Tempeh BLT Pasta Salad
The tempeh BLT recipe alone is out of this world, and added to this salad puts it on a whole new level!
Tempeh BLT Pasta Salad
This mouthwatering salad is made with crispy tempeh bacon and fresh ingredients. It is surely a recipe to be played on repeat!
Ingredients
for the Tempeh Bacon
- 8 oz Tootie’s Tempeh
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- Fresh cracked pepper
for the Salad:
- ½ lb fusilli corti, cooked in salted water till al dente, then drained and rinsed with cold water
- ¾ cup vegan Greek yogurt (we like Cocojune)
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cups finely shredded romaine
- 2 cups watercress
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup fresh chives, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all the tempeh bacon ingredients, minus the tempeh. Whisk to combine and set aside. Thinly slice the tempeh and place in the sauce to marinate while you make the pasta sauce.
- In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and half of the fresh herbs.
- Prepare romaine and tomatoes as directed.
- Next, cook the bacon. In a nonstick skillet, add a drizzle of oil and set on medium-high heat. Lay out the marinated tempeh on the pan, being careful not to stack or overcrowd the pan. Cook the tempeh on one side until golden brown then flip to the other side and do the same. Pour the excess sauce over the tempeh while it is cooking. (Note: you can also bake instead or pan fry).
- With a spatula, break up the tempeh into slightly smaller rough pieces (you want some bigger pieces). Let the tempeh continue to cook until crisped. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- To the large bowl with the dressing/sauce, add cooked, drained and cooled pasta. Add in the tempeh, romaine, tomatoes, water cress, chives and dill. Mix well. Garnish with more sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper.