Another addition into my collection of vegan bacon recipes! This time I bring you a salad! Two of my favorite things in one bowl of awesome. The bacon is crispy + flavorful + smoky + meatless! These Vegan Tempeh BLT Salad Bowls are super easy to make for lunch or dinner or meal prep! Sometimes you just need a BLT minus the sandwich. You. Are. Welcome.
Why Eat Tempeh?
Tempeh is a great source of protein + calcium + iron + magnesium + prebiotics. Tempeh is on regular rotation in the MVF kitchen as one of our main sources of clean, plant-based protein. As a blank canvas, tempeh can be used in so many different ways! Still curious? Read this: Reasons to Eat Tempeh.
Tara’s Tips for Making the Most Perfect Vegan Tempeh BLT Salad:
Tempeh:
- Boil your tempeh first!!!!! One of the biggest reasons people think they do not like tempeh is because it has a slightly bitter taste if you don’t boil it before using it in your recipe. After boiling, the bitter taste is gone + you can slice it like you see mine sliced below. Boiling also softens it up so it soaks up all of the flavors you add.
Marinate:
- Extra time? Marinate it longer! First, boil the tempeh. Second, allow to marinate for 10 minutes up to 8 hours. 10 minutes is great, longer is awesome.
No oil!
- Yep, you heard me correctly. With the proper pan, these tempeh bacon strips caramelize and brown just perfectly without oil + without sticking to the pan. If you need to, you can add a tablespoon of water or even an extra spoon of liquid aminos if you do get some that want stick to the pan. If your pan is anything like mine, some parts cook quicker than others so be sure to move them around in the pan + they will brown evenly.
OPTIONAL but awesome:
- Make an entire second batch of marinade and pour over the tempeh in the pan when cooking begins. This intensifies the flavor + caramelization but is completely up to you if you want an extra flavor punch. DOUBLE of all of the ingredients of the tempeh marinade if you choose to do it this way.
Salad:
- In my salad, I chose to use butter lettuce, tomato, olives, pickles, broccoli florets, and red onion. You could totally change it up! Whatever a deconstructed vegan BLT means to you, put it in your bowl!
Dressing:
- Options for dressing this bowl of awesome include bottled ranch or store bought mayonnaise – vegan if you are vegan. Or you could make your own! I like to use Silken Tofu Vegan Ranch (nut-free!), Silken Tofu Vegan Spicy Ranch, Easy Vegan Ranch, Silken Tofu Vegan Mayo, or even Silken Tofu Creamy Italian Dressing will work perfectly!
Croutons:
- Store bought croutons work great. Alternatively, you could make your own: Easy Homemade Croutons. You could also use Air Fryer Garlic Chickpeas or Air Fryer Buffalo Chickpeas.
Love Tempeh? Me Too!
Try my other tempeh recipes:
Teriyaki Tempeh With Vegetables
Vegan Tempeh BLT Salas Bowls
May 3, 2023
: 4 servings
: Easy
These Vegan Tempeh BLT Salad Bowls are super easy to make, drizzle on your favorite dressing + you have an awesome healthy bowl!
Ingredients
- For the tempeh bacon:
- 8 ounce package of tempeh
- 3 cups water
- 2 tbsp liquid aminos (sub soy sauce or tamari)
- 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- OPTIONAL but awesome - Make a full second batch of the marinade for cooking the tempeh
- For the salad bowls:
- 4 cups lettuce
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup diced pickles
- 20 olives
- 1/2 red onion cut into cubes
- 1 diced tomato
- 1 cup dressing of choice - ranch, mayo, creamy Italian, see body of post for suggested recipes
- 2 cups croutons - store bought or see body of post for recipe suggestions.
Directions
- Step 1 For the tempeh:
- Step 2 Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium pot.
- Step 3 Remove tempeh from packaging, cut it into evenly sized strips.
- Step 4 Add tempeh to boiling water and boil for 10 minutes.
- Step 5 While tempeh is boiling, prepare the marinade by whisking together the liquid aminos, maple syrup, and liquid smoke.
- Step 6 Pour into a colander and fully drain water from tempeh.
- Step 7 Transfer tempeh to a glass dish or bowl where all of your strips can fit in one even layer.
- Step 8 Pour the marinade over the tempeh.
- Step 9 Allow to marinade for 10 minutes up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.
- Step 10 Heat a medium non-stick pan or skillet over medium-low heat.
- Step 11 Add marinated tempeh to the pan with all of the remaining marinade in the bowl.OPTIONAL but awesome – add a full second batch of marinade ingredients to the pan, pouring evenly over all tempeh pieces.
- Step 12 Cook the tempeh over medium-low for 10 minutes. Flip the tempeh frequently to ensure every piece is getting browned. Move them around the pan if necessary to ensure even cooking.
- Step 13 Add a tablespoon of water at a time if your tempeh begins to stick to the pan.
- Step 14 Tempeh is done cooking when all sides have a caramelized layer.
- Step 15 Remove from heat, divide amongst the four salad bowls.
- Step 16 While the tempeh cooks, prepare the salad bowls by layering the lettuce followed by your choice of veggies, olives, and pickles.
- Step 17 Layer on the dressing and croutons. See body of post for options for dressing and croutons.
- Step 18 If you are using for meal prep, store the veggies separate from the dressing, tempeh, and croutons, combine when ready to eat. Enjoy!
❤Did you make this Vegan Tempeh BLT Salad Bowl? Love it? Leave a rating + a comment below!
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