Sarah Cobacho’s Big Breakfast Sandwich delivers 36 grams of protein per serving while being incredibly tasty. This recipe, from The Ultimate Plant-Based Cookbook, is perfect for vegans who need a satisfying meal full of plant-based goodness. This high protein recipe will give you with energy all morning. Why? Because eating a meal full of plant protein and nutrients keeps you feeling fuller longer and helps balance your energy levels throughout the day.

Read more: 5 High Protein Vegan Sandwiches

This sandwich combines ingredients like BBQ tempeh and a mung bean “omelet” to create layers of flavor. First, the BBQ tempeh is marinated in a smoky mix of tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika, adding a delicious bite. The longer it marinates, the richer the flavor. Then, the mung bean omelet is seasoned with kala namak and turmeric, which brings an eggy taste and boosts the plant protein content.

To top it off, layers of creamy avocado, pickled onions, and fresh spinach sit between toasted whole-grain sourdough. These ingredients add texture and flavor, making each bite satisfying and nutritious. The combination of high-protein ingredients and fresh vegetables makes this sandwich an excellent option for busy days.

Read more: 20 High Protein Breakfast Ideas

Big breakfast sandwich

With layers of flavor, this intricate breakfast sandwich is a great way to up your protein while eating tasty plant-based food. Enjoy these ingredients on whole-grain sourdough to bring all the ingredients together.

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Servings

Ingredients

For the mung bean “omelet”

⅓ cup (68 g) split mung beans
½ tsp kala namak black salt
½ tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp baking powder
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (80 ml) soy milk

For the BBQ tempeh

1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp tamari reduced-sodium preferred
1½ tsp (8 ml) pure maple syrup
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
Pinch of chili powder
1 tbsp (8 g) nutritional yeast
5 oz (140 g) tempeh sliced

For the sandwich

4 slices whole-grain sourdough bread
1 tbsp (15 g) whole-grain mustard
½ avocado peeled, pitted and smashed
2 tbsp (30 g) Sugar-Free Pickled Onions
½ cup (15 g) baby spinach
2 tbsp (30 ml) BBQ sauce (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the omelet

Soak the mung beans in water for 7 hours. Drain and rinse well. In a blender, combine the mung beans with the kala namak, onion powder, turmeric, baking powder, black pepper and soy milk. Blend until smooth, then allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes.
Spray a small nonstick skillet with one spray of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Pour in half of the omelet batter. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the top of the batter appears dry. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.

Prepare the BBQ tempeh

In a medium-sized lidded container, combine the olive oil, tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and nutritional yeast. Add the sliced tempeh, making sure each slice is thoroughly coated. Cover and allow to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes; for deeper flavor, we recommend marinating overnight.
Heat a medium-sized nonstick pan over medium heat and grill the marinated tempeh for 5 minutes on each side.

Make the sandwich

Toast the sourdough slices. Spread mustard on the bottom slice of the sandwich, layer with smashed avocado, pickled onions, baby spinach, grilled tempeh and the mung beans omelet. Spread BBQ sauce on the top slice, and close the sandwich.

Reprinted with permission from The Ultimate Plant-Based Cookbook by Sarah Cobacho. Page Street Publishing Co. 2024. Photo creds: Cameron Crawley.