Ready to win at lunch? You need to try my vegan club sandwich! This double-decker sammie is stacked with not one, but two layers of smoky tempeh bacon, savory marinated tofu, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, creamy mayo, and avocado, all tucked between three slices of toasted bread. It’s totally scrumptious and perfect for meal prep!
Club sandwiches were my favorite diner order growing up. Kinda weird, since I was never that into meat. And bacon was definitely not my thing. But something about the combo of savory flavors, toasty bread, and all those delicious stuffings made it feel special. And yeah, the club is a big sandwich, but that just meant leftovers for later (win!). Well, I think my vegan club is even better than the original, and let me tell you, I didn’t leave a single bite behind.
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A traditional club sandwich is made with turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, layered between three slices of bread. It’s a double-decker deal! For my vegan version, we’re swapping the turkey for savory marinated tofu. I stole the idea from my vegan chicken noodle soup, which is made with a similar marinated tofu. And the bacon is a slightly modified version of my tempeh bacon.
You’ll also find the usual suspects: crispy lettuce, juicy tomato, creamy mayo… plus a bonus ingredient you won’t find in a classic club: avocado. Because avocado makes everything better.
This sandwich is perfect for everything from summer dinners to meal prep to packed lunches. It’s totally delicious and one of the most satisfying sandwiches you’ll ever try!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below you’ll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
Vegetable broth.
Soy sauce. Tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted, if needed.
Apple cider vinegar. Another type of vinegar like white, malt, or red wine could be substituted if that’s what you have on hand.
Spices. You’re going to need poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and smoked paprika. You can get them all in the spice aisle of most grocery stores.
Tofu. I like extra-firm tofu for this recipe. It’s firm enough to give your vegan “turkey” a nice texture, but is also porous enough to soak up plenty of our super flavorful marinade. Firm tofu can be substituted if needed.
Maple syrup.
Liquid smoke. This is a totally vegan ingredient made from distilled smoke obtained by burning wood. As you can imagine, it adds a nice smoky flavor to anything you add it to, so it’s great for seasoning tempeh bacon. You can find it near the barbecue sauce at the grocery store.
Tempeh. If tempeh is a new ingredient to you, check out my guide to tempeh. Lots of stores carry this near the tofu.
Sandwich bread. I love a good sourdough for this sandwich. Be sure to use a standard loaf (as opposed to say, a boule or baguette) if you want your sandwich to have the look of a classic club sandwich.
Vegan mayonnaise. Look for this near the regular mayo, or in the natural foods section of your grocery store.
Lettuce. I like butter or green leaf, but pretty much anything works.
Tomatoes.
Avocado. Not a typical ingredient for a club sandwich, and you could totally skip it if preferred, but it’s such a delicious addition!
Salt & pepper.
How They’re Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Marinate the tofu. After pressing your tofu, slice it nice and thin. Combine veggie broth, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, poultry seasoning, onion and garlic powders, and paprika. Soak the tofu in the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
Marinate the tempeh. Now cut this into thin slices. Your marinade will consist of soy sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Tip: Both the tofu and tempeh can be marinated for up to twenty-four hours. Just be sure to cover the dishes and place them in the fridge if they’re soaking for more than two hours.
Bake the tofu. Arrange the slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, then pop it into a 400°F oven for a half hour. You’ll need to flip them about halfway through. Brush them with any excess marinade at this time.
Bake the tempeh. Same deal! Slices go in a single layer and bake for thirty minutes. No need to flip them, but you can brush them with leftover marinade, if you have it.
Tip: Tofu slices tend to trap moisture underneath them, which is why they need to be flipped during baking. Tempeh, which is more porous, doesn’t do this, so we don’t need to flip it!
Your tofu slices will darken, dry up, and shrink a bit by the time they’re done.
Your tempeh will have darkened and crisped up just a bit when it’s done.
Assemble the sandwiches. You’ll use three slices of toast for each sandwich. Slather all of the toast slices with mayo, and stack them up, layering your tofu turkey, tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado in between. Sprinkle the layers with a bit of salt and pepper.
Variations
Single-decker club. Want a sandwich that’s a little easier to fit in your mouth? Feel free to make a single-decker club, using two slices of toast instead of three.
Mayo alternatives. Prefer a different dressing on your sandwich? Try vegan sriracha mayo (like the one I used on my vegan BLT), aioli, guacamole, or cashew cream cheese.
Cheesy club. Add a few slices of your favorite vegan sliced cheese.
Fruity variation. Super thin apple or pear slices are great for adding a little sweetness and crunch to these sandwiches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Just use vegan gluten-free sandwich bread, and substitute gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce.
You can store individual sandwiches in baggies or wrapped in foil in the refrigerator for a day. I don’t recommend keeping them much longer or they’ll get soggy. Unless you’re packing these for lunch, I recommend assembling only as many sandwiches as you’re planning to eat immediately. Store leftover tofu turkey and tempeh bacon in airtight containers or sealed bags in the fridge for up to three days.
Nope! There are a zillion alternatives to both of these fillings. Instead of tofu turkey, try my chicken flavored seitan (sliced thin) or store-bought turkey-style deli slices. And you could swap out the tempeh bacon with any store-bought vegan bacon, tofu bacon, or coconut bacon.
More Vegan Sandwiches
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
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Vegan Club Sandwiches
Ready to win at lunch? You need to try my vegan club sandwich! This double-decker sammie is stacked with not one, but two layers of smoky tempeh bacon, savory marinated tofu, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, creamy mayo, and avocado, all tucked between three slices of toasted bread. It’s totally scrumptious and perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients
For the Tofu Turkey
½ cup vegetable broth3 tablespoons soy sauce1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar1 teaspoon poultry seasoning½ teaspoon onion powder½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon paprika1 (14 ounce/396 gram) package extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
For the Tempeh Bacon
3 tablespoons soy sauce1 tablespoon maple syrup1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar1 teaspoon liquid smoke½ teaspoon onion powder½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon smoked paprika1 (8 ounce/227 gram) package tempeh, cut into ¼ inch thick (or thinner) slices
For the Sandwiches
9 slices sandwich bread, toasted9 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise1 small head lettuce (butter or green leaf)2 medium tomatoes, sliced1 medium avocado, slicedSalt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
To make the tofu turkey, stir the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika together in a small container.
Place the tofu slices into a shallow dish, then pour the broth mixture over them. Let the slices marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours (Note 1).
To make the tempeh bacon, stir the soy sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika together in a small container.
Place the tempeh slices in a shallow dish, then pour the soy sauce mixture over them. Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours (Note 1).
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer on one baking sheet, and the tempeh slices in a single layer on another baking sheet. Reserve any excess marinade.
Bake the tofu and tempeh for about 30 minutes, flipping the tofu halfway through and brushing it with any reserved tofu marinade. Brush the tempeh with any reserved tempeh marinade at this time (no need to flip the tempeh). The tofu is done when the pieces have shrunk and darkened slightly. The tempeh is done when the slices are dark around the edges.
To make the sandwiches, slather three slices of toast with vegan mayo, then arrange layers of the tofu, tempeh, lettuce, tomato, and avocado, sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste. Top each sandwich with another slice of toast, then spread mayo over that slice. Repeat the layering arrangement of fillings, then finish each sandwich with a final layer of toast spread with mayo.
Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 909kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 2921mg | Potassium: 1442mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1754IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 292mg | Iron: 9mg
