The Best Vegan Bacon
This is the best vegan bacon recipe ever! It combines the crispiness of rice paper bacon and the meatiness of tofu bacon into perfect salty, smokey strips that will satisfy all of your bacon cravings!
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There are many types of plant-based bacon out there. You can buy Smart Bacon and tempeh bacon at most grocery stores. You can also easily make homemade bacon bits, coconut bacon, carrot bacon, rice paper bacon, mushroom bacon, and tofu bacon.
I’ve been making vegan rice paper bacon for years and love the crispy texture that it makes, but I missed the meatiness. I also frequently made tofu bacon and tempeh bacon, which is also delicious and full of protein but not crispy. So one day, I got the idea to combine my two favorite types of vegan bacon into the perfect balance of crispy and meaty, and the result was truly amazing!
My son took one bite and said, “Your whole life has led up to the creation of this bacon!” (This method has such an authentic texture that Gordon Ramsay even used my method to make vegan bacon.)
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This meatless bacon is crispy, meaty, salty, and smokey.
- It’s gluten-free and easily made soy-free if needed.
- It’s fun to make.
- This recipe is simply delicious and any bacon lover’s dream!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Rice Paper – for the formation of the bacon strips and to make it super crispy. These are the thin sheets of rice paper that are used to make summer rolls. You can find them in the Asian section of most large grocery stores. I find that the brands that contain wheat give the crispiest texture. The square rice paper will give you cleaner ends, but the round rice paper is fine.
- Firm Tofu – to crumble inside the layers of rice paper to give your bacon a meaty texture.
- Bragg’s Liquid Aminos – or soy sauce for the saltiness and flavor. You can also use soy sauce or Tamari instead. (I don’t recommend coconut Aminos) Use low-sodium soy sauce for less salty bacon.
- Liquid Smoke – Hickory Flavored – for the smoky bacon flavor. (Hickory has a nicer flavor than mesquite in my opinion.)
- Smoked Paprika – for additional smoky flavor and color. You can use regular paprika if you don’t have smoked paprika, but it won’t give you the natural smoke flavors.
- Garlic Powder – for flavor. You can use onion powder instead if you wish. (optional)
- Nutritional Yeast – for a rich umami flavor. (optional)
- Light Olive Oil – You can also use vegetable oil, canola oil, or refined coconut oil for the richness of real bacon. (See the note below about oil).
How to make vegan bacon
Make the bacon-flavored marinade
Step 1 – Combine soy sauce, liquid smoke, water, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast in a bowl, then stir with a fork. (You can also add a tsp of maple syrup to add a little sweetness if desired.)
Prepare the ingredients
Step 2 – Pour 2 tbsp of the marinade into a small bowl (to marinate the tofu) and the rest onto a large plate. (This will be used to dip your strips of rice paper.)
Step 3 – Drain and press the excess liquid out of a block of firm tofu, then crumble 1/4 of the block of firm tofu into the bowl with 2 tbsp of the marinade and let it soak while you prepare the rice paper.
Step 4 – Cut the rice paper into long strips about 1 1/2 inches wide with kitchen scissors. (a little wider than you want the final strip of bacon to be since it will shrink a little when it cooks). You can layer up to 4 sheets on top of each other when you cut them to save time.
Step 5 – Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).
Assemble the bacon
Step 6 – Spread 2 tbsp of oil on a cookie sheet. (or line it with parchment paper for oil-free)
Step 7 – Dip a strip of rice paper in the marinade quickly. Don’t let it soak and get soft; just get it coated with the mixture.
Step 8 – Lay the strip on the oiled cookie sheet and sprinkle with about 1-2 tsp of crumbled marinated tofu.
Step 9 – Dip another rice paper strip in the marinade and lay it flat on top of the first. (It will not stick to the bottom layer at first. Don’t worry, they will fuse together and seal the tofu inside once it cooks.)
Step 10 – Repeat this process until your sheet of full of bacon strips, but they are not touching each other.
Cook the bacon
Step 11 – Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake at 400 degrees F for 7 minutes.
Step 12 – Take out of the oven and flip each piece and then bake again for about 7 more minutes until the edges start to curl up and it gets crispy.
Pro Tips
- Don’t let the rice paper soak up too much marinade. You just want to get some flavor on it. If it gets too wet, it will take longer to cook and won’t be as crispy.
- Make sure to use an oil with a high smoking point to avoid any burnt flavor in your bacon.
- Flip the bacon carefully; rice paper tends to stick to itself, and it will stick to other slices as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
When testing the recipe, I thought that refined coconut oil would be a great choice to cook the bacon in, but every time I used it, there was a slightly burnt taste even though the bacon wasn’t burnt. I realized that since you cook this bacon at a high temperature, the oil that you use needs to have a high smoke point. Make sure to choose an oil that has a smoke point of 400 degrees or above for the best flavor.
