*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »
This tofu bacon recipe is about to unlock the perfect smoky bite of vegan bacon without the drama of marbling seitan or setting off your smoke alarm. Your plant-based BLT dreams are about to come true with this well-tested banger.
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
This tofu bacon is fast, flexible, and frankly, kinda hard to stop eating. Tuck a few strips into a vegan omelette or serve next to a stack of vegan pancakes as a quicker, crispier swap for vegan breakfast sausage.
There's no need to babysit this recipe. If you've got a pan, a knife, and a few pantry staples, you're halfway there.
So go grab that tofu block and let's make your skillet smell awesome.
just. WOW. it was delicious - I had no idea vegan bacon could taste this good
Jump to:
🥰 Why you'll adore this tofu bacon recipe
✊ Vegan AF and GF: Like all my vegan breakfast recipes, there's no pig or cholesterol up in this bad boyo. Plus, it's one of the gluten-free vegan recipes even your non-veg family members will get down with.
🌟 Minimal Fuss, Max Flavor: One bowl for the marinade, one skillet for the cook. No oven, no mess, no processed garbage.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of my vegan recipes, this one's been tried, tweaked, crisped up, and devoured by a team of hundreds of recipe testers.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🍞 Tofu bacon ingredients
The Tofu
Extra-firm tofu is what you should be using for this, unless you can get your hands on super-firm sprouted tofu which works even better. My wife swears it makes her less bloated-feeling which is why I use it for making tofu sisig, vegan chorizo and Korean braised tofu too.
The key here is pressing: removing excess water allows the tofu to act like a sponge and soak up every bit of marinade. Without pressing, the tofu stays kinda bland and also makes more of a mess when frying.
The Soy Sauce
Tamari adds rich, deep umami with zero gluten. It's my go-to because I really don't want to keep a ton of different types of soy sauce in my pantry, and tamari happens to be GF and just salty enough. But if you have something else on hand, soy sauce, nama shoyu, or coconut aminos will all work fine in this.
Liquid Smoke
Don't freak out. Liquid smoke is actually the real deal and not made in some mysterious lab. It's literally condensed wood smoke concentrated into liquid. A few drops of hickory or mesquite will trick you into thinking this tofu's been in a smoker all afternoon.
I keep it stocked for a ton of vegan meat recipes from vegan pepperoni, to vegan hot dogs, and vegan ham.
Smoked Paprika
Good smoked paprika is what makes this bacon, well... significantly more bacon-y. I use it to give a smoky vibe to vegan chili (uh, even if I do serve it in a hat…), vegan shawarma, and vegan yakitori. Spanish pimentón dulce brings warmth and subtle fire, or you can use chipotle powder for the same smoke with way more spice, if that's your jam.
Mushroom Powder
DING DING DING. This stuff adds meaty complexity and deepens the flavor of the marinade. Look for one made with some (or entirely from) porcini mushrooms to bring the kind of savory backbone bacon gets from fat. If you have some left over, you will love how it makes vegan schnitzel and vegan corned beef absolutely more awesome.
Molasses
Molasses (ideally not blackstrap) gives a bitter-sweet edge that balances the salty and smoky. It also caramelizes slightly in the skillet, helping your tofu crisp up beautifully. Think of it as the secret to that bacon-y finish line.
Sriracha
I recommend using Huy Fong or Ninja Squirrel-or you could make your own batch using my sriracha recipe. You can swap in chili garlic sauce, red chile sauce, or just about any other not-insanely-hot hot sauce that you might already have open in your fridge.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯 Vegan Bacon Variations
Rice Paper Bacon
Rice paper bacon is quicker to crisp and shatteringly crunchy compared to tofu bacon. It is legendary for adding some brittle, smoky snap to salads.
Seitan Bacon
Seitan bacon is chewier than tofu bacon, with a meatier texture that works amazingly in sandwiches and on burgers.
Tempeh Bacon
Tempeh bacon has a firmer bite and a fermented tang that gives it a deeper, nuttier flavor than tofu bacon. It's less crispy and more substantial, killer to add to for grain bowls over pearl couscous salad.
Carrot Bacon
Carrot bacon cooks fast and gives you a more naturally sweet flavor than tofu bacon. It's a good option to chop up and cook with onions, peppers, and some mung bean egg.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
📖 How to make tofu bacon
Want to skip the step-by-step? Scroll down to the recipe card if you're in a rush. Otherwise, follow along for crispy success:
Step One
It's Draining Men:
Press the tofu using a tofu press or by placing it between a wire rack and a heavy pan for 20 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Step Two
The Cut in the Hut by Dr. Suss:
Once pressed, cut the tofu into uniform strips no thicker than ¼ inch (0.5 cm) using a mandoline or sharp knife.
Step Three
When You Whisk Upon a Star:
In a small bowl or cup, whisk together tamari, liquid smoke, smoked paprika, mushroom powder, onion powder, garlic powder, molasses, maple syrup, sriracha, and tomato paste until smooth.
Step Four
The Davinci Coat:
Arrange tofu slices in a wide, shallow dish or pie pan and coat with the marinade in a single layer. Flip each piece so all sides are coated. Let marinate for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through.
Step Five
Fry Me A River:
Warm oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu strips without overlapping and fry for 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and browned. Work in batches and add more oil as needed between batches to keep the pan from running dry on you.
Step Six
Cool Runnings:
Place the cooked tofu bacon on a wire rack or clean kitchen towel to cool briefly before serving.
50+ of my own family's fave recipes. Carefully concocted to win over even your most anti-vegan friends.
💡Serving Ideas
Serve your bacon up next to a sky-high stack of ube pancakes, vegan banana pancakes, vegan blueberry pancakes, gluten-free vegan pancakes, or blue corn pancakes.
Crumble your strips up over a bubbling skillet of vegan shakshuka, use it in the filling of your vegan frittata, or sneak it into a vegan quiche for bonus crunch.
Slip crispy strips into gluten-free vegan blintzes, or stuff them into a sabich sandwich layered with creamy eggplant and an aggressive smear of toum that keeps your enemies at bay (that's right-screw you, Dracula).
👉Top tips
- Slice Evenly: Thinner, uniform strips of tofu cook more evenly and deliver that coveted crispy edge. If your slices vary too much, some will burn while others stay limp (like a Bizkit, for example). A mandoline helps, but a sharp knife and steady hand work great if you have decent knife skills.
- Use a Cast Iron Skillet: Cast iron holds heat like a champ and gives tofu that deep, golden sear. Nonstick works in a pinch, but if you've got cast iron, now's its time to shine.
- Fry in a Dutch Oven: If you hate wiping oil splatter off your stovetop as much as I do, use a Dutch oven or high-sided pan for frying. The tall sides help trap splatter and keep your workspace clean. Same great crisp, less gross collateral damage.
- Don't Overcrowd the Pan: Frying tofu in batches ensures each strip gets direct contact with the pan and crisps up beautifully. Crowding the skillet traps steam and leaves you with soggy slices.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Check your slice thickness, pan temperature, and whether you crowded the skillet. Thinner slices+medium-high heat+elbow room = crispy magic.
As someone who's been vegan for more than 24 years, I'm probably the wrong guy to ask…It tastes like bacon's clever, less mean, plant-based cousin, I guess? Smoky, savory, a little sweet, and plenty crisp-but don't expect it to fool your barbaric, meat-loving uncle or anything.
❄️ Refrigerating:
Store tofu bacon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
🔥 Stovetop Reheating:
Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat and re-crisp strips for 1-2 minutes per side.
⚡️ Microwave Reheating:
Microwave on a plate for 30-45 seconds. The texture won't be as crisp, but still delicious.
✌️You'll love these vegan breakfast recipes too:
Get a massive discount on all of my popular vegan brunch classes and become a plant-based breakfast champion!
Tofu Bacon
Equipment
- tofu press optional
- Mandoline optional
Ingredients
- 14 oz. Extra-firm tofu
Bacon Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons tamari or other soy sauce of your preference
- 1 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon mushroom powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
To fry the bacon:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil vegetable oil, or sunflower oil
Instructions
- Using a tofu press, or using a wire rack and a heavy pan, press the tofu for 20 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Once pressed, use a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife to slice the tofu into thin strips, no thicker than 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick. (I prefer mine on the thinner side).
- In a small bowl or cup, whisk together the tamari, liquid smoke, smoked paprika, mushroom powder, onion powder, garlic powder, molasses, maple syrup, sriracha, and tomato paste until smooth.
- Place the tofu strips in the marinade in a single layer in a wide, shallow dish or pie pan. Turn each piece to coat all sides evenly. Let the tofu marinate for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. After 90 seconds when the oil is hot, place several tofu strips in the skillet without overlapping. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until browned and crisp on the edges. Repeat with the remaining tofu, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
- Transfer the cooked strips to a plate lined with a clean kitchen towel or to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
Susan Margaret Ruddick says
just. WOW. it was delicious - I had no idea vegan bacon could taste this good
Ellyn Stein says
SO good and SO easy. When folks say, "but BACON!" pull out some of this and knock their socks ofd