This vegan pulled pork sandwich is bathed in my refined sugar-free barbecue sauce and topped with homemade vegan coleslaw! It makes the perfect vegan sandwich for your next barbecue or picnic! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and bursting with flavor, everyone will enjoy this protein-packed sandwich!
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I see tons of recipes out there for pulled jackfruit sandwiches and they are good, however, some people just don't like the texture or taste of jackfruit. This pulled pork sandwich made with soy curls is packed with protein and is truly a filling and satisfying meal!
❔ What are Soy Curls?
Soy Curls are dehydrated soy protein made by Butler Foods. When rehydrated, they soak up the flavor of the broth and transform it into a meaty texture. When you change the flavor of the broth, you change the flavor of the soy curl as well. You can find them for sale at some natural foods stores, or order them on Amazon and have them delivered to your door.
✨ Make it taste like pulled pork
To make soy curls taste like pork, you just need to rehydrate soy curls in a broth that has a pork-like flavor and with spices that people would typically put on pork. To do this, I add Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, Dijon mustard, and some spices to boiling water to make a broth and then rehydrated the soy curls in it.
After they soak up all this flavor, simply sauté them with an onion and coat it all with barbecue sauce.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
For the "pulled pork" flavored broth
- Braggs Liquid Aminos - or tamari or soy sauce (soy sauce is not gluten-free). I prefer the taste of the Bragg's Liquid Aminos, but all have a similar taste.
- Dijon Mustard - this is important to give it a pulled pork flavor.
- Boiling Water - this is the liquid base of your "pork" broth.
- Garlic Powder - for flavor.
- Black Pepper - fresh ground is delicious if you have it.
For the sandwich
- Soy curls - this is your vegan "meat." This is my favorite meal alternative to use. You can also use jackfruit, mushrooms, or any other meat substitute that you want, just omit the water since there will be no need for rehydrating. (You will still want the seasoning to flavor your meat substitute).
- Onion - for flavor. (optional, but recommended).
- Oil - to saute the onion and soy curls.
- Salt - for flavor.
- Barbecue Sauce - many store-bought brands are vegan (see my BBQ sauce brand guide) or use my recipe for refined sugar-free barbecue sauce.
- Coleslaw - to layer in your sandwich for that authentic pulled pork sandwich taste.
- Rolls or Sandwich Buns - Any vegan variety will work. If you need it to be gluten-free, I have found that Schar brand rolls work well.
🥄 How to make soy curl pulled pork
- Make some vegan coleslaw if desired and set it aside.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the broth in a large bowl and give it a stir.
- Quickly add the soy curls and let them soak up the flavors of the broth. Stir occasionally to make sure all the soy curls get rehydrated in the broth.
- Saute a diced onion in 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan on low while the soy curls are soaking.
- Sprinkle the onion with salt and cook for about 5 minutes until they are translucent.
- Add the re-hydrated soy curls to the frying pan and turn up the heat to medium and saute for about 5 more minutes.
- Pour the barbecue sauce over the soy curls and coat well.
- Assemble the pulled pork sandwiches by putting the cooked soy curls on a bun topped with vegan coleslaw.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- You can use any mustard. I like the flavor of the mustard with whole mustard seeds. You could also add 1/2 tsp of whole mustard seed along with the mustard too.
- You can omit the onions if desired, but still, cook the soy curls for about 5 minutes to help the flavors blend.
- If the soy curls are still slightly hard after soaking, add a small amount of hot water until they are rehydrated completely.
- If there is still some broth at the bottom of the bowl, add it to the frying pan with the soy curls.
🌟 Choosing your sauce
Most barbecue sauces that they sell at the store are vegan, so you are probably safe using your favorite sauce. These sauces do contain a ton of sugar though.
I wanted a vegan barbecue sauce that wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet and didn’t use refined sugar, so I came up with my own, vegan BBQ sauce, sweetened only with maple syrup. Even my kids prefer my homemade sauce to the store-bought versions and it only takes about 5 minutes to whip up.
✨ Making vegan coleslaw
Most coleslaw is made with regular mayo and therefore is not vegan. However, it is incredibly simple to make your own vegan coleslaw in just a few minutes. It’s just vegan mayo, a few spices, and shredded cabbage. You can even buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage to make it even easier.
☀️ Use it for a picnic
These sandwiches work great for all those summer picnics and parties! Just make the coleslaw and “pulled pork” and covered them in barbeque sauce ahead of time. Keep them sealed in separate containers in the refrigerator or cooler until you are ready to eat. Then assemble the sandwiches on a vegan bun or roll and you have an unbelievable vegan sandwich that will make your omni friends drool!
🍞 Gluten-free instructions
The only gluten in any part of this sandwich is the bread or bun that you put it on. I used a Schar brand gluten-free hamburger bun for the one you see in the picture.
Want another protein-packed sandwich made with soy curls? This vegan buffalo chicken sandwich is another protein-packed, satisfying meal!
Soy curls are also delicious in soups like Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup, Vegan Cream of Chicken Soup, and Vegan Green Chili Stew or as chicken strips in my Easy Vegan Fajitas or make them into vegan jerky!
Looking for more sources of vegan protein? Check out this article about how to use TVP!
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
📋 Vegan BBQ sandwich recipe
Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwich
Ingredients
For the broth to re-hydrate the soy curls:
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 tbsp Bragg's liquid Aminos or Tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
For cooking the soy curls:
- 3 cups Butler soy curls
- 1 tbsp oil for frying onion
- 1 small onion diced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- vegan coleslaw (optional)
- 8 rolls or buns to assemble the sandwich
Instructions
- Make some vegan coleslaw if desired and set it aside.
- In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients for the broth and stir.
- Quickly add the soy curls and let them soak up the flavors of the broth. Stir occasionally to make sure the all the soy curls get re-hydrated in the broth.
- While the soy curls are soaking, saute a diced onion in a 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan on low.
- Sprinkle the onion with salt and cook for about 5 minutes until they are translucent.
- Add the re-hydrated soy curls to the frying pan and turn up the heat to medium and saute for about 5 more minutes.
- Pour the barbecue sauce of choice over the soy curls and coat well.
- Assemble the pulled pork sandwiches by putting the cooked soy curls on a bun topped with vegan coleslaw.
Notes
- You can use any mustard. I like the flavor of the mustard with whole mustard seeds. You could also add 1/2 tsp of whole mustard seed along with the mustard too.
- You can omit the onions if desired, but still, cook the soy curls for about 5 minutes to help the flavors blend.
- If the soy curls are still slightly hard after soaking, add a small amount of hot water until they are re-hydrated completely.
- If there is still some broth at the bottom of the bowl, add it to the frying pan with the soy curls.
Nutrition
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
Fantastic! So delicious. You can imagine eating this in a summer beer garden. If only soy curls would become mainstream!
The taste and texture are phenomenal.
I know, I wish that they were easier to buy at local stores. They are great for so many things! 🙂
This sandwich is great! After being vegan for a while now, I loved having a meaty filling sandwich! I have never tried the soy curls before this, I’m hooked on them now! Thanks!
My family went crazy for these! I've make pulled pork from jackfruit before and my kids didn't like the texture, but they LOVED these! Thanks so much for the idea! Oh- I used your coleslaw recipe too. It was perfect!
Thanks so much Sue! My family prefers soy curls over jackfruit too! I'm so happy to hear that your family likes them! My oldest son, Ezra, literally asks me to makes these every day!