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    Oh My Veggies » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Sandwiches & Wraps

    Vegan Barbecue Tempeh Sandwiches

    Published: Mar 28, 2013 · by Nicole · Updated: Aug 31, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches

    I spend an unhealthy amount of time worrying about what other people think. This is not a very cool thing to admit about myself. (Oh look, I'm worrying about what you think about the fact that I worry about what you think. How meta of me.)

    And when I was putting together this post, I thought, "Oh no! I accidentally scheduled two sandwiches in one week!"

    Do you really care if I post two sandwich recipes in one week? Probably not. So what does it matter? I don't know!

    How to Make BBQ Tempeh

    I'm not worried about how you'll feel about this BBQ Tempeh Sandwich recipe, though. It just happens to be one of my favorite easy meals and I'm pretty sure you will love it too.

    Sliced Tempeh

    Slice up some tempeh, marinate it in barbecue sauce, heat it up in a skillet. Done!

    BBQ Tempeh

    Yep, it's that easy. You can serve it just like that or make it into sandwiches with a quick slaw.

    It's kind of the same idea behind my Baked Barbecue Tofu, except with tempeh and no baking.

    If you haven't cooked with it before, I have a post all about how to use tempeh- it's much easier to work with than you probably think and when you slice it thin, as you do for this recipe, it soaks up the sauce you add to it.

    Don't be scared to use tempeh! It's a delicious vegetarian protein source when you know how to use it.

    More Vegan Recipes

    If you love this BBQ Tempeh Sandwich, be sure to check out these other tasty ideas:

    • Vegan Baked Beans
    • Vegan Potato Salad
    • 35+ Vegan Tailgate Recipes
    BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches Recipe

    BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches

    Seriously easy (and seriously delicious!) vegetarian BBQ sandwiches made with tempeh.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Course: Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches, tempeh recipes
    Servings: 4 sandwiches
    Calories: 353kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz tempeh cut into thin strips
    • ¾ cup barbecue sauce
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • pinch white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
    • salt + pepper to taste
    • 1 cup shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
    • olive oil mister or cooking spray
    • 4 hamburger rolls
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Spread ¼ cup of barbecue sauce on the bottom of a small baking dish. Add tempeh and top with remaining barbecue sauce. Gently toss to coat. Let marinate for an hour, stirring after 30 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir in cabbage and set aside.
    • Spray a medium skillet with oil or cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add tempeh and sauce; cook until heated, about 5 minutes. Serve on rolls with slaw and additional barbecue sauce (if desired).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 16gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 687mgPotassium: 494mgFiber: 3gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 158IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 176mgIron: 4mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
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    Vegan Main Dishes, Vegan Recipes, Vegan Sandwiches & Wraps, Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes, Vegetarian Sandwiches & Wraps gluten-free, main dishes, sandwiches, tempeh

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says

      March 28, 2013 at 9:05 am

      Schedule 5 sandwich posts if you want then on Friday declare it was sandwich week! My opinion of you won't change unless you kill someone or club baby seals. So yeah, I think you're good to go. 😉

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:45 pm

        I thought about making it sandwich week! Maybe next month because I have two more sandwich posts scheduled for April. I love sandwiches!

        Reply
    2. Deborah says

      March 28, 2013 at 9:56 am

      I can only agree with Anele - who cares? As long as they are as delicious and easy as this one, we can't get enough of them. It's one of those things you come to appriciate especially being on your own. So stop the worrying - and have a lovely Easter.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:43 pm

        Thank you--I hope you have a Happy Easter too!

        Reply
    3. Alissa N says

      March 28, 2013 at 10:13 am

      I worry about the same things, if I post 2 sweet things in a week, or 2 breakfasts.. I am glad to know I am not alone!! I definitely worry too much about what other people think.
      BBQ tempeh is one of my all time favorite meals!! I like to cut it in slabs and grill it and top it with avocado and/or cheese. The slaw is an amazing idea, I need to make this!! I have also never tried marinating it, I always just slather and go, but I am going to need to try this asap!!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:43 pm

        Yeah, I'm really OCD about my posting schedule too! And even things like, oh, I used a white plate on this post, so the next post I can't use another white plate. Which is kind of insane, I think.

