Vegan BLT is a meatless version of a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. It's made with salty, smoky strips of portobello vegan mushroom bacon, topped with crispy lettuce and juicy tomatoes. You don't have to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy this twist on BLT sandwiches.
I'm not vegan, I just like to play around with vegetables and make them taste like meat. BLT is one of my favorite sandwiches, so I had to try my hand at a meatless version. This is an easy sandwich to make; the most time-consuming part is making the mushroom bacon.
Portobello mushrooms are meaty and make the perfect bacon substitute and also work well for a meaty texture in a lot of meatless recipes. I use it often in plant-based recipes when I want to add a meaty texture, like this pasta recipe.
Why you will love this vegan blt sandwich
- It's healthier! Portobello mushrooms are slathered in seasoned olive oil and baked in the oven to crispy perfection!
- It's an easy sandwich made with fresh ingredients that you can enjoy for lunch or dinner.
Here's what you will need
Ingredients
- Portobello mushrooms
- Olive oil
- Tamari sauce
- Maple syrup
- Smoked paprika
- Fresh lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Whole grain bread
Equipment
How to make this vegan BLT sandwich recipe
Prepare the ingredients: Slice the mushrooms thin, rinse the lettuce, slice the tomatoes and mix the oil, tamari, and maple syrup together.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
- Arrange the mushroom slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the mushroom slices with the olive oil mixture.
- Sprinkle the mushrooms with seasoning oil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the mushroom slices from the oven and flip them over. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and place them back into the oven for 5 to 10 minutes longer.
- Allow the mushrooms to cool slightly and remove them from the baking sheet.
- Once the mushrooms are cool enough to handle, start to assemble the sandwich by spreading a teaspoon of avocado mayonnaise, vegan mayonnaise, vegan butter, regular butter or smashed avocado onto a slice of your favorite bread and top with mushroom bacon, fresh tomato slices, and lettuce.
NOTE: At the end of the cooking process, the mushrooms will brown and crisp up quickly, check them every 5 minutes and remove slices that appear to be done.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Portobello mushrooms - have a meaty texture, yet they are spongy which makes them perfect for soaking up the seasoned oil. If you can't find portobello mushrooms, cremini or any type of mushroom will work. I chose portobellos because I can make long strips out of them.
If you have an air fryer, try making vegan mushroom bacon in the air fryer!
Tamari Sauce - is a Japanese soy sauce that adds a rich flavor to mushroom bacon. It can be replaced with an equal amount of soy sauce or coconut aminos.
Lettuce - The best lettuce to use in a BLT is Boston lettuce, butter lettuce or romaine lettuce. They are fresh tasting and slightly crispy.
Smoked paprika - is what gives this vegan bacon a smoky flavor. It can be substituted with ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke added to the oil and syrup mixture.
Serving Suggestions
This vegetarian blt sandwich is the perfect lunch when it's on toasted whole wheat bread, sourdough bread or gluten-free bread with a homemade pickle and chips or vegan potato salad on the side.
Or you can skip the bread and serve it as a salad with a lot of lettuce, tomatoes and drizzled with your favorite dressing.
Storing Leftovers
All of the ingredients in this plant-based blt sandwich are fresh and will taste the best if they are eaten right away. If you do have leftover mushroom bacon, store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
It will not be as crispy after being stored in the fridge, you may have to pop it in the microwave or oven to crisp it up a bit.
Recipe Variations
Change up a traditional sandwich with these additions BLT:
- Any combination of red onion, roasted pepper or fresh avocado slices
- Thin slices of cucumbers or zucchini
- Thinly sliced sharp cheddar cheese or provolone cheese
- Swap out the lettuce with baby spinach or arugula
- Add a handful of sprouts or microgreens
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Ingredients
- 4 large portobello mushroom caps sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons tamari sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 large tomato
- romaine lettuce iceburg, boston or baby romaine lettuce leaves
- 4 slices whole wheat bread
Instructions
- pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F
- line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
- slice the mushrooms as thin as you can and place them on the baking sheets in a single layer
- mix the oil, syrup and tamari sauce together and bruhs the mixture on the mushrooms; and sprinkle them with smoked paprika
- roast the mushroom slices in the oven for 15 minutes, by this time they should start to reduce in size
- remove them from the oven and flip them over
- lower the heat in the oven to 350 degrees f and cook them for about 10 minutes more until they shrivel, sprinkle with a dash of sea salt to taste
- remove the musrhoom slices from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes
- assemble the sandwiches by topping the bread or toast with avocado mayo or smashed avocado, lettuce, mushroom bacon and top with tomato
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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