This quick and easy vegan bacon recipe is crispy, chewy, with a smoky delicious flavor, and made with just 6 ingredients! The strips are marinated in a salty, sweet, smoky marinade that tastes just like bacon!
FEATURED COMMENT:
Delicious tofu bacon recipe. It smells like bacon, it tastes like bacon, it chews like bacon, and it makes an excellent BLT sandwich. ... This is now my go-to recipe for bacon. Thank you Sam! - Del
This tofu bacon can marinate in the fridge for up to 3 days so you can prep this ahead of time, and cook it up fresh. Cook it in your air-fryer, bake it, or pan fry it. Perfect for a stress-free morning. It’s so easy-peasy you’re gonna love it!
I have several vegan bacon recipes on the blog including my famous Banana Peel Bacon, Wheat Starch Bacon, Mushroom Bacon, and Tofu Bacon Bits. I also have a recipes for Rice Paper Bacon and Coconut Bacon in my first cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan! So yeah, I guess I have a thing for making vegan bacon recipes. While I love all of those recipes, I was craving a vegan bacon recipe that was even quicker and easier to prepare than any before! So I came up with this recipe for tofu bacon which I love because I can do the prep days in advance and then just cook it up when I'm ready to enjoy it. Leftover cold vegan bacon is really good too, making it great for meal prepping, BUT I warn you, if you leave this vegan bacon sitting out on the counter, it WILL get devoured and you will have to make it over again (good thing it's easy to make)! I love enjoying tofu bacon as a side with a hearty vegan breakfast, but you can also use this recipe pretty much anywhere you want smoky saovry tastiness! Other ways to serve vegan bacon:
- in a vegan BLT sandwich
- on salads
- on pasta
- on pizza
- on a vegan burger
- on vegan mac & cheese
- on vegan grilled cheese
- or anywhere you want to add some smoky vegan bacon!
Common questions:
How To Make Vegan Bacon? Slice extra-firm tofu into thin, bacon-sized strips. Marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes or for up to 3 days in the fridge. Pan-fry, air-fry, or bake it. Easy! How long will this vegan bacon last? Marinate the bacon for up to 3 days in the fridge. Leftover cooked vegan bacon is also delicious, just allow it to cool and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can I freeze this vegan bacon? Yes! Once the cooked bacon has cooled, put in a freezer-safe container and pop it in the freezer. (I do not recommend freezing the tofu when it is in the marinade, only the fully cooked tofu freezes well for this recipe). 
How to Prep Quick & Easy Vegan Bacon:
Prep the tofu: drain and cut the tofu into bacon-sized strips. I like to make long skinny strips like in the picture above, but this does make them delicate to work with. If you want the tofu to be a bit easier to handle, cut the tofu into thin strips then cut the strips in half to make shorter pieces of bacon that will be easier to flip without breaking. I also tried pressing the tofu first, but I didn't find the end result had much difference so I don't think it is worth the extra time, but if you wish to press the tofu first, you can do so. 
Marinate the tofu: In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and liquid smoke. 
Add the tofu to a sealable container or bag (make sure the container or bag is secure enough that you can flip it upside down without any liquid leaking out). Pour the marinade over the tofu, and gently turn the container or bag to coat the tofu. Let marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 3 days in the fridge. If you are marinating it for a long time, I like to flip the container every now and then to ensure it marinates evenly. The longer you marinate it, the more flavorful it will become. 
How to Cook Quick & Easy Vegan Bacon:
Cook the vegan bacon: to cook the vegan bacon you can either pan fry it, air fry it, or bake it. Pan-fry method: heat 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot gently add the marinated tofu slices in a single layer, working in batches. Fry 2 - 4 minutes per side until dark golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side. Cook the tofu on a lower heat and for longer to ensure it gets crispy. Drain on paper towel, the tofu will crisp up and become chewier as it cools. 
Air Fry method (my fave): preheat your air fryer to 400F (200C). Lightly grease the air fryer basket with a bit of spray oil. Add the tofu slices in a single layer working in batches if needed, and spray the tops with a bit of spray oil. (Omit the oil for oil-free). Air fry for about 6 minutes until the tofu has reduced in size and is golden brown. It will crisp and get chewy as it cools. Oven method: preheat your oven to 425F (220C). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Lay the tofu in a single layer on the baking sheet, using two baking sheets if needed. Bake for 7 - 12 minutes, keeping a close eye on it until the tofu has reduced in size and is golden brown. It will crisp and get chewy as it cools. 
Thisquick & easy vegan bacon is...
- crispy
- chewy
- smoky
- savory
- easy to make
What to serve with quick & easy vegan bacon:
- Tofu Scramble Spice Mix (use to make tofu scramble)\
- Hashbrown potatoes
- Vegan Egg Yolk
- Vegan Cream Cheese (on a bagel or toast)
- Easy Vegan Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Super Easy Vegan Croissants
- Easy Vegan Carrot Muffins
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram. Bon appetegan! Sam Turnbull.
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Quick and Easy Vegan Bacon (made with tofu)
Servings: - 28 strips of vegan bacon (about 1 lb)
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Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 (350g/ 12.3oz) block extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced into thin strips (see notes)
Instructions
- Marinate the tofu: In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and liquid smoke. Add the tofu to a sealable container or bag (make sure the container or bag is secure enough that you can flip it upside down without any liquid leaking out). Pour the marinade over the tofu, and gently turn the container or bag to coat the tofu. Let marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 3 days in the fridge. If you are marinating it for a long time, I like to flip the container every now and then to ensure it marinates evenly. The longer you marinate it, the more flavorful it will become.
- Cook the bacon: to cook the vegan bacon you can either pan fry it, air fry it, or bake it. Pan-fry method: heat 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot gently add the marinated tofu slices in a single layer, working in batches. Fry 2 - 4 minutes per side until dark golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side. Cook the tofu on a lower heat and for longer to ensure it gets crispy. Drain on paper towel, the tofu will crisp up and become chewier as it cools. Air Fry method (my fave): preheat your air fryer to 400F (200C). Lightly grease the air fryer basket with a bit of spray oil. Add the tofu slices in a single layer working in batches if needed, and spray the tops with a bit of spray oil. (Omit the oil for oil-free). Air fry for about 6 minutes until the tofu has reduced in size and is golden brown. It will crisp and get chewy as it cools.Oven method: preheat your oven to 425F (220C). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Lay the tofu in a single layer on the baking sheet, using two baking sheets if needed. Bake for 7 - 12 minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until the tofu has reduced in size and is golden brown. It will crisp and get chewy as it cools.
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Nutrition
More Vegan Bacon Recipes You Might Enjoy...
Rob says
Jummie. I found this one while I was making some banana bacon. I used that same marinade for the tofu so no liquid smoke but I added a bit more smoker paprika and that worked nicely.
The trick is to slice the tofu as thin as possible. The thinner slices have a very nice crispy texture but too thick of a slice and it's just a slice of nicely baked tofu. I can't wait to put these as a side dish on my snack buffet next week.
Best wishes and happy new year!
Alice Lam says
Hi Sam, thank you so much for this amazing recipe Made this today and smacked on quite a few mandolined slices before I managed to stop myself
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Haha, I can totally relate! So happy you loved the recipe—thank you for sharing your experience! 😊
Sydney says
I love this recipe, it is fantastic! I also