This is a copycat recipe for the TTLA Whole Foods vegan sandwich! This sandwich features crisp butter lettuce, juicy tomatoes, tangy tempeh bacon, creamy avocado, and zesty garlic aioli in a pressed ciabatta roll. It will be your new favorite sandwich for a quick lunch or dinner! Vegan.
*This recipe was originally posted on 1/29/18 but I updated it with better recipe instructions on 7/25/19.
Have you heard about the famous Whole Foods sandwich, the TTLA? Everyone has been raving about it and for good reason!
I recently tried it for the first time while I was doing my weekly vegan grocery shopping (here’s my Whole Foods vegan grocery list if you’re looking for new products to try) at Whole Foods. It definitely lived up to the hype!
I’ve heard from multiple people that they can’t even get the sandwich from the Whole Foods deli right now because it’s so popular that they keep running out of the vegan sandwich ingredients! Just one more reason to make it yourself at home!
I wanted to recreate the Whole Foods sandwich at home so I bought all of the ingredients and my copycat version turned out just as delicious and for 1/3 of the cost! You can make three TTLA’s at home for the price of buying one pre-made Whole Foods sandwich at the store. Deal!
Here is a list of 27 cheap vegan meals you can make at home if you need some inspiration!
What Is On The TTLA Sandwich?
The TTLA is a vegan version of the classic BLT sandwich. It’s everything you love about a BLT but with the addition of avocado and possibly some pickles if you’re in the mood. It’s one of my favorite vegan sandiwches!
This is what’s in the TTLA sandwich:
T – Tempeh
T – Tomato
L – Lettuce
A – Avocado
Plus, the most delicious vegan garlic aioli sauce!
The tangy tempeh bacon, crisp butter lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and zesty garlic aioli go so well together, it’s the ultimate vegan sandwich!
How to Make a TTLA Whole Foods Vegan Sandwich – Step by Step Instructions
Step #1 – In a medium-sized pan, heat one tbsp of vegetable broth or olive oil and saute three slices of store-bought or homemade tempeh bacon for about 5 minutes or until it’s hot and crispy, flipping halfway through. When the tempeh bacon is done cooking lay it on a plate that’s lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Step #2 – Slice a ciabatta roll in half and layer the lettuce, tomato slices, hot tempeh bacon, and avocado slices on the bottom half of the roll. On the top half, generously slather vegan garlic aioli and then put it on top of the sandwich.
Step #3 – Use a misto or spray oil to lightly spray the top and bottom of the sandwich before you press it so you get nice dark grill marks from the sandwich press. Press the vegan sandwich for about two minutes or until it’s golden and crispy.
How Many Calories Does a TTLA Sandwich Have?
According to this source, the Whole Foods sandwich has 740 calories but my version has 632 calories.
Is This Vegan Sandwich Gluten-Free?
The Whole Foods Sandwich is not gluten-free because of the type of tempeh and the bread that they use. If you want to make it gluten-free at home then all you have to do is use gluten-free bread and you can make your own vegan and gluten-free tempeh bacon with this recipe.
Notes & Substitutions
- You can use any roll or bread that you prefer but the ciabatta roll is what they use at Whole Foods.
- Use a fresh crisp lettuce like butter lettuce, green leaf, or romaine for the best texture.
- Use large beefsteak tomatoes so the slices will fit the sandwich. If you use multiple small slices (like froma a Roma tomato) then you will have to add more and it can get messy because they tend to slip out when you pick up the sandwich.
- You can also add sliced red onion or pickles for extra flavor and crunch.
- For the vegan sandwich meat, I recommend using the Lightlife Fakin Bacon, Sweet Earth Benevolent Bacon, or you can make your own tempeh bacon if you’re gluten-free with this recipe.
- If you’re not a fan of vegan garlic aioli then you could substitute roasted garlic hummus, mustard, or guacamole (skip the avocado slices) as a vegan sandwich spread instead.
- If you don’t have a sandwich press, you can toast the roll before you build the sandwich. I’ve made the sandwich both ways and it turned out delicious either way!
- If you want to pack these vegans sandwiches for school or work, then I wouldn’t press them or toast the bun ahead of time because they’ll get soggy. I would eat the sandwich cold or wait to heat it up (30 seconds in a microwave or 2 minutes in a toaster oven) right before you want to eat it.
- You can store the leftover tempeh bacon in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
- If you don’t want to use the leftover vegan bacon to make more TTLA’s you could saute it and serve it on the side with a curried tofu scramble for breakfast the next day.
More Vegan Sandwich Ideas For Work
Heirloom Tomato Caprese Sandwiches
Whole Foods TTLA Sandwich Recipe (Copycat)
Equipment
- Medium Saute Pan
- Sandwich Press or Toaster Oven
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or vegetable broth)
- 3 slices tempeh bacon
- 2 slices tomato
- 2 pieces butter lettuce
- 3 slices avocado
- 2 tbsp vegan garlic aioli
- 1 ciabatta roll (sliced in half)
Instructions
- In a pan over medium heat, saute 3 slices of tempeh bacon in olive oil until brown and crispy, about 5 minutes (flip halfway through).
- Slice the ciabatta roll in half and layer the butter lettuce, tomato, tempeh bacon, and avocado on one half of the bread. On the other half, generously slather the vegan garlic aioli.
- Use a misto to spray a tiny bit of oil on the top and bottom of the press so it will help the bread get perfectly crisp. Press the sandwich for two minutes, or until it's toasted to your liking.
Notes
- You can use any roll or bread that you prefer but the ciabatta roll is what they use at Whole Foods.
- Use a fresh crisp lettuce like butter lettuce, green leaf, or romaine for the best texture.
- Use large beefsteak tomatoes so the slices will fit the sandwich. If you use multiple small slices (like froma a Roma tomato) then you will have to add more and it can get messy because they tend to slip out when you pick up the sandwich.
- You can also add sliced red onion or pickles for extra flavor and crunch.
- I recommend using the Lightlife Fakin Bacon, Sweet Earth Benevolent Bacon, or you can make your own tempeh bacon if you're gluten-free with this recipe.
- If you're not a fan of vegan garlic aioli then you could substitute roasted garlic hummus, mustard, or guacamole (skip the avocado slices).
- If you don't have a sandwich press, you can toast the roll before you build the sandwich. I've made the sandwich both ways and it turned out delicious either way!
- If you want to pack these vegans sandwiches for school or work, then I wouldn't press them or toast the bun ahead of time because they'll get soggy. I would eat the sandwich cold or wait to heat it up (30 seconds in a microwave or 2 minutes in a toaster oven) right before you want to eat it.
- You can store the leftover tempeh bacon in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
- If you don't want to use the leftover vegan bacon to make more TTLA's you could saute it and serve it on the side with a curried tofu scramble for breakfast the next day.
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