Tempeh, Lettuce & Tomato (TLT) Sandwich
This is the second post in our cooking with soy series. Today we’re talking tips for cooking tempeh — plus I’ve got a super tasty “TLT” sandwich recipe (tempeh lettuce tomato).
Did you know soy is one of the most nutrient-rich and functional plant-based proteins on the planet?
It sure is! And today we’re talking about one of my favorite soy foods — tempeh.
Tempeh is tofu’s crunchier cousin. It’s a little more fringe than tofu.
If tofu is the mainstream army jacket that even preppy kids have adopted into their wardrobes, tempeh is the kimono that only really in the know fashionistas rock.
But that needs to change because tempeh is a totally versatile and accessible plant-protein option.
Tempeh is made by fermenting whole soybeans and pressing them together into a cake form.
If you’re still a tempeh a virgin, I’m going to share some tips to help get you on the tempeh train. I’m also going to teach you how to make my absolute favorite recipe using tempeh – a “TLT” sandwich – aka tempeh, lettuce, and tomato.
First up, our tips…
Tips for Cooking with Tempeh
1. Always steam uncooked tempeh before cooking it.
Tempeh has a slightly bitter taste and steaming it for about 10 minutes will help remove that bitterness.
2. Marinate it before you use it.
Again, you’re going to get better flavor and less bitterness if you marinate your tempeh for a few hours before you use it.
3. Get creative!
Don’t just chop up tempeh and toss it on a salad – crumble it up to make taco meat. Cut it into triangles and bake it to use in place of meat. Or slice it up and fry it to make tempeh “bacon” like we’re going to do in today’s recipe.
And those are my tempeh tips! So, let’s get to our TLT sandwich. Check out this video for the step by step instructions to make one of the tastiest sandwiches ever!
- 3 slices of tempeh bacon*
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 3 slices of sprouted whole grain bread
- 1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tomato, sliced
- ½ avocado, sliced
- ⅛ cup carrots, shredded
- ⅛ cup sprouts
- Heat a skillet over medium with a oil.
- Fry tempeh bacon for about 2 minutes per side.
- While the tempeh cooks, toast three slices of bread.
- Spread each slice of bread with mayo.
- Stack toast with tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, shredded carrots, sprouts and tempeh bacon.
- Slice into quarters and enjoy!
Did you catch the first post in my cooking with soy series? Check it out here! >> Tofu Cooking Tips + Thai Peanut Tofu Noodles
PIN the recipe! >>
Weigh in: Do you have other cooking tips for tempeh newbies?
*This post is sponsored by Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), but all opinions are my own. I thank you for your support of Whitney E. RD-approved partnerships that make this website possible.
Felicia Ponce says:
Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try. Thank you for all the evidences based nutrition information.