        Reply
    4. Kristina says

      March 28, 2013 at 10:38 am

      GIRL I love sandwiches so go ahead, keep them coming! I somehow have this thing where I have never cared what others think, I don't know how or why, but I am kinda thankful for it. I think I exchange that worry with other ones though - really silly ones 😉

      I love a good bbq sandwich - I make one similar to this, on the grill with grilled pineapple - MMM I cannot wait for summer!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:41 pm

        I used to not care what people thought, but I have started caring more and more as I get older. Which is funny, because I always thought it was supposed to work the opposite way. 🙂

        Reply
    5. McKel | Nutrition Stripped says

      March 28, 2013 at 10:45 am

      Nothing hits the spot quite like BBQ, and that's coming from the South 😉 I love this recipe

      Reply
    6. Jackie @ Domestic Fits says

      March 28, 2013 at 11:32 am

      I do the same thing. I spend way too much time worrying about how other people see me. And you could post only sandwich recipes and I wouldn't mind, this looks great.

      Reply
    7. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

      March 28, 2013 at 12:20 pm

      I love love love tempeh! I could eat the stuff straight from the TJs package. Oh wait, I do sometimes 🙂 But marinated like this looks lovely!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:37 pm

        Oh, see, I love tempeh, but I could never eat it out of the package! I'm not too fond of its natural flavor. 😉

        Reply
    8. JulieD says

      March 28, 2013 at 12:26 pm

      I think it's only natural and you're only human. It's when people let it consume them that it becomes unhealthy. I LOVE this...I have never cooked with tempeh before, need to start!

      Reply
    9. Alexis @ Hummusapien says

      March 28, 2013 at 12:45 pm

      I'm lovin your sandwiches! Everyone cares a bit too much about what others think, whether we all are willing to admit it or not. Can't wait to dig into of these!

      Reply
    10. [email protected], pleasure, and health says

      March 28, 2013 at 12:48 pm

      i totally agree with Alexis's comment regarding caring about others..oh well- this tempeh however looks delicious. I was very hesitant to give it a try before but now it appears regularly on my kitchen although i havent been much adventurous with it. This bbq sandwich looks so appetizing. Stirring with hummus is my all time fav

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:35 pm

        Yeah, tempeh is a little bit scary at first--it took me a while to try it too!

        Reply
    11. Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says

      March 28, 2013 at 2:14 pm

      I care, but I'll be excited. In Poland we eat a lot of sandwiches, so each new recipe is welcome 🙂 And you're right, don't worry about what others think. Life is too short for it 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:31 pm

        I know, I need to stop that! I don't know why I worry so much.

        Reply
    12. Anna (Hidden Ponies) says

      March 28, 2013 at 3:07 pm

      Haha, the more sandwiches the better in my world! I love the flavours here, and your pictures, as always, are amazing!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:30 pm

        Thank you! 🙂

        Reply
    13. [email protected]'s Recipes says

      March 28, 2013 at 3:20 pm

      You have made the healthy food so tempting and delicious!

      Reply
    14. Rachel says

      March 28, 2013 at 7:18 pm

      Oh the deliciousness that sandwich looks like. I say with stuff that good, we should celebrate a sandwich week! Or sandwich month!! I'm all about the tasty good sandwiches.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:30 pm

        I could totally do a sandwich week. I have been on a sandwich kick lately!