Pan-frying also works well to cook the bacon. You can fry your prepared strips of bacon in a little oil over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon for about 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy. I usually bake the bacon since I can assemble it all at the same time, and all of the slices are ready at the same time.
Make sure to use rice paper that is gluten-free; surprisingly, some brands have wheat flour. Also, be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce like Tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos.
Oil-free instructions
Yes, if you want to have oil-free bacon, line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake your strips on the parchment paper. This will ensure that your bacon doesn’t stick to the cookie sheet.
Soy-free instructions
If you don’t want to use tofu, you can use mashed chickpeas instead. Crush 1/3 cup of chickpeas (that have been drained and washed) with the back of a fork until they are crumbly. Soak the mashed chickpeas in the bacon-flavored marinade instead of the tofu.
Storage and reheating
You can keep it covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Heat the bacon by quickly pan-frying it or popping it back in the oven. Reheating in the microwave will make it soggy.
Serving suggestions
- Serve the bacon on the side of some vegan scrambled eggs, veggie tofu scramble, vegan omelet, vegan French toast, or vegan cinnamon rolls for a breakfast that will blow your family away!
- Crumble it into a vegan quiche!
- Use it on veggie burgers, vegan breakfast burritos, or breakfast sandwiches, or make a vegan BLT with it.
- Crumble it over salads for delicious crispy bacon bits, or use my vegan bacon bits recipe that uses TVP instead.
Vegan bacon recipe
Vegan Bacon
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos or Tamari for GF
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, optional
- 2 tbsp oil, (for greasing the baking sheet or frying pan)
- 3.5 oz firm tofu, (This is 1/4 of a block of tofu)
- 6 sheets rice paper
Instructions
Make the bacon-flavored marinade
- Combine soy sauce, liquid smoke, water, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast in a bowl, then stir with a fork.
Prepare the ingredients
- Pour 2 tbsp of the marinade into a small bowl (to marinate the tofu) and the rest onto a large plate. (This will be used to dip your strips of rice paper.)
- Drain and press the excess liquid out of a block of firm tofu, then crumble 1/4 of the block of firm tofu into the bowl with 2 tbsp of the marinade and let it soak while you prepare the rice paper.
- Cut the rice paper into long strips about 1 1/2 inches wide with kitchen scissors. (a little wider than you want the final strip of bacon to be since it will shrink a little when it cooks). You can layer up to 4 sheets on top of each other when you cut them to save time.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
Assemble the bacon
- Spread 2 tbsp of oil on a cookie sheet. (or line it with parchment paper for oil-free)
- Dip a strip of rice paper in the marinate quickly. Don't let it soak and get soft; just get it coated with the mixture.
- Lay the strip on the oiled cookie sheet and sprinkle with about 1-2 tsp of crumbled marinated tofu.
- Dip another rice paper strip in the marinade and lay it flat on top of the first. (It will not stick to the bottom layer at first. Don't worry, they will fuse together and seal the tofu inside once it cooks.)
- Repeat this process until your sheet of full of bacon strips, but they are not touching each other.
Cook the bacon
- Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake at 400 degrees F for 7 minutes.
- Take out of the oven and flip each piece, then bake again for about 7 more minutes until the edges start to curl up and it gets crispy.
Notes
- Don’t let the rice paper soak up too much marinade. You just want to get some flavor on it. If it gets too wet, it will take longer to cook and won’t be as crispy.
- Make sure to use an oil with a high smoke point to avoid any burnt flavor in your bacon.
- Flip the bacon carefully; rice paper tends to stick to itself, and it will stick to other slices as well.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
My family & I don’t care for the ingredients in liquid smoke. Can I omit it or substitute with something else?
Yes, you can swap it out for smoked paprika.
What can I use besides tofu for the texture?
You could use tempeh or tvp instead of the tofu. If you don’t want soy, you could cut up little pieces of seitan or use vegan ham deli meat.
New vegans, trying everything. Thanks for this recipe. Came out perfect.
Had one problem. When I went to cut rice paper it shattered, WHY?
Rice paper is fairly brittle. You can also cut it with a pizza cutter after you soak it in the marinade. Glad that you liked the recipe!
Will
try! Thanks
How should rice paper be stored?
You wan to keep it in an air tight bag. It will absorb moisture in the air.
Hello I am new to being vegan. I have tried quite a few of your recipes.i do not eat oils or butter and wondering what or if anything could be substituted when baking.
You could just bake it on parchment paper with no oil. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi-I have Crohn’s disease and garlic is a real problem for me. In the top section it says the garlic is optional;in the actual recipe it isn’t noted as optional. Can I get good flavor without it?
It will still taste good without the garlic, so you can go ahead and leave it out.
Used TVP instead of tofu because that’s what I had on-hand, and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing this with the world.
