Vegan bacon, so crispy and delicious. It’s tasty, has the perfect texture, and its smoky flavor reminds you of the real thing!
This vegan bacon is a life-saver. Bacon is maybe one of the most difficult foods to give up when you go on a vegan diet. It’s so versatile you can eat it with pretty much everything and it’s also a very important part of the weekend family breakfasts.
I’ve made a vegan version because it’s usually hard to find a store-bought bacon substitute that tastes good and that’s not full of additives and preservatives. This recipe requires natural ingredients and it’s actually very tasty.
Vegan bacon, a healthier version of the original ingredient. It’s crisp, smoky, chewy, and salty. It also has less fat than regular bacon and it’s not expensive at all. This makes it savory and juicy, so it reminds me of the real thing - while being 100% cruelty-free!
Making your own version at home is a good chance for spending time with your family while they learn good and healthy eating habits. You’ll save money and time and the results will be amazing!
Ingredient notes
- All-purpose flour: I’ve only made this recipe using all-purpose flour, but you could probably use a different type of flour. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust the amount of it.
- Paprika: I used sweet paprika, but any kind will do.
- Vegetable stock or water: I prefer vegetable stock because it enhances the flavor of this recipe. However, water is okay too. I really suggest you make your own broth following our recipe, as it is healthier, but feel free to use it store-bought.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I’m Spanish, so I use extra virgin olive oil to cook most of my dishes. However, any type of oil is okay. I always use extra virgin oils when possible because they’re healthier.
- Maple syrup: feel free to use a different type of sweetener. Agave syrup is the best alternative though.
Dietary variations
- Make soy-free: if you don't consume soy, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce or tamari. You could also add the same amount of water or vegetable stock and add salt to taste.
- Make it oil-free: I’ve never made this recipe without oil or in the oven, so I don’t know if it would work. If you give it a try, please let me know in the comments!
Pro tips
- Feel free to incorporate the spices and herbs you prefer.
- Liquid smoke is optional, but it gives this bacon substitute a very good taste.
How to make vegan bacon
- Add the vital wheat gluten, flour, paprika, liquid smoke, and onion powder to a bowl and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Place the mixture in a bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 10-20 minutes.
- Make a ball as smooth as possible, flatten it a little bit, and wrap it with aluminum foil.
- Steam for 30 minutes, remove from the heat, and let it cool.
- Mix well all the marinade ingredients, slice the bacon, and cover the slices with the marinade sauce.
- Heat a little bit of oil in a frying pan, skillet, or grill, and cook the bacon strips over medium-high heat until golden brown.
- Serve your vegan bacon immediately.
How to store
- Fridge: keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Freezer: store the leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat: it can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add a little oil if needed.
What is vegan bacon made of?
The main ingredient is vital wheat gluten, which is seasoned with spices like paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, as well as ingredients like liquid smoke and maple syrup.
Serving suggestions
Vegan bacon is perfect for a delicious brunch or vegan breakfast. You can serve it in sandwiches like BLT, salads, or with breakfast potatoes, tofu scramble, fresh fruit, and toasted vegan bread.
You could also chop it and add it to your favorite pasta dish. It'll give it so much flavor!
Looking for more vegan meat recipes?
Did you make this vegan bacon recipe?
Please leave a comment and rate it below. We’d love to hear from you!
Vegan Bacon
Ingredients
For the vegan bacon:
- 1 cup vital wheat gluten
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup vegetable stock or water
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
For the marinade:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix the gluten, flour, paprika, liquid smoke and onion powder in a bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients (vegetable stock, oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke and tomato paste) and mix until well combined.
- Place the mixture in a bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 10-20 minutes.
- Using your hands, make a ball as smooth as possible. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, it won’t look great but it will taste the same.
- Flatten the ball a little bit and wrap it with aluminum foil.
- Steam for 30 minutes, remove from the heat and let it cool until you can manipulate it with your hands. If you don’t want to use aluminum foil, omit it and boil the ball in a pot, but you’ll get better results if you use it and steam.
- Mix well all the marinade ingredients and reserve.
- Slice the bacon and cover the slices with the marinade sauce. You can also brush the sauce onto them.
- Heat a little bit of oil in a pan or grill and cook the bacon over medium-high heat until both sides get golden brown.
- Serve your vegan bacon immediately with breakfast potatoes, tofu scramble, fresh fruit, and toasted vegan bread.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add a little oil if needed.
Notes
- Feel free to incorporate the spices and herbs you prefer.
- Liquid smoke is optional, but it gives this bacon substitute a very good flavor.
- You can use any other liquid sweetener instead of maple syrup.
- Any kind of oil will work.
- Preparation time doesn’t include resting time.
- Nutritional information is for 1 slice of vegan bacon cooked with 1 additional tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in November of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in August of 2022.
Huel Withrow says
I have used several of your recipes and have enjoyed them all.
I just made the bacon with vital wheat gluten and really enjoyed it.
I have tried other recipes but this is the best I have had.
Thank You
Iosune Robles says
Thank you so much, Huel. I’m really happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipes and that the vegan bacon was a hit. That means a lot!
Katelyn says
Olive oil is not healthy, it is just a tiny little less bad than other oils. It remains 100% fat which messes with the endothelial cells in your arteries, causing strokes, heart attacks dementia etc.. There are independent studies about that, see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10376195/. I hope you will start making recipes without using oil, not just as an option, even young vegan Spanish people get preventable heart attacks, strokes etc.
Iosune says
Hi Katelyn! Thanks a lot for the link. Hope you have a nice day!
Nancy B. says
We love this recipe! It has become one of our favorites. The marinade is delicious and the bacon texture is great. Thank you!
Iosune says
Hi Nancy! So glad you liked it 🙂
Shellie says
This sounds fantastic. We are oil free and I'm wondering if I can replace the oil with aquafaba and if you have any thoughts on air frying this?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Shellie! I haven't tried it myself, sorry 🙁
Kathryn Gannon says
I can't believe non of you people read the comments about the gluten instead of asking the same question over and over.
P says
Absolutely delicious. Easily 5⭐️
Iosune Robles says
So glad you liked it!
Karen Snow says
Can I just check if the bacon must be cooked before storing in the fridge/freezer or not. Thank you.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Karen! It's better not to cook the bacon before storing it in the fridge. Only make the bacon until step 8 🙂
Jim Webster says
This is great. Made a batch and had BLT sandwiches.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Jim!!! Thank you for sharing it with us! Have a great day!
Jill says
Hi! Looks like a great recipe, but where is the gluten in the list of ingredients? Seems to be missing....Hope you can add it so I can try this at home - Thankyou.
Iosune says
Hi Jill! I used 1 cup vital gluten (120 g) 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Jill says
Thankyou!
James Kenyon says
I might as well join the growing list of those asking for the gluten amount?
James Kenyon says
I've looked at the video, and it looks like about 3/4 cup, but is it 2/3?
Iosune says
Hi James! It was a mistake, sorry! I used 1 cup of vital gluten (120 g). Hope you enjoy it!
Renee m Bustamante says
Hi Iosune. Love your recipes. I'm asking about the gluten as well.
Do you think I can make this recipe using gluten free flour?
Iosune says
Hi Renee! Thank you so much 🙂 I used 1 cup of vital gluten (120 g). I've never made gluten-free flour instead of vital gluten, but I don't think it's going to work... Sorry!
Titti says
Hi, how much gluten? There is not the quantity in the recipe 's ingredients. Thank you!
Iosune says
Hi Titti! It was a mistake, sorry! I used 1 cup of vital gluten (120 g). Hope you like it!
Titti says
Thank you so much!!
Iosune says
You're so welcome 🙂