World’s BEST Vegan Bacon!
Tips: follow us on Instagram for daily stories on our vegan food experiences and family life.
The one excuse we hear the most when people say they could never be vegan, it’s “I have to have my bacon”. If I’m in the right mood, I’ll say “it’s a piece of pig flesh, not an oxygene tank”, but the thing that works the most is to serve this vegan tofu bacon to sceptical meat eaters. I have not ONCE served this to anyone who hasn’t loved it, no matter how they respond to a vegan lifestyle.
You can use this for everything you can imagine bacon would be fit for. Pasta Carbonara, BLT, wraps, with scrambled tofu, as a protein source for dinner, in pancakes … You decide! We can’t get enough in our house, and the kids love it so much we have to make facon for a village each time. It dissapears almost before it reaches the table!
Remember: use firm or extra firm tofu, NOT silken!
Ingredients for 4-6 people:
- 500 grams firm or extra firm tofu (don’t use silken, not matter how firm the package says it is, it’s like pudding)
- 1-2 tsp liquid smoke (can be swapped for smoked paprika, but the liquid smoke gives the most authentic bacon flavor)
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (can be omitted but it gives a really great texture, and taste)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or regular ketchup (does wonders!)
- 0,5 cup soy sauce/Tamari
- Optional: paprika powder, onion powder and garlic powder
This is how you do it:
Press out as much water from the tofu as you can, and wipe it dry. Doesn’t matter if they are still a little wet, just fry it long enough so the water evaporate. Cut the tofu into chunks or slices, the size you want. Small bits and thin slices gives more crispy facon, while larger or thicker pieces makes it more moist. I like it moist in the inside and just a tad crispy on the outside.
Heat up some oil (or water or veggie broth) in a skillet and fry the tofu intil slightly browned, but not burnt. Mix together the ingredients to the marinade/sauce and add to the pan. Mix it all together and fry until the tofu reaches your desired consistency. Stor often, so it doesn’t stick or burn, and remember to taste if it needs more salt or spices before serving.
Serve facon to any dish of choice. It’s delicious in American pancakes, or as a side dish to English breakfast with baked beans, tofu scramble, baked tomato and toast. It’s also great for a vegan pasta Carbonara, and as a filling in a huge baked potato.
What do you guys use facon for? We would love for you to give a comment below. 🙂
