Craving bacon without, well, the actual bacon? This Actually Tasty AND Healthy Tofu Bacon has all the salty, umami, flavors of bacon but uses tofu! If you’re a tofu skeptic, I’m confident that this veggie bacon will change your mind. Made by using a super simple marinade, this comes together super easily and is about to be your new favorite protein-packed Caesar Salad or sandwich addition!
One thing about me? I love love love a BLT. And obviously, the main component of a BLT is bacon, so when I went plant-based I needed to find a good alternative to. Cue this vegan tofu bacon recipe that’s actually tasty and also happens to be actually healthy.
And as a Dietitian, I’m all about making quick and easy protein options that you actually enjoy, which is why I’m on such a Tofu Kick! If you haven’t noticed, I’ve also been loving my 30-Minute Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry and Apple Radicchio Salad with Rosemary Thyme Tofu.
What Makes This Tasty and Healthy?
I’m so glad you asked! Let’s debrief:
- The mixture of sweet, smoky flavor is the perfect balance for this vegan bacon
- Because tofu is the base, we get a great amount of protein, at about 14g per serving!
- Unlike real bacon, this veggie bacon uses olive oil, which is an unsaturated, aka heart healthy, fat! We also use way less fat than what’s in real bacon
- We cook the tofu bacon until it’s niiiiice and crispy, meaning it has an amazing texture.
Looking for ways to enjoy this vegan bacon? It’s absolutely delicious in my Crispy Chickpea Salad with Creamy Tahini Ranch, my Vegan Caesar Salad,
Does This Really Taste Like Bacon?
I mean, let’s be real, nothing will ever taste exactly like bacon. But we use liquid smoke for smokiness, soy sauce for umami and salt, and maple syrup for a hint of sweetness so that the combination is super close to the real flavor of bacon!
Here’s What You’ll Need
This veggie bacon comes together with just a few simple ingredients for the marinade and sliced tofu!
Extra Firm Tofu: It’s important that you use extra-firm tofu in this so that
Liquid smoke: For extra smoky flavor! I do think liquid smoke is super important in this dish, so if you can get your hands on it, great! If you don’t have any, you can still enjoy this vegetarian bacon, it just make not have as smoky of a flavor.
Maple Syrup: For sweetness! I also love that as the marinade cooks down the maple syrup makes it a little sticky sweet. If you don’t have maple syrup, pretty much any type of sugar should work!
Soy sauce: For extra saltiness and depth of flavor!
Seasonings: we use garlic powder, smoked paprika and black pepper to get the classic savory flavor in the tofu! If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can also use sweet paprika, it just won’t have as much of that smoky flavor.
How To Make This Tofu Bacon
This may look like a lot of steps, but I promise, this vegan bacon couldn’t be easier to make!
- Start by pressing your block of tofu. It’s pretty important here that we use extra firm tofu and that we press it, because the less water that’s in the tofu, the more all of those delicious, bacon-y flavors will soak in. If you’ve never pressed tofu before, simply wrap it in a clean tea towel or paper towel and press lightly to get some excess water out. We only need to do this for a few seconds.
- Next, slice the tofu into thin slices. I chose to slice the block lengthwise to yield longer strips, but do whatever you prefer!
- Mix together the marinade in a large bowl. Add the tofu slices and stir to make sure the tofu strips are coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. The longer these sit in the fridge, the better, so if you’re in a rush, I recommend a minimum of 10 minutes.
- Once the tofu has marinated, heat a large pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Lay the tofu strips evenly on the pan and pour any remaining marinade over top.
- Let cook for 15 minutes, flipping half way between, or until golden brown on either side. Remove from the heat, serve on a sandwich, in a wrap or on top of a salad and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
More Tofu Recipes
Actually Tasty and Healthy 20-Minute Kale Tofu Salad
Actually Tasty and Healthy Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets
30-Minute Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry
Apple Radicchio Salad with Rosemary Thyme Tofu
10-Minute Curry Tofu Salad (High Protein!)
20-Minute Best Ever Tofu Scramble
Connect with Lauren
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! If you try it, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and a review in the comments below. You can also find 60 other delicious, easy plant-based recipes in my cookbook, The Simple Vegan Kitchen!
Also, be sure to take a photo and tag me at @tastingtothrive_rd so I can re-share on my stories! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pintetrest so you never miss a new recipe or blog post.
Actually Tasty AND Healthy Tofu Bacon
Equipment
- Large pan
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Start by pressing your block of tofu. It's pretty important here that we use extra firm tofu and that we press it, because the less water that's in the tofu, the more all of those delicious, bacon-y flavors will soak in. If you've never pressed tofu before, simply wrap it in a clean tea towel or paper towel and press lightly to get some excess water out. We only need to do this for a few seconds.
- Next, slice the tofu into thin slices. I chose to slice the block lengthwise to yield longer strips, but do whatever you prefer!
- Mix together the marinade in a large bowl. Add the tofu slices and stir to make sure the tofu strips are coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. The longer these sit in the fridge, the better, so if you're in a rush, I recommend a minimum of 10 minutes.
- Once the tofu has marinated, heat a large pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Lay the tofu strips evenly on the pan and pour any remaining marinade over top.
- Let cook for 15 minutes, flipping half way between, or until golden brown on either side. Remove from the heat, serve on a sandwich, in a wrap or on top of a salad and enjoy!
Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a review, take a photo and tag me on Instagram at @tastingtothrive_rd so I can see!
This is so good!!! Just like I remember bacon (after 7 years of being vegan). I accidently had mine marinating for 2 days in the fridge before cooking and just layed the slices out on an oven tray covered with baking paper and I brushed the remaining marinade over the pieces and bake at 200 – 205 degrees for about 27 mins. instead of frying to save on using more oil. The only downside of this is that is was so addictive!!!! – so there wasn’t much left to use or share with anyone else by the time I had tasted, retasted, retasted etc….. :/ ;)…..Thank you for this great recipe….a definite keeper!!!
Oh I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Rosie!! I absolutely love this one too!