Vegan BLT
Honestly, a good BLT is one of those things we never wanted to give up when we went plant-based, so we had to figure this out. This one is a proper sandwich, smoky tofu bacon that actually delivers, crispy lettuce, ripe tomato, and a generous slick of mayo all stacked between two slices of toasted bread. The tofu gets this incredible caramelised crust from the maple syrup and soy marinade and it genuinely tastes smoky and a little sweet and completely addictive. We've made this more times than we can count and it still feels like a treat every single time. Make it tonight, you won't regret it.
Before You Start
- Tofu press
- Mixing bowl
- Press tofu for 30 mins
- Marinate tofu whilst preparing other ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp plant-based mayonnaise
- ciabatta baguette
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 large avocado
- 1 baby gem lettuce
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 x 450g block of firm smoked tofu
- vegetable oil for frying
- 25g cornflour
- Drizzle of soy sauce
- Drizzle of maple syrup
- crisps
Method
Prepare the tofu
- Press the tofu in the tofu press for 30 mins so it's well dried
- Then cut it into thin slices
Next, coat the tofu
- Pour the cornflour and smoked paprika into the mixing bowl and stir them together with a fork
- Roll the slices of tofu in the cornflour paprika mix
- Drizzle the tofu with your maple syrup and soy sauce and set aside to marinade whilst you make your sandwich
Prepare the ingredients
- Bake the bread for 5-7 minutes until warmed through
- Core and dice the lettuce
- Finely slice the tomatoes
- Halve and carefully stone the avocado by tapping the stone firmly with the heel of a knife so that it lodges in the pit, then twist and remove the stone
- Scoop out the flesh with a dessert spoon, put the avocado on a chopping board and finely slice
- Cut the bread in half longways
Cook the tofu
- Heat 1cm of oil in the frying pan until the end of a wooden spoon bubbles when dipped in
- Lay the slices of tofu in the oil and fry them for 2 minutes on each side
- Take the slices of tofu out of the pan and put them on a plate lined with kitchen paper
Finish and serve
- Cover the bottom of the ciabatta with egg free mayo
- Lay out the slices of avocado
- Season with salt and pepper
- Sprinkle over the lettuce
- Lay over the tomato slices
- Top with the bacon
- Cover with tomato ketchup and put the sandwich lid on
- Cut the sandwich into 4 and serve with your favourite crisps
Tips & Variations
- Get the tofu dry: We know 30 minutes feels like a long time but it makes a real difference. The drier the tofu, the crispier the coating and the better the marinade soaks in. If you're short on time, wrap it in a clean tea towel and press it down hard for 10 minutes as a shortcut.
- Bread matters: A thick-cut white bloomer or sourdough toasted until properly golden is the move here. Floppy bread is the enemy of a good BLT. We always toast ours a little longer than feels necessary.
- Load up the mayo: Don't be shy with the vegan mayo, it's what pulls the whole sandwich together. Henry always adds a squeeze of lemon into his mayo for a little extra brightness and honestly it's a game changer.
Why This Works
The trick here is pressing the tofu properly first so it's really dry, because that's what lets the cornflour and smoked paprika coating actually stick and go crispy rather than just going soggy. Then the maple syrup and soy marinade does something brilliant, it caramelises in the pan and gives you that sticky, smoky, slightly sweet thing that proper bacon has. Trust us on this one, don't skip the press.