These tempeh bacon, beet pesto, egg, and tomato sandwiches, also known as the hungry vegetarian’s BLT, are the ultimate summer sandwiches. Tempeh bacon, beet pesto, pickles, brie, tomato, arugula, and yogurt ranch are sandwiched between two slices of hearty sourdough bread in my take on a BLT.
I’ll be the first to admit that this sandwich is a bit over the top. But sometimes, over the top just feels right. Especially at this time of the year, when gardens and farmer’s markets are quite literally bursting at the seams with the season’s bounty.
This sandwich, with its layers of arugula, tomato, Greek yogurt ranch, tempeh bacon, egg, brie, pickles, and beet pesto, is inspired by my Community Supported Agriculture basket, and was born out of a need for an incredibly satisfying addition to my sandwich collection here on the blog.
If you’re pressed for time or not super hungry, feel free to mix and match the sandwich toppings as you see fit. You can always omit the egg and brie for a lighter version. And I must also add that the beet pesto makes much more than you’ll need for topping the sandwiches. But store it in the fridge and enjoy it on pasta, pizza, and wraps this week. You will be thankful to have some on hand when you need a quick meal.
ingredients you’ll need
For the beet pesto, you’ll need beets, almonds, garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and water.
For the tempeh bacon, you’ll need tempeh, tamari, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
For the Greek yogurt ranch sauce, you’ll need Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dijon mustard, honey, sea salt, pepper, and dill.
For assembling the sandwiches, you’ll need arugula, tomatoes, fried eggs, brie, pickles, and good bread.
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the method
Make the beet pesto: Peel and dice the beets into ½-inch cubes. Steam until tender, 15-20 minutes. Place the almonds in a food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade and process until coarsely ground. Add the garlic, lemon, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, water, and the beets. Process until smooth. Transfer into a jar or container until ready to use. (This can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.)
Make the tempeh bacon: If desired, steam the block of tempeh for 2 minutes. This helps open up the ‘pores’ of the tempeh and makes it absorb flavours more readily. Once cool enough to handle, slice into whatever your preferred bacon slice width is. (See photo for the slice thickness I like.) Place in a square baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour over the tempeh and turn a few times to evenly coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer if possible.
When ready to cook the tempeh bacon, warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the tempeh strips in an even layer (you’ll have to work in at least two batches). Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until evenly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Make the Greek yogurt ranch sauce: In a bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dijon, honey, salt, pepper, and dill.
Make the sandwiches: Toast the bread. On the bottom slice, add a handful of arugula, followed by tomato, ranch, tempeh bacon, egg, pickles, beet pesto, and brie. Top with a second slice of bread and enjoy immediately.
more summer sandwich recipes
- BBQ Pulled Tofu Sandwiches with Creamy Kohlrabi Slaw
- Greek Tofu Breakfast Sandwiches (Vegan)
- Smashed Chickpea Avocado Dill Pickle Sandwiches
I hope that you love these tempeh bacon, beet pesto, egg, and tomato sandwiches. If you make them, let me know how you enjoyed them by leaving a comment and rating below the post. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made!
Enjoy!
Tempeh Bacon, Beet Pesto, Egg + Tomato Sandwiches
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
These tempeh bacon, beet pesto, egg, and tomato sandwiches, also known as the hungry vegetarian’s BLT, are the ultimate summer sandwiches. Tempeh bacon, beet pesto, pickles, brie, tomato, arugula, and yogurt ranch are sandwiched between two slices of hearty sourdough bread in my take on a BLT.
Ingredients
beet pesto
- 4 small beets (you should end up with 2 cups once cooked)
- ½ cup raw almonds
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½–1 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼–½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2–4 tablespoons water, as needed to thin
tempeh bacon
- 1 (240 gram) block organic tempeh
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Greek Yogurt Ranch
- 1 cup whole milk organic Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon raw honey
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
For the sandwiches
- Fried eggs
- Sliced brie
- Sliced pickles
- Arugula
- Sliced tomatoes
- Whole grain sourdough bread
Instructions
- Make the beet pesto: Peel and dice the beets into ½-inch cubes. Steam until tender, 15-20 minutes. Make sure that you have 2 cups of cooked beets. Place the almonds in a food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade and process until coarsely ground. Add the garlic, lemon, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, water, and the beets. Process until smooth. Transfer into a jar or container until ready to use. (This can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.)
- Make the tempeh bacon: If desired, steam the block of tempeh for 2 minutes. This helps open up the ‘pores’ of the tempeh and makes it absorb flavours more readily. Once cool enough to handle, slice into whatever your preferred bacon slice width is. (See photo for the slice thickness I like.) Place in a square baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour over the tempeh and turn a few times to evenly coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer if possible.
- When ready to cook the tempeh bacon, warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the tempeh strips in an even layer (you’ll have to work in at least two batches). Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until evenly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Make the Greek yogurt ranch sauce: In a bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dijon, honey, salt, pepper, and dill.
- Make the sandwiches: Toast the bread. On the bottom slice, add a handful of arugula, followed by tomato, ranch, tempeh bacon, egg, pickles, beet pesto, and brie. Top with a second slice of bread and enjoy immediately.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
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