the sharpest knife you've got for this one.
  • Press the toastie down: When it's in the pan, press it firmly with a spatula or even a heavy pan on top. You'll get that perfect golden crust every time.

Why This Works

The trick here is the caramelised onions. Low and slow is the only way; rushing them just doesn't give you that deep, jammy sweetness that makes this toastie so special. The tempeh bacon is the other game-changer. Sliced thin and cooked with fennel seeds, it gets this incredible smoky, savoury bite that genuinely rivals the real thing.