Smoky and spicy with maple undertones, you’re going to love these vegan bacon bits sprinkled all over veggies, salads, and soups. Ready in under 60 seconds – this simple dump and mix recipe requires nothing more than a bowl and measuring spoons. Stir yourself up a batch today and enjoy these bacon-y tidbits for up to a month — they keep in the fridge really well!
Ingredients
Making Vegan Bacon Bits
This is so easy – just assemble all the ingredients (TVP, salt, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, maple syrup and water) and mix them together. Unlike most recipes that use TVP you do not rehydrate it first. Just dump it in the mixing bowl. When you first make the vegan bacon bits, they will be damp, but not wet. You can eat the vegan bacon bits right away, or store them in the fridge for up to a month. They will get drier the longer you have them but the flavour will remain good.
Ideas for using Vegan Bacon Bits
Bacon bits are a classic topper for soups, salads and vegetables, such as baked potatoes or yams.
Recipe Card
Vegan Bacon Bits in 60 seconds!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons textured vegetable protein
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in small bowl. The bacon bits will get drier over time.
Fantastic! Smoky and delicious!
So great to hear! Thank you, Taryn!
Has anyone tried drying them with heat, perhaps spread out on a cookie sheet in a low temperature oven?
Hi Dan! Yes, I did try this when I tested the recipe originally. It will change the texture a bit – making them more chewy. I didn’t note the amount of time in the oven but they will probably just need a few minutes. Let me know how it works out if you try it. Note that they will dry out on their own over time, too.
You should consider developing a commercial product out of this. It’s good enough for that.
This product is way healthier than real bacon. I.E., the TVP I found has 11% of the RDA for carbohydrates vs 72% of the RDA for fiber. Carbohydrates consist of sugar, starch and fiber. So having a higher portion of RDA for fiber means it has a lower portion of the less healthy carbohydrates, sugar and starch. Also remarkably high in essential minerals like copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
Thank you! I did try to emulate what’s available, but with simple, accessible ingredients.
People trying this instead of going with typical bacon bits probably care about their health. So you might like to know about an alternative to the teaspoon of salt.
Similar to no-calorie sweeteners, there’s iodized salt substitute products that use iodine instead of sodium.
Iodine is an essential mineral required to synthesize thyroid hormones. It’s estimated that 1/3 of the world’s population is iodine deficient though. Most of those people are in developing nations, but epidemiological data in 2016 indicates that iodine deficiency is an emerging issue in industrialized countries (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27973468/).
In my experience iodized salt substitute isn’t the same as real salt though, so this recipe wouldn’t be the same just using that. Could go with something like 2/3 salt and 1/3 iodized salt substitute to convert some sodium intake to iodine intake while maintaining this being a miraculous alternative to bacon bits.
I love this. Thank you so much! I used to buy Frontier brand's "Bac'uns", which they have seemingly quietly discontinued. I even wrote to them to ask about it and they didn't even reply. So you've created a great dupe. I do leave the maple syrup out, as I just want the Bac'uns-esque flavor alone. I admit that the 1st time I used the low carb Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup. I would not recommend doing that. (I have yet to get used to the taste of monkfruit) Either use maple syrup or don't. Do or do not, as Yoda says, right? LOL! Unless you're OK w/the taste of monkfruit, that is. I make this on the reg. My only complaint is that it's far too small a recipe. I like to make a lot at once. I also use more than a teaspoon at one time, I mean it's hella yummy, ya know?
Hi Layla! So happy to hear that you love the recipe and thank you very much for taking the time to rate and comment. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you want to make more. (Click the 2x or 3x button above the ingredients to get the required amounts.) It keeps really well in the fridge!
Sylvia
Instead of TVP, could hemp hearts be used? I can't have soy.
Hi Diana – I am not sure how well hemp hearts would work. You could try halving the recipe to test it. Let me know if you try it.