Back-to-School Vegan Eggplant “Bacon” Sandwich
Can you believe summer is winding down and it’s already back-to-school season?
This year, Baby V is entering a school with a no-nuts policy, so I’ll no longer be able to pack her lunchbox with an easy nut butter and jelly sandwich (cue slight panic because it’s just so easy). I’ve been starting to brainstorm out-of-the-box ideas for her lunch so she doesn’t end up with a hummus sandwich everyday, and I want to have an arsenal of great go-to lunch ideas when the school year rolls around.
Enter today’s new recipe: Back-to-School Vegan Eggplant “Bacon” Sandwich. I may have come up with this recipe with a preschooler in mind, but trust me when I say it will satisfying the tastebuds of everyone in your family, even the heartiest of meat-eaters. Ross has been loving this sandwich lately and says that the eggplant “bacon” is a change of pace from the faux meats he usually likes to use in a sandwich for lunch (he is a creature of habit!).
Crispy, savory and slightly sweet, it’s super easy to whip up a big batch of eggplant “bacon” on Sunday and pack your entire family’s lunch for the week with this sammie. The bacon is layered with avocado, tomato, red onion (yes, Baby V even likes a tiny bit of red onion!) plus the true secret ingredient: Daiya Cheddar Style Slices.
You guys already know I love me some Daiya products. I’ve been using their cheese in my grilled sandwiches for years because it’s truly the meltiest vegan option around, and I recently wrote an ode to their Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Bars. But you can upgrade your sandwiches with Daiya’s Slices, with improved taste, texture and aroma. These slices offer the same incredible melt and stretch as dairy-based cheese in addition to being a great source of calcium. And I love that they’re available in five great flavors: Mozzarella, Gouda, American, Cheddar, Swiss, and Provolone.
From cold in an easy lunchbox sandwich or melted in a delicious after-school grilled cheese, Daiya Slices can be enjoyed any way you and your little like this back-to-school season.
In the photos I used the Cheddar Style Slices, but I also made this sandwich with the Smoked Gouda and it was a pretty magical combination. I’m pretty sure you can’t go wrong with whatever flavor you pick. Side note: I also LOVE combining the Smoked Gouda and Mozzarella for a super delish vegan grilled cheese sandwich.
I definitely recommend doubling or tripling your batch of eggplant “bacon” and making your lunch-packing life a whole lot easier!
- 8 slices of your favorite bread
- ¼ cup vegan mayo
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 1 cup mixed greens
- 1 batch Eggplant "Bacon" (see recipe below)
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ red onion, sliced
- 1 cup alfafa sprouts
- 8 pieces Daiya Cheddar Style Slices
- Lay out the slices of bread. Spread half of them with mayo and the other half with mustard.
- On the pieces of bread with mayo, layer the remaining ingredients in the following order: mixed greens, 3 or 4 strips of Eggplant "Bacon", avocado slices, red onion slices, sprouts and 2 pieces of Daiya Cheddar Slices.
- Top with the remaining pieces of bread, slice the sandwiches in half and enjoy!
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 large eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the marinade by stirring the tamari, olive oil, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, paprika and cayenne pepper (if using) together in a small bowl.
- Peel the eggplant. Slice it lengthwise into ⅛" thick pieces (use a mandolin if you have one!). Slice each piece in half (or thirds for larger pieces) to make bacon-like strips.
- Brush both sides of the eggplant strips with the marinade (there should be about half left over), then place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from the oven. Use a spatula to flip the strips, then brush the remaining marinade on top. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the edges are crispy.
This post was sponsored by Daiya. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Colorful Kitchen!
