Vegan Breakfast Sandwich with Tempeh Bacon
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Published Nov 20, 2017, Updated Jan 13, 2022
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A vegan breakfast sandwich loaded with all the goods: creamy avocado, almond butter, sautéed kale and tempeh bacon, served on a perfectly toasted english muffin.
Almond butter or avocado? This is a question I’ve asked myself often while standing in front of the toaster oven and I’ve basically come to the conclusion that you should never have to pick one or the other. Almond butter and avocado toast are both amazing on their own, but the world becomes a better place when you combine the two.
And it’s precisely why this vegan breakfast sandwich that combines almond butter, avocado, sautéed kale and tempeh bacon is so delicious.
The whole idea for this epic sandwich came about when Sarah, EBF’s newest intern mentioned a vegan breakfast sandwich she’d had at a cute shop called The Green in Nantucket. The Green’s sandwich combines three of my fav things: almond butter, avocado and sautéed kale on toasted bagel and the way Sarah talks about it, I know it’s crazy delicious.
As soon as she mentioned it I knew I needed to try the combo and then decided adding tempeh bacon would be an excellent way to add protein and make this a sweet and savory, wholesome breakfast sandwich.
One bite and I was sold!! The sweet and smoky tempeh bacon paired with the creamy avocado and nutty almond butter is shear perfection. It honestly reminds me of my college days when I used to make english muffin breakfast sandwiches. I’d load one half of the english muffin with strawberry jelly, a veggie sausage patty and microwaved egg whites and the other half with peanut butter and I’d eat both halves separately.
Obviously, this sandwich is a little different for a few reasons — it’s vegan and best when eaten as a whole sandwich (not opened-faced) — but it still has the sweet and savory thing going. I’m kind of hooked on it right now and can’t thank Sarah enough for the inspiration.
The icing on the cake is that now I have a delicious tempeh bacon recipe here on EBF, which is going to be perfect for using in future recipes. I already see a vegan BLT and a tempeh bacon salad happening this spring/summer. Can’t wait!
In the meantime, try this breakfast sammie and let me know what you think. I have a feeling you’re going to love it!
More Tempeh Recipes
- How to Cook Tempeh
- Sweet and Sour Tempeh
- Maple Tempeh Bowls
- Balsamic Tempeh
- BBQ Tempeh
- Lemon Tempeh
- Tempeh Tacos
More Teriyaki Favorites
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Teriyaki Salmon Burgers with Sriracha Mayo
- Teriyaki Salmon with Broccoli and Rice
Vegan Breakfast Sandwich with Tempeh Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 oz package of Lightlife Original Tempeh
- 1/4 cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup avocado or olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 Tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups torn/chopped kale
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 whole grain english muffins, sliced (I like the Ezekiel brand)
- 1/4 avocado
- 1-2 Tablespoons almond butter
Instructions
- Cut tempeh into 1/4” – thick strips/slices.
- Add tamari, oil, maple syrup, liquid smoke, paprika, garlic powder and pepper to a shallow dish. Whisk together with a fork and add tempeh slices. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange tempeh slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Pour any leftover marinade over tempeh and bake for 15 minutes. Toss tempeh and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until tempeh is crispy.
- While tempeh is baking, add oil and kale to a skillet on medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until kale is bright in color and a bit charred/crispy. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Toast your english muffins. Once toasted, smash avocado on one half and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Spread almond butter on the other half. Layer kale and 3-4 pieces of sliced tempeh bacon on top of the mashed avocado and top the sandwich with the almond butter half. Repeat to make second sandwich and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Holy smokes!! I’ve heard of the avocado + almond butter thing and although I’m a tad skeptical, I can believe it is going to surprise me in the most wonderful way. Adding tempeh bacon just makes this AMAZING.
Don’t be skeptical. It’s sooo good! 🙂
Yum, I haven’t seen a recipe for a tempeh sandwich before. Avocado makes any sandwich x10 better!
Totally agree, Nicole. I think you’re going to love this combo though. 🙂
This is so good! I like the idea of trying less oil for the tempeh bacon…although that was delicious also
Why so much oil or any oil at all?
Thanks
The oil gets the tempeh bacon nice and crisp, but feel free to experiment with the recipe by using less oil. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Can I omit the liquid smoke? I have none on hand.
Yes, I think that would be just fine.
This was so yummy! I was a little hesitant to add the nut butter, but it was amazing! I only had peanut butter in hand, but I am sure almond butter would be amazing too! I for sure will be eating this on a regular basis!!!
Yay!! I love hearing this, Kate! So glad the recipe was a hit. Thanks for the review!!