Great idea! So happy that you liked the recipe! 🙂
Super interesting and creative recipe, Monica. You had me piqued this morning when I stumbled on your recipe, so I had to make it this afternoon just to satiate my curiosity. The tofu centre is smart! Your son is right 😉
You’re also right about the bitter burnt bits- next time I’ll keep a closer eye on the oven to try to avoid over cooking the crispy edges. Might have been also because I added a touch of maple to the marinade~sugar burns so easy!
Overall I love the texture and flavour, so thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Kristin. I’m so happy that you liked it. And, yes, the maple syrup may have made it burn easier.
I’m trying to save this to my Pinterest account but only get hundreds of your lovely recipes that I’m not interested in. Can’t find the bacon. Could you please fix this? Thanks.
I just checked it and it is working. You just need to click the Pinterest icon on any image or on the left side of the page and it should come up. If you can’t get it to work, here is the direct link to the pin… https://www.pinterest.com/pin/601371356491940560/
I looked for this recipe because I’m vegetarian with hypertension. What suggestions do you have for cutting the sodium content?
Simply use low sodium soy sauce instead of regular. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi sounds great going to try it, how long does the rice paper last once the packet is open and how long does it last in the cupboard with the brand you use?
Thanks
It will last a few months if kept in a cool dry place. I usually put mine in another zipper bag to keep out humity.
Can I omit the tofu to avoid soy? Looks like a great recipe 🙂
Yes, you can. Enjoy! 🙂
I made this yesterday morning! Really good! I will use parchment next time because they did stick and looked a bit ugly lol, but that didn’t stop us from eating them.
Thank you!
I’m glad that you liked it, Melanie! 🙂
What brand of rice paper did you use? You wrote that the ones with wheat will crisp up more. I’m only finding tapioca with rice. Thanks!
Hi Nancy, I used “Banh Trang Mong” it is a round package with a rose on the front. I found it at my local Asian Market. If you can only find tapioca ones, it’s okay they will work fine, the others are just slightly crispier. Enjoy! 🙂
These came out great! My husband loved the BLTs I made with this bacon. Very crispy and the most bacon like I have ever tasted. I stored leftover bacon in the fridge and it does lose its crispness. But no problem, I put limp bacon in the toaster oven and it got crispy again. 😁
Hi! My family has been loving your cheese recipes and i thought I’d give this a try but…how do you cut the rice paper without it shattering? Thanks so much for your help.
I’m so happy to hear that you guys like my cheese recipes!
I just cut the rice paper with kitchen scissors. Sometimes it cracks a little, but mostly it cuts easily without shattering. Enjoy! 🙂
I use a pizza cutter to cut mine. I stack two sheets and just roll it over them with a good bit of pressure.
As a lifelong Vegan, i love this. I never was much for bacon, but this is a great option. I do mine in the air fryer. I wish more people did this and less are actual pork. Thank you for this.
Edgy Veg is also claiming this recipe. As long as Vegans are putting this out there, it’s all great!
If you wet the sheets first with the marinade, you can then cut with a pizza cutter or scissors. This is what i do and it’s much less messy and fragile.
Will this stay good out on the counter or does it have to be refrigerated? If it can stay on the counter how long will it last out?
It will stay good at room temperature for a few hours. It’s best hot and crispy. I recommend only making as much as you are going to eat.
Oh wow!! You are correct that this is the BEST VEGAN BACON!!! I’ve tried and enjoyed many vegan bacon recipes, including a seitan version (which we smoked in our stovetop smoker.) We thought that one the best, but it didn’t crisp properly. I made your recipe today and we could not stop eating it! So, so good! Crispy, chewy, smoky, flavorful! Thank you!!! (Our vegan dog likes it, too!)
I’m so happy to hear that you liked it, Bev! 🙂
I just made this again for Father’s Day brunch. My husband said it’s “Phenomenal!”
Question: What is the diameter of the rice paper, since they come in all sizes? I used 10″ and they seemed to be the right size. I have to use 2 large cookie sheets, each with 1 T. of oil. It keeps the bacon from overlapping and seems to be sufficient oil as well.
I’m so happy that you liked it. I usually use either 8 or 10-inch rice paper. It doesn’t really matter though. 🙂
(Just a note for anyone considering giving this to a dog: you may want to omit the garlic, because it can be dangerous to dogs. This is probably a small enough amount not to cause too many problems, but for reference:
“Garlic is one of the most toxic members of the allium family. Veterinary research indicates that 15 to 30 grams of garlic per kilogram of body weight is enough to cause garlic toxicity.
It should be noted that the average clove of garlic is only ~5 grams, so most dogs would need to eat a lot of garlic to see any adverse effects. Of course, all dogs are different and your dog may be more sensitive than most. So, even if your dog gets into a little bit of garlic, you should contact your veterinarian just to be safe.”
Source: The Spruce Pets)