Homemade Vegan Bacon Strips
Vegan tofu bacon is a delicious alternative to traditional bacon with all the flavors you’d expect from bacon. You can add these tasty strips to your favorite salad, soup, or breakfast sandwich.
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Bacon is a hard thing to give up when you go vegan, but I have good news for you. You don’t have to!
There are all kinds of bacon you can choose from when you go vegan including store bought and homemade variations. Homemade vegan bacon, you’ll find it comes in many forms. Among my favorite are eggplant, rice paper, tempeh, coconut.
But the best option is tofu bacon.
You’ll love its slightly sweet and smoky flavor and the spot on texture of the tofu bacon and will want to make this recipe over and over again.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Tofu bacon is very easy to make and customize to your taste. It requires a few versatile ingredients that are easy to find and will help you make vegan bacon out of anything!
Here is everything you need.
Ingredient Notes
- Tofu – Look for extra-firm tofu that is not water-packed, such as Trader Joe’s High-Protein Tofu or Super Firm Sprouted Tofu. These types of tofu do not have excess water and do not need to be pressed. If you have to use water-packed tofu make sure to press as much water as you can out of it first by using a tofu pressor a weighted, towel-lined cutting board.
- Soy Sauce – Use Tamari for a gluten free bacon recipe.
- Vegan Worcestershire – Regular Worcestershire sauce generally has anchovy paste or fish sauce. Look for a brand that says vegan on the label. I recommend either Annie’s or Edward and Son’s.
- Maple Syrup – This is to sweeten the recipe. You can also use brown sugar or coconut brown sugar if you prefer.
- Liquid Smoke – There are several different varieties to choose from, you can pick whichever wood flavor you prefer. I like using hickory.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Cut the Tofu
On a cutting board, cut the tofu block in half lengthwise. Cut 1/8″ strips of tofu lengthwise.
Pro Tip: Make sure to cut your tofu as evenly as possible. This will ensure an even bake. A good sharp knife will help make this easier (<<affiliate link).
Step One – Mix the Marinade
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the soy sauce, water, tomato paste, pepper, vegan Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, and liquid smoke until well combined.
Place the tofu strips into a shallow bowl or container and pour the marinade overtop. Make sure the strips are completely submerged and then cover with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a lid to the container. Place the marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Step Three – Bake the Bacon
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. As it heats up, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully place the tofu strips on the parchment paper. Leave a bit of room between each piece. Bake the strips for 20 minutes.
Use tongs to carefully flip the tofu bacon. Brush with the remaining marinade. Cook the tofu for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, but keep a careful eye while it cooks! It can burn very quickly so you want to make sure you catch it if it starts to smoke or char.
Serving and Storing
Serving – You should serve the bacon hot from the oven or skillet. It goes great with toast or bagels in the morning. But it also tastes great with Tomato Soup or a large Caesar Salad for lunch or dinner.
Storing – Before storing, allow the vegan bacon to cool completely. Once the strips are cool, place the bacon in an airtight container or bag. You can store tofu bacon for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend freezing the bacon because tofu generally doesn’t freeze well.
Reheating – To reheat, place in a skillet and turn the burner to medium low heat. Flip as needed to prevent burning.
Tips and Tricks
- Use extra firm tofu and cut it thin! If you use a softer tofu, it won’t hold together well and won’t crisp up very nicely.
- Once you flip the bacon in the oven, make sure you check it every few minutes as it can burn quickly. The tofu bacon should turn a nice golden brown when done.
- Make sure you marinate the strips for at least 1 hour. You can leave it overnight if you want to really help the flavors sink in. Then you can make it fresh in the morning for breakfast.
- If you prefer, you can fry the bacon rather than bake. To fry, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a cast iron skillet. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the strips in the pan. Fry each side for about 5 minutes. The tofu should turn brown and crispy. This results in crispy bacon. However, it is also more oily.
Frequently Asked Questions
My recipe uses soy sauce, which is not gluten free. But you can easily substitute tamari sauce for the soy sauce for a gluten free version.
Look for extra-firm tofu that is not water-packed, such as Trader Joe’s High-Protein Tofu or Super Firm Sprouted Tofu. These types of tofu do not have excess water and do not need to be pressed.
Yes! You can use eggplant, mushrooms or tempeh instead if you prefer. Find recipes for these types of bacon below.
There are several different types of flavored smoke available. I like using hickory, but you can use mesquite or other varieties if you like them better. You can find liquid smoke in the condiment aisle of your local grocery store.
Recipes for Homemade Bacon
More Vegan Bacon Recipes
Tofu Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 ounces extra firm tofu pressed
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together the ingredients for the tofu bacon marinade.
- Cut the tofu slab in half, lengthwise and then into 1/8" strips. Place in a shallow container. Top with the marinade, making sure tofu is completely covered and place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Bake the Tofu – Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully place the tofu on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip, brush on the extra marinade and, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Keep a careful eye out for burning. The tofu will burn quickly.
- Fry the Tofu – If you want, you can fry the tofu rather than bake it. To do this, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large cast-iron skillet, Once hot, add tofu and pan-fry for about 5 minutes per side, until browned and crispy. Remove from skillet.
Notes
- Use extra firm tofu and cut it thin! If you use a softer tofu, it won’t hold together well and won’t crisp up very nicely.
- Once you flip the bacon in the oven, make sure you check it every few minutes as it can burn quickly. The tofu bacon should turn a nice golden brown when done.
- What type of tofu should I use? Look for extra-firm tofu that is not water-packed, such as Trader Joe’s High-Protein Tofu or Super Firm Sprouted Tofu. These types of tofu do not have excess water and do not need to be pressed.
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