Vegan BLT Sandwich With Homemade Eggplant Bacon

Did someone say vegan BLT? Yes, you heard that right! A fully vegan BLT sandwich with homemade eggplant bacon!

Ok, I know some of you might be horrified by the idea of replacing traditional bacon with eggplant. And that’s fine. If eggplant is outside of your comfort zone, you can use any of the vegan bacon options out there made from seitan, tofu, tempeh, coconut, and beyond. You can find ready-made vegan bacon from brands like Upton’s Natural’s, Sweet Earth, Lightlife, Yves, and Tofurky.

But if you are willing to give eggplant bacon a try, you will be blown away by the texture and the smoky flavor this recipe manages to achieve. It’s delicious! See how it’s done in the recipe below. 

Let’s Talk Spreads!

The layers of your sandwich matter, but your spread matters as much. Choosing the right spread can make a world of difference, especially when it comes to texture and flavor.

So what are your options:

• hummus
• vegan mayonnaise (or aioli!)
• vegan cream cheese
• Dijon or grain mustard
• avocado

I’m sure you have a few favorites already but remember that we are looking for flavor, moist, and for something that holds the layers together. 

How to Assemble Your Vegan BLT

Now let’s get to the good part! You know, that glorious moment when you start assembling your fantastic sandwich! You have all the ingredients laid out on the table so you can begin carefully placing them on to your (already toasted) bread.

Start with your spread of choice and move on to the lettuce, tomato, and eggplant bacon. Maybe more lettuce on top if you’re a fan of the crisp. Press it slightly and cut it in half to appreciate the layers in all its glory. 

That’s it! It’s time to enjoy your well-deserved vegan BLT! 

Now It’s Time for the Eggplant Bacon!

This is one of those recipes you can learn how to do once and will keep in your arsenal forever. Imagine the endless heavenly meals you can make with vegan bacon!

• A vegan scrambled egg with bacon and some vegan pancakes on the side for a Sunday breakfast?
• Pasta Carbonara? You know, with the bits of bacon in there.
• Vegan quiche Lorraine?

So much, yes! 

The best part about this eggplant vegan bacon is that it is super easy to make and requires very few ingredients. You won’t have to struggle to find uses for those beautiful purple eggplants you bought at the market when you were feeling inspired or the lonely ones that come in your weekly produce delivery box but usually end up in the compost.

Try making some ahead of time and save it for a few days in an airtight container inside your fridge.  Every time you want to put together a quick sandwich, grab your bacon, and go! And it goes perfectly with this vegan BLT sandwich!

If you like it hotter, remember to take the Tabasco up a notch!

Eggplant Who?

Is eggplant a bit of a mystery to you? Well, it is a very mysterious vegetable for many of us. First of all, it has different identities in different parts of the world. Across the pond, they call it Aubergine, and in South Africa, they call it brinjal. See? Pretty cool.

Another eggplant secret is the fact that it’s not a vegetable but a berry and it belongs to the nightshade family. Also, very cool! 

In any case, eggplants are uber healthy and versatile. For example…

• If you love hummus but want to give it a break, you can try Baba Ganoush instead. Baba Ganoush is a delicious dip or spread made with baked aubergine, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.
• Or you could give Mousaka a try. Mousaka is an amazing Greek dish made with eggplants and potato puree with a bechamel sauce. Very easily veganized!

Easy & Quick Vegan Meals

When you’ve recently moved towards a vegan lifestyle, it’s super important to have easy go-to meals you can grab in a hurry. When hunger strikes, you are most likely to eat whatever is available, so having some vegan bacon on your fridge ready to be put on a sandwich is ideal! 

What about cooking some quinoa once a week and then mixing it with whatever veggies or canned beans you have available? Seems so doable, right? You get the idea, if you can’t plan everything ahead then at least make sure you have quick go-to solutions for when you’re faced with the panicky question: Now, what do I eat? 

Are tempted yet? You must prepare this vegan BLT! Warning…it’s highly addictive!

More Quick & Healthy Lunch Solutions

• Barbecue Black Bean Burgers
• Vegan Pizza Burger
• Crispy Baked Vegan Falafel Pitas
• Rainbow Lavash Wraps
• Vegan Tea Sandwich and Tea Party Tips

Vegan BLT Sandwich

Author: Zhoro Apostolov

5 from 5 votes

This vegan BLT sandwich made with eggplant bacon is a dream come true! So full of taste but so simple at the same time. Pile up your ingredients and enjoy! You can make bacon out of so many things—tofu, tempeh, seitan, coconut, and even eggplant (aka aubergine to the British folks among us)! Let us guide you through the process of eggplant bacon making.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

For the eggplant bacon:

• 1 medium-sized eggplant
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco or 1 teaspoon of smoked chili powder, optional

For the BLT:

• 2 slices rustic sandwich bread, any will work
• 2 tablespoons hummus or vegan mayo, or vegan spread of choice
• 5 slices eggplant bacon
• lettuce leaves, a variety with volume would be better
• tomato slices

Instructions

For the eggplant bacon:

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Cut the eggplant into four equal parts, lengthwise, as shown in the photos. Then slice each quarter into strips (as pictured). Don’t cut them too thin so they will stay a bit juicy and won’t burn or lose flavor.
• Place the eggplant strips on a baking tray lined with a sheet of baking paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a small ramekin, mix together the olive oil, soy sauce, sugar, and Tabasco or smoked chili powder.
• Brush the raw eggplant strips on both sides with the olive oil mixture.
• Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, until golden.

For the BLT Sandwich:

• Toast your bread until nice and crispy.
• Spread the hummus or mayo (or your spread of choice) on both slices.
• Place the lettuce leaves on one side of the bread, followed by the tomato slices, and finally the pieces of eggplant bacon.
• Finish it up with the other slice of bread on top and press slightly.
• Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 743kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 1496mg | Potassium: 1252mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 5mg

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword vegan bacon, vegan blt, vegan blt recipe, vegan sandwich

Vegan BLT Sandwich and eggplant bacon photos and recipe by Zhoro Apostolov from Top Food Facts for World of Vegan. Recipe and photographs copyright of World of Vegan™, all rights reserved. Please note that this article contains affiliate links which means shopping through them helps lights on at World of Vegan!