Tofu Bacon Bits

If you wanna skip the store-bought Bacon Bits, make these Tofu Bacon Bits which are even better, and can be just as crunchy!

Last year I made some Tofu Bacon, and while you can certainly just chop that up, I thought it might be fun to test out a few ways to make Tofu Bacon Bits!

So I went ahead and tested out three different methods, and they each have a different texture which I think will please everyone!

ingredients for Tofu Bacon Bits

• Tofu – I almost always recommend using Super Firm Tofu, and this recipe is no exception. It requires no pressing because has very little water. Additionally, the low water content makes it crisp up a lot faster too! You can find this at most major grocery stores in the US. Sprouts, Trader Joe’s and Ralphs / Kroger have their own brand as well.

• Smokey Marinade – The marinade includes ingredients like Soy Sauce, Smoked Paprika, Liquid Smoke, Nutritional Yeast and mostly pantry staples to get us a savory and smokey flavor!

how to make Tofu Bacon Bits

We have three options to make these! The first one is the chewiest option as the pieces are larger.

For large and chewy bacon bits, slice the tofu thin with a mandolin or sharp knife. Stack the slices on top of each other and cut them into bite sized squares.

For a bacon bit that has some chewy and some crispy bits, you can simply crumble it with your hands.

And lastly for the crunchiest option, you can shred the tofu with the large holes of a cheese grater.

Whisk the ingredients for the Marinade in a large bowl and set aside.

Add the chopped, crumbled or shredded tofu to the bowl with the marinade, and stir to combine.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tofu out in a single layer.

Bake for 25 minutes. Then take out the sheet pan and toss the tofu around and spread it out evenly again. Bake for another 10 minutes and flip again. Repeat this process 1 – 2 more times, until it’s done to your liking. Check them every 5 minutes to ensure you don’t burn them. They will crisp up more as they cool too.

Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 1 week. Use them to top a Twice Baked Potato or Potato Soup!

Stovetop method

I’ve recently found a new favorite way to make these! All you need to do is cook them in a pan in some oil over medium heat until the tofu is crispy.

Then lower the heat, add a simplified marinade (recipe will be below in the recipe card) stir to coat, and cook them down in the marinade until crispy.

storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 1 week.

other recipes you’ll dig!

• Twice Baked Potato
• Loaded Potato Soup
• Bacon Jam
• Mashed Potatoes
• Caesar Salad

Handy dandy video here!

If you made and enjoyed this recipe, please leave a rating & review! It really helps out the blog and it makes my day, thank you!

Tofu Bacon Bits

5 from 5 votes

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

• 1 lb. Super Firm Tofu (Vacuum Packed)

Marinade

• 1/4 cup Neutral Oil (Vegetable, Canola, Avocado etc.)
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce (use Tamari for Gluten-Free)
• 2 tsp Liquid Smoke
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha (optional for heat)
• 3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 2 tsp MSG (optional for umami)
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp Smoked Paprika

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 F / 190 C.
• Whisk the ingredients for the Marinade in a large bowl and set aside.
• For large and chewy bacon bits, slice the tofu thin with a mandolin or sharp knife. Stack the slices on top of each other and cut them into bite sized squares.
• For a smaller bacon bit that has chewy and crispy bits due to irregular sizes, crumble the tofu with your hands.
• And lastly for the crunchiest option, you can shred the tofu with the large holes of a cheese grater.
• Add the chopped, crumbled or shredded tofu to the bowl with the marinade, and stir to combine.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tofu out in a single layer.
• Bake for 25 minutes. Then take out the sheet pan and toss the tofu around and spread it out evenly again. Bake for another 10 minutes and flip again. Repeat this process 1 – 2 more times, until it’s done to your liking. Check them every 5 minutes to ensure you don’t burn them. They will crisp up more as they cool too.
• Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 1 week.
• Use them to top a Twice Baked Potato or Potato Soup!

Stovetop Method

• My new favorite way is too cook these on the stovetop. First make a marinade with 1 Tbsp Vegan Mayo, 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce, 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke, 1 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire, 1 tsp Sriracha, 1 tsp MSG. Optionally 1 – 2 tsp of Browning Sauce (Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master) for color. Whisk or blend until smooth.
• Then get a large non-stick pan heated up with 1 – 2 Tbsp of cooking oil. Add the tofu, but don't crowd the pan. You will likely need to do this in batches.
• Stir to coat the tofu in oil, and pan fry until golden and crispy, about 6 – 8 minutes, stirring every couple minutes or so. Remove and reserve, and then repeat until all the tofu is cooked. Lower the heat on the pan.
• Add half the tofu to the pan, along with half of the marinade. Stir to coat, raise the heat to medium and cook until tofu has absorbed the sauce and gets crispy again. Repeat with other half of tofu and marinade and enjoy!

Notes

Tofu – I almost always recommend using Super Firm Tofu, and this recipe is no exception. It requires no pressing because has very little water. Additionally, the low water content makes it crisp up a lot faster too! You can find this at most major grocery stores in the US. Sprouts, Trader Joe’s and Ralphs / Kroger have their own brand as well.

Keyword Bacon, Tofu

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