        Reply
    15. Maria Tadic says

      March 28, 2013 at 7:53 pm

      I love marinating tempeh. It soaks up so much flavor! We just had a grilled tempeh sandwich tonight with avocado - the bomb! I can't wait to try it slathered with coleslaw on top - great idea!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        March 28, 2013 at 8:28 pm

        One thing I haven't done much with tempeh is grill it! I need to do that. 🙂

        Reply
    16. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says

      March 28, 2013 at 10:41 pm

      These sound awesome! I just recently made a vegan version of a BBQ pulled pork sandwich using tofu and topped it with sriracha coleslaw. It was amazing! I like your idea of using tempeh. I will have to give this a try :).

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        April 01, 2013 at 1:22 pm

        I need to add sriracha to my next batch of coleslaw! 😀

        Reply
    17. Katie (The Muffin Myth) says

      March 29, 2013 at 5:13 am

      Yum! I made myself a bbq tempeh sandwich last week, actually. But I didn't marinate it at all, just pan fried the tempeh and tossed with the bbq sauce at the end. Clearly marinating would have been much more flavourful. I'll try this again, I just happen to have tempeh in the freezer and cabbage in the fridge! Oooh, I bet this would go great with my Swedish pizza sallad!

      Reply
    18. Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

      March 29, 2013 at 10:07 am

      I try not to care what people think, but it's kind of hard (impossible, even?) not to. What was freeing for me was the realization that most of the time what people say about you is more a reflection of themselves than anything else. Then again I'm not sure why anyone would criticize two sandwich posts - hee hee. You are funny. Only praise, here. They both look so stinkin' good. And by "stinkin'," I mean only good things.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        April 01, 2013 at 1:21 pm

        People criticize the weirdest things. And not just criticize, but get absolutely enraged about them. So you never know! Maybe someone would get really angry about two sandwich recipes in a week! Like the dude who got mad at me for making fruit leather because "WHEN YOU BAKE IT THE VITAMINS ARE DESTROYED. THEN WHAT???????"

        Reply
    19. Genevieve says

      March 29, 2013 at 11:38 am

      This sounds like a perfect backyard BBQ meal! I like how you put the coleslaw right on the bun as a topping rather than using it as a side dish. I have to say though, that tempeh looks pretty ugly when it's naked - it's more more appealing coated in barbeque sauce!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        April 01, 2013 at 1:14 pm

        Yeah, it's kind of weird and lumpy, isn't it? 🙂

        Reply
    20. Diana @ Eating Made Easy says

      March 29, 2013 at 7:02 pm

      Great idea!! My hubby will love these...and keep the sandwich recipes ah comin'!

      Reply
    21. Shirley says

      March 30, 2013 at 2:57 am

      Who doesn't like sandwiches? Bring 'em on. Looks good!

      Reply
    22. Brenda Williams says

      March 30, 2013 at 7:50 am

      Your readers think you are AWESOME and have the most AMAZING recipes!!! We don't care if you post sandwiches for a whole week, cause we love sandwiches.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        April 01, 2013 at 1:00 pm

        Thank you! Well, that's good to hear because I have more sandwich posts coming up this month. 😉

        Reply
    23. janet @ the taste space says

      March 30, 2013 at 11:39 am

      I didn't even notice there were 2 sandwich posts in a week. Bad on me?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        April 01, 2013 at 12:55 pm

        Maybe I shouldn't have said anything about it--ha!

        Reply
    24. mjskit says

      March 30, 2013 at 10:21 pm

      With sandwiches like this, you can post as many as you like. This looks delicious! I have no idea what it would taste like because I haven't eaten much tempah, but it sure looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        April 01, 2013 at 12:49 pm

        Well, tempeh is one of those foods that soaks up the flavor of whatever you add to it, so it pretty much tastes like the sauce. 🙂

        Reply
    25. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

      March 31, 2013 at 12:35 am

      Negative self-talk is tough. We are so over-critical about overselves. But don't beat yourself up too much. It could easily be a sandwich month and I would've drool nonetheless 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        April 01, 2013 at 12:48 pm

        I know, I am so critical of myself. I think it's my perfectionism! :/

        Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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