This Vegan BBQ Tempeh Sandwich is full of flavor and topped with creamy kale slaw. Healthy, meaty, so satisfying, and absolutely delicious! Guaranteed to please any meat-eater.
Meet the Ultimate Sandwich. This smoky and spicy BBQ Tempeh Sandwich is creamy, crunchy, gooey, and a plant-based dream. Loaded with protein full of flavor it’s the perfect summer recipe.
Sliced tempeh strips are slathered in my homemade barbecue sauce, topped with crunchy kale slaw, and then nestled softly between a hearty whole-grain bun. These sandwiches are savory and smoky with a subtle taste of sweetness. You get the best of all flavor worlds!
They’re also quick, easy, and use simple everyday ingredients.
If you thought vegans ate only salads, think again! This vegan BBQ tempeh sandwich recipe is so hearty and delicious that even meat-eaters will drool.
Let’s go!
What Is Tempeh?
Tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans. The fermentation process helps to break down the phytic acid in soybeans, making the starches in tempeh easier to digest. After fermentation, the soybeans are formed into a firm patty. Read more HERE.
Tempeh is an excellent meat replacement and source of protein for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone following a whole-food, plant-based diet.
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
You can use your favorite sauce, but I always recommend making your own. It’s healthier and cheaper, and you are able to control the flavor to suit your taste. And, it’s super easy.
All you need are a few basic ingredients like ketchup, maple syrup, paprika along with a few other spices, and some liquid smoke. You can find my DIY BBQ Sauce here.
How To Make BBQ Tempeh
If you plan on using homemade sauce go ahead and make that at this point. Next, preheat your oven to 400˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the tempeh into ¼″ strip, dip them into the BBQ sauce until they are well coated, and lay them out evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. I like to wait until I see the sauce bubbling and there are some charred edges on the tempeh slices.
This is the quick version but feel free to check out my BBQ Tempeh Ribs as well. It’s a little more involved.
How To Make BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches
Once the tempeh is ready it’s time to make the sandwiches. Hallelujah!
Lay a few slices of avocado, tomatoes, or pickles on the bottom half of the bun to start. I prefer avocado…just sayin’… Then, add a few strips of the BBQ tempeh on top.
Now, grab a handful of my creamy Vegan Kale Slaw and pile it high on top of the tempeh. Made with kale, red onion, cashew mayo, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and julienned carrots, it adds an amazing flavor and texture to this sandwich.
If kale is not your thing then try my classic vegan coleslaw made with regular cabbage.
Now, all that’s left is to add the top half of the bun and crush it!
Serve it up with some of my vegan macaroni salad, vegan potato salad, or baked beans for one amazing summer BBQ party!
Tips, Notes, and Substitutions
If you can’t find tempeh or just don’t like it, extra firm tofu is a great option. Also, some people feel tempeh is a little bitter, but boiling it for 10-15 minutes will remove most of the bitterness.
If you don’t want to use the buns try using lettuce and making some amazing wraps.
Any leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. BBQ tempeh can be frozen for up to 2 months.
More Delicious Vegan Recipes
Enjoy these BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches with Creamy Kale Slaw and please leave a comment below with a star rating. And, be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches with Creamy Kale Slaw
This Vegan BBQ Tempeh Sandwich is full of flavor and topped with creamy kale slaw. Healthy, meaty, so satisfying, and absolutely delicious! Guaranteed to please any meat-eater.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Vegan Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 package (8-ounces) of tempeh, cut into ¼” strips
- 1 batch of Homemade BBQ Sauce
For Serving
- Vegan Kale Slaw
- 4 whole-grain hamburger buns or rolls
- 1 large avocado, sliced tomato, or pickles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the tempeh into ¼″ strips, add ¾ cup of BBQ sauce to a large bowl, add the tempeh and toss until the strips are completely covered with sauce.
- Lay the tempeh out on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. I like to wait until I see the BBQ sauce bubble and the edges of the tempeh have charred a bit.
- Assemble the sandwich: place 6 slices of tempeh on the bottom slice of the bun or roll, top with kale slaw, drizzle with more BBQ sauce if desired, and cover with the top half of the bun. Repeat and make the remaining sandwiches. (NOTE: If using avocado or tomato place those on the bottom bun first followed by the tempeh.)
- Enjoy!
Notes
If you can’t find tempeh or just don’t like it, extra firm tofu is a great option. Also, some people feel tempeh is a little bitter, but boiling it for 10-15 minutes will remove most of the bitterness.
If you don’t want to use the buns try using lettuce and making some amazing wraps.
Any leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. BBQ tempeh can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 151
- Sugar: 8.9 g
- Sodium: 401.7 mg
- Fat: 3.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.4 g
- Fiber: 5.1 g
- Protein: 11.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
You do make plant based eating fun!
The Whole Foods near me only had tempeh bacon in a 6 ounce package, but it worked fine. Next time, I would probably use tofu. These sandwiches were really delicious. I would probably cut down on the sweetener and vinegar in the slaw as it was super sweet and super vinegar-y. But all together it was very good!
This was great – we made it the BBQ tempeh with Shane’s easy vegan kale slaw, creamy rich cashew mayo, and the homemade BBQ sauce, and it was all superb. We had a non-vegan friend over for dinner and she loved it too. Easy, worked flawlessly, and easy to pull together. Thank you for such a great creation.
Great stuff Shane! This was delicious. So psyched to add a mayo to the repertoire of this 6 week old plant based dude.
This Vegan BBQ Tempeh Sandwich is full of flavor and topped with creamy kale slaw. Healthy, meaty, so satisfying, and absolutely delicious! Guaranteed to please any meat-eater.