Tofu Bacon
This Tofu Bacon is Smokey, Savory, CRUNCHY and CHEWY! Perfect on its own, or in a Vegan BLT or a Bacon Cheeseburger!
I’ve made some Rice Paper Bacon, and I love it, but this Tofu Bacon is just as good, and even easier to make! It’s super Smokey, Salty and we can even get it crispy and chewy! Just like regular bacon!
It’s also perfect on a BLT, a Bacon Cheeseburger, heck anywhere you’d use regular bacon!
what’s the best tofu for vegan bacon?
In order to get our Tofu Bacon CRISPY, we want to minimize the water content as much as possible. I made this recipe with two kinds of tofu, both of them are vacuum packed and don’t require any pressing since they are very low in water content.
The first is Baiye Style Tofu. I found this at my local 99 Ranch. Initially I got it because it’s longer than most blocks of tofu and would be the perfect size for bacon.
But after baking and air-frying it, I realized that it’s also ideal because it gets a great variety of crispy and chewy all in one piece! It even puffs up when you bake it.
Of course I realized that it may not be as accessible since I’ve only found this at Asian Markets, so I made a version using Super Firm Tofu as well. You can find this at many major chain grocery stores in the US. Trader Joe’s and Sprouts even has their own brand of it.
They are both fantastic, but if you can find the Baiye Style Tofu, go for that! It’s got an amazing texture to it! That said, the Super Firm is nearly as good. In fact, it passed the Goblin Test as I found myself eating it cold straight from the fridge like a Goblin!
I didn’t test this out with tofu that wasn’t vacuum packed because I was pretty sure it would be hard to get it crispy. Tofu packed in water will probably have too much liquid in it to get crispy, but it will still be delicious, so if you can’t find Super Firm and that doesn’t bother you, I’d say go for it!
Ingredients for Tofu bacon
- Tofu – As I mentioned above, I recommend either Baiye Style Tofu or Super Firm as they are vacuum packed and will be your best bet to get CRISPY Tofu Bacon.
- Neutral Oil – any neutral flavored oil will do! I don’t recommend Olive Oil as it has too strong a flavor.
- Soy Sauce – for some umami and color. Use Tamari to make it Gluten-Free.
- Liquid Smoke – To make it smoky! If you can’t find this stuff use more smoked paprika.
- Maple Syrup – A little sweetness to balance out all the salty smokiness!
- Sriracha – I like to add a little heat to mine.
- Nutritional Yeast – For added umami of course!
- Garlic & Smoked Paprika – Because this tofu ain’t gonna season itself!
- MSG – optional but recommended for some added umami.
how to make Tofu bacon
First we need to slice up our tofu into bacon strips. You can do this with a sharp knife. However, the thinner you can slice it, the crispier it will get. So I recommend a mandolin if you got one!
Next we need to whip up our bacon marinade.
Then we’ll give each of our tofu slices a dunk in the marinade and coat thoroughly.
After that all we need to do is bake or air-fry them, flipping halfway through. I like baking them on a wire rack lined baking sheet, but you can also just line the baking sheet with parchment paper too.
what’s the best way to cook tofu bacon?
I tested out Air Frying, Baking and Pan Frying. I would say that Air Frying and Baking result in a very similar product as far as the CRISPINESS. Air Frying is much faster, but you can’t make as much at one time.
So it’s great if you want to refrigerate the Tofu Bacon in the marinade and just air fry a few pieces at a time.
Baking is good if you want to make a bunch of Tofu Bacon at one time.
I tried pan frying them, but I wasn’t a huge fan as the marinade tended to wash off into the oil. They also didn’t get as crispy. I think we really need to dry them out in the oven or air fryer for that.
Storage & reheating
If you cook all of the Tofu Bacon and have leftovers, simply store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They get a little tough after that.
I recommend reheating leftovers in the air fryer at 375 F for 2 – 3 minutes or so. Microwaving them seems to make them less crispy. I ate a few cold from the fridge and they were still crispy after 24 hours!
You can also just let them marinate in the fridge and then cook up a few pieces as you need them. I would still try to eat all of them within 3 – 5 days though.
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Tofu Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz Super Firm Tofu (or Baiye Style Tofu)
Bacon Marinade
- 1/4 cup Neutral Oil (Vegetable, Canola, Avocado etc.)
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce (use Tamari for Gluten-Free)
- 2 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 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
- Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl.
- Slice the tofu into thin strips using either a sharp knife, mandolin, or cheese slicer.
- Dip each tofu strip in the marinade and coat thoroughly. Let the excess drip off.
Baking Method
- Preheat oven to 375 F / 190 C
- Line a large baking sheet either with parchment paper or a wire rack. After dipping tofu slices, add to to the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes and flip. Bake for another 15 – 25 minutes, checking every 10 minutes or so to make sure you don't burn them. If you start to see any blackened edges, that's a good sign to pull them out. Don't worry if they aren't super crispy at this point. They will crisp up as they cool, so let them rest for a few minutes before digging in!
Air Fryer Method
- Spray the Air Fryer basket or tray with a little oil. Add as many slices of tofu bacon as possible with out them overlapping. Air fry at 375 F / 190 C for 6 minutes. Flip and Air Fry for another 6 minutes or until crispy. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn! They will crisp up more as they cool, so let them cool for a few minutes before digging in!
I cannot wait to try this! For anyone in the Southeast, Walmart often has the super firm tofu.
It’s incredible, thank you for another amazing and easy meat substitute!
So glad you liked it! Thank you!
I just made this and it was insane! I’ve tried every vegan bacon on the market and nothing comes close to this! The taste and texture are absolute perfection! Thank you so much for creating this! SO SO GOOD! 🙂
These came out of the oven 5 minutes ago, and I don’t think they’ll last until tomorrow, they are incredible. The marinade is so good, and believe the recipe – they do crisp up as they cool down. I will absolutely be making these again and putting in a BLT. We’re out of MSG, so I used 1 teaspoon of Trader Joe’s umami blend.
I’d like to also attempt to partially cook, and then wrap around a jalapeño popper for the remainder of the cook, as this is the most bacon-y texture I’ve found in vegan bacon.
Also wanted to note that I used the TJ’s high protein tofu.
Awesome, so glad you dug it and that the TJ’s umami worked! And that’s a great idea for Jalapeno Poppers, I need to try that!
First time trying a vegan bacon recipe. Turned out well overall. Can’t wait to try on a BLT when I have all the ingredients on hand.
Awesome, glad you liked it! It’s great on a BLT!
This is the BEST vegan bacon. Just make it. It’s simple and packed with that bacon flavor. Made blt’s with this, and as a side, just incredible. Sweet earth bacon used to be my favorite, the flavor reminds me of that. Thank you so much thee burger dude for your hard work & sharing these gems.
Awesome, so glad you like it and that it can replace the old Sweet Earth stuff! Thank you!
I have to say better than I had thought it would be. I am a bacon lover and I would make this again but would thin out the marinade so it drips off a bit more. I might be a 1/2 a star more
Delicious! Will absolutely make again! Can you make extra marinade and store in fridge to enjoy as needed? I’m wondering how long it will safely last. Thoughts?
Nice, glad you dig it. I think the marinade will be good for 3 – 5 days, but just use your nose and judgement if you go past that!
This. Was. Amazing. Goblin failure here too, I think we ate half of it before it made to the fridge, ha. One question, we used the super firm (not the 99 Ranch kind) but it was the same brand you showed as an alternate and of course it was vacuum sealed. We used it straight from the fridge but more often than not, it crumbled and broke up as we tried dipping it. I tried adjusting the thickness when cutting but thick or thin, a lot of them broke up, and we didn’t get that perfect “bacon looking” sizes. Any suggestions?
Glad you liked it! Honestly, I’m not sure what the issue would be. That tofu will break up if you cut it too thin or handle it too roughly, but when sliced thick enough it should stay intact. Maybe it was just a bad block of tofu or something?
Holy guacamole! Thee Burger Dude is now the Bacon Dude!! Freaking fantastic in a BLT! Marinade comes together quickly, didn’t need to let it sit in the fridge for hours, perfect recipe! The marinade was so good that I crumbled a second pack of extra firm tofu, tossed it in the leftover marinade and am making bacon bits/crumbles from the leftover marinade so as to not waste anything. There’s always room for more bacon!! Of all the dirty vegans, you’re filthy, I love it, please keep delivering these fantastic recipes, my tummy says thank you!!
Haha, love all of this, thank you! Will Do!
This recipe is so amazing and so good! I really appreciate how much work you put in!
Thank you, I appreciate your feedback as well!
This is SO good! I’ve made this a dozen times now. To accommodate my staple pantry items, instead of MSG, I use Trader Joe’s umami mushroom powder and instead of liquid smoke, I use more smoked paprika. I’ve eaten it in a sandwich, by itself, and on top of peanut butter maple toast. This tofu bacon is delicious no matter how I eat it! Thanks for the recipe!!
Yay, so glad to hear that, thank you!
10/10!!! Amazing!
Yay, so glad to hear it, thank you!
Easy and delicious 🙂 I got the best and easiest results cooking the bacon on a baking sheet with parchment paper rather than with the wire rack. Will be making again tonight!
Oh nice, I’ll have to try that out too, thanks!!
This stuff is addictive! I’ve made it two days in a row. I can’t wait to try it in some different applications, as opposed to just standing in front of the stove wolfing it down by itself 😉
Haha, love that! It’s funny, when I first made it I was on the fence about it, but then the next day I found myself wolfing the leftovers and realized I was wrong to doubt it! Thank you!
Made this for Blt’s and it was perfect!!
Excellent!!
I’m not vegan or even vegetarian but I just love tofu and I can honestly say the blt I made with this fake bacon is just as good if not better than the real deal. My meat eating roommate also tried some and approved! So good!
Heck yes, love to hear this, thank you!
I am the only vegan in the house so can you recommend time for storing the bacon short term in frig and long term in the freezer (if it can last that long lol)?
Hi, I cover this in the blog!
Storage & reheating
If you cook all of the Tofu Bacon and have leftovers, simply store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They get a little tough after that.
I recommend reheating leftovers in the air fryer at 375 F for 2 – 3 minutes or so. Microwaving them seems to make them less crispy. I ate a few cold from the fridge and they were still crispy after 24 hours!
You can also just let them marinate in the fridge and then cook up a few pieces as you need them. I would still try to eat all of them within 3 – 5 days though.
Loved this. high protein too vs the rice paper and I liked it more.
Excellent, yes this one actually has protein haha!! Than you!
Made this today and man, it did NOT last to the next day. So quick and easy, probably one of my favorite things I’ve ever done with tofu. Thank you for keeping the ingredients pretty accessible to most vegans!
Awesome! So glad it was a hit! Thank you!
This is incredible! I use the marinade on smoked fava bean tofu, and also on some rice paper, and fry both up until crisp. The combo really mimics bacon and I can’t get enough of the BLT’s I make with it.
Excellent, glad you dug it!
I’m a big fan of this recipe. Many other tofu/tempeh bacon I’ve tried just doesn’t get crispy and is too heavy on the liquid smoke flavor. This is well balanced and get’s a nice crisp when the tofu is sliced right. My favorite thing to do is use about a half to 3/4 of the tofu block to make strips out of and then crumble the rest into the marinade dish and save it for the next day to bake into homemade bacon bits. Great for salads or breakfast burritos. It really uses up every last drop of marinade too:)
That is a great idea, thank you so much! Glad you found a recipe you like!
These were delicious right out of the pan once they were cooled, but I wasn’t sure if the taste was really saying “bacon.” But once I made a BLT with them, the flavor was spot on. I baked them on the rack, on the convection setting of my oven, thinking it would dry and crisp them a little more, but they really only got crispy on the edges, even though I had sliced them pretty thin. A few extra pieces that didn’t fit on the rack went on a small foil-lined cookie sheet and those came out super crisp, so I think right on the pan instead of the rack might be the way to go. In any case, once you remove the ick factor I used to get with undercooked pork bacon, I didn’t mind it a little chewy. Also, the four-pack of tofu sold at a famous warehouse store made exact bacon-sized slices. (I froze it and pressed it first to make it more like the vacuum sealed.) Great recipe, will definitely make again and recommend to friends.
Oh thank you for all the feedback, glad you liked it! I’ll have to try them straight on the sheet pan, thanks!
Used these to make BLTs they were awesome. Will definitely be making again. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome, I need a BLT stat!! Thank you!
I love this bacon so much, although every time I’ve made it my tofu crumbles and I can’t get full length strips. I’m pretty sure this is because my tofu isn’t firm enough. I haven’t been able to find anything firmer than regular firm tofu in my country and I press it to half its original size but it seems to become unstable and crumble during pressing (with a tofu press) if there’s anything I can do to help with this I would love some advice
Hmm, sorry to hear that! Even the super firm will crumble if you aren’t careful with it. You could potentially bake the block after pressing, to dry it out, but I haven’t tried that yet so not sure what temp and how long.
This recipe was delicious. I fell in love with your recipes when I tried your vegan deli slices. You never let me down. Thanks.
Excellent! Glad you liked it!! Thank you!
There is no liquid smoke available where I live, but I do have smoked and salted extra firm tofu! This recipe using it was amazing
Oh nice, I need to try with smoked tofu!! Thank you!
OMG! Watson, thank you for a fabulous and easy-to-follow recipe. The best fake bacon I’ve ever had 😊
Yay! Love to hear it, thank you!
Yummy and so easy to make.
I have never used liquid smoke before. I am researching brands and there is hickory and regular. I’m not sure which would be better for this recipe? Any recommendations for a brand to use or is any ok? Thanks for the help if you see this. Want to make the recipe this week.
Hey there, any brand you can find should be good!
10/10!!! The first time I made it that is….I made the mistake the second time replacing the soy sauce with coconut aminos to lower the sodium. Definitely do not recommend doing that! Stick to the recipe as written! It’s delicious!
Oh interesting, what happened with the coconut aminos? Glad you liked it still!
I have a small collection of recipes that are my forever recipes. I’m 66 and this is now in my collection. Bacon is the one thing I miss as a vegetarian. Problem is now solved. I seriously can’t believe how good this is. If you don’t believe me, ask my dogs. They are my taste testers for meat substitutes. They each got a bite and hung around the kitchen until I caved and gave them more (tofu is good for everyone and their pets). MAKE THIS BACON!
Wow, this means so much to me! I really appreciate this, and the dog taste tester has me rolling, that is so funny and great, thank you!