A proper BLT strikes a delicate balance of salt, acid, and fat. It’s creamy, yet crisp and fresh, and a little greasy. Even though it’s really all about the tomato, this sando is nothing without the chewy-yet-crunchy bacon.
Bacon’s mix of flavors and textures is a full-on sensory experience that’s hard to match. A rapidly growing number of plant-based products are attempting to replicate it, and there’s a whole corner of the herbivorous internet devoted to making substitutes out of everyday vegetables, including varieties made from thinly sliced, marinated, and roasted mushrooms, eggplant, and carrots.
We put carrots to the test and found that they crisp up on the edges and stay slightly chewy in the center—just like real bacon. Do they taste like pork? No. Do they bring the essence we’re after for an FLT? 💯.
We’re layering this craveable stand-in with the juiciest heirloom tomatoes we can find and an herby umami-packed Green Goddess mayo to seal the sando deal. Keep scrolling for both recipes—plus our CLT sammie, which has a couple simple tricks for getting the most out of your ‘maters.
Carrot Bacon
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 large carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke or sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Procedure:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Using a Y peeler or mandoline set to 3 mm (⅛ inch), thinly slice the carrots lengthwise into long strips resembling bacon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Add carrot ribbons and toss to coat. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Place oven-safe wire racks over two sheet pans, and arrange the carrot slices so they don’t overlap. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway, until the carrots are light golden brown and crisp at the edges. Start checking them at the 8-minute mark to make sure they’re not burning. They will continue to crisp up as they cool.
Notes and Substitutions:
- If you sub adobo chile sauce for the liquid smoke, it will add a slight bit of heat—which we love.
- You can make this f-acon without an oven rack, but it will be less crispy.
Green Goddess Mayo
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients:
- ½ cup loosely packed basil leaves
- ½ cup loosely packed parsley leaves
- ¼ cup roughly chopped chives
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ½ cup mayonnaise, regular or vegan
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Procedure:
- In a food processor, pulse the basil, parsley, and chives until fine.
- Add the nutritional yeast and capers and pulse until it becomes a paste.
- Add the mayonnaise and salt and purée until smooth.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or until it starts to separate.
CLT
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Ingredients:
- 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced crosswise
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices of white bread, toasted to your liking
- ¼ cup Green Goddess Mayo
- 6 butter lettuce leaves
- 1 batch Carrot Bacon
Procedure:
- Sprinkle the sliced tomatoes with flaky sea salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. The salt will make the tomatoes even juicier and bring out their natural sweetness.
- Spread mayonnaise generously on one side of each piece of toast. Divide the tomatoes on top of two toasts and top with lettuce. Arrange carrot bacon on remaining 2 toasts and close the sandwiches. Slice in half (team diagonal over here!) and serve.
Notes and Substitutions:
- For a killer sammie in the off-season or when your tomatoes are subpar, pick up a pint of cherry or grape tomatoes instead. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast at 450 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until they burst and release their juices. They’ll become jammy and have a sweeter, more intense flavor.
