TTLA Sandwich (Whole Foods Copycat)

Name: TTLA Sandwich (Whole Foods copycat)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: vegan tempeh bacon strips (**see notes for measurements ($1.60)); 1 tomato (sliced ($0.21)); 2-3 leaves romaine lettuce (($0.11)); 1 avocado (sliced ($0.11)); 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (can use vegan garlic aioli ($0.16)); 1 roll ciabatta bread or 2 slices sourdough (*can use any bread ($0.64)); salt and pepper, to taste (optional ($0.02))

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This TTLA sandwich inspired by Whole Foods’ viral vegan sandwich is a spin on the classic BLT. Your favorite bread layered with homemade smoky tempeh bacon strips, tomato, lettuce, and avocado with creamy aioli. Have this hearty favorite ready in 5 minutes flat!

TTLA sandwich sliced into two halves and stacked on top of one another.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Hearty: This vegan sandwich is the perfect easy vegan lunch option. It’s filling, hearty, and holds up well in a lunch bag.
No cholesterol: It’s no secret that regular bacon isn’t exactly a health food. This vegan tempeh bacon is completely cholesterol free and contains significantly less fat. Enjoy the flavor of a BLT with this healthier alternative!
Flavorful: This flavor packed TTLA sandwich is salty, sweet, smoky, and creamy. It’s truly the best!
Quick and easy: You can prepare this TTLA sandwich in 5 minutes flat! Great for days when you have nothing prepared and need something super quick and easy.

Ingredients and Substitutions

tempeh bacon – I use my Smoky Tempeh Bacon Strips to make my TTLA sandwich, but Whole Foods uses the store-bought smoky tempeh strips by Lightlife. You can use either, but I highly recommend my homemade version if you have the chance. It’s so flavorful and easy to make.
tomato – This is the second ‘T’ in ‘TTLA’ so a crucial ingredient in a TTLA sandwich! Any tomato will do – I used ripe on the vine tomatoes.
lettuce – Similar to the tomatoes, any lettuce will do, but I recommend romaine lettuce. It’s what Whole Foods uses and is a great versatile lettuce. Try making my Vegan Taco Salad Bowls with any leftover romaine you have!
avocado – A ripe creamy avocado is what makes this recipe extra special! Do not skip!
mayonnaise – Whole Foods uses a garlic aioli but I typically use regular vegan mayonnaise because it’s what I usually have in my fridge. You can add a bit of garlic and lemon juice to your vegan mayonnaise if desired, or use garlic aioli if you have it on hand!
bread – The original TTLA sandwich is made on ciabatta but I use whatever I have – sliced sourdough, like photographed here, or any bread really. Use gluten free if needed!

Step by Step Instructions

Note: I always make this TTLA sandwich with leftover cold Smoky Tempeh Bacon Strips, so I do not account for the time necessary to prepare them in these step by step instructions. If you need to prepare your smoky tempeh strips, do so by following the full instructions on the bacon strips post and then come back to prepare your sandwich. Or, if you are short on time, use store-bought Lightlife smoky tempeh strips.

Prep the veggies: Slice the tomatoes, wash and dry your romaine, removing the crunchier white ends, and slicing the avocado. You can even toast your bread, if desired. Toasting the bread is a good option if you are planning on packing this TTLA sandwich as a lunch because it will prevent the bread from getting soggy.

Sliced avocado and tomato on large wood cutting board.

Build your TTLA sandwich: Spread your mayonnaise or garlic aioli on both sides of bread. Layer on the smoky tempeh strips, sliced tomato, romaine, and avocado. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add any additional items like pickles or red onion, if desired.

Carefully slice in half, and enjoy!

Step by step process of making sandwich.

FAQs

Can I use another vegan bacon in place of the smoky tempeh strips?

Although the tempeh is a staple in a TTLA sandwich, you can use your favorite vegan bacon in it’s place if desired as this sandwich is really just a spin on a BLT.

I want to make this sandwich for meal prep. Will it get soggy?

I don’t recommend making several sandwiches on a Sunday and keeping them in the fridge to eat throughout the week, but making one in the morning or even the night before would be perfectly okay! Make sure to use dry romaine lettuce, and layer the romaine on the right side before adding the avocado so the avocado won’t make the bread soggy. You can even toast the bread to help prevent it from getting soggy, too!

What can I eat with this TTLA sandwich?

You can’t go wrong with a classic bag of chips or a side pickle, but if you’re looking for something more hearty, I’d recommend fruit salad, fries, macaroni salad or potato salad.

Do I make this TTLA sandwich with warm or cold tempeh bacon?

I typically use cold tempeh bacon (and so does Whole Foods). However, if you want to use it warm, go for it! It will be equally delicious!

Tips for Success

Use this recipe as a guide. Feel free to make this sandwich your own and use as much or as little of one ingredient as you’d like. You can also add in your favorite sandwich toppings. Don’t be afraid to stray from the recipe.
Use a super ripe avocado. It makes all the difference in the creaminess of this sandwich!

Hands holding sandwich to show the inside.

More Vegan Sandwiches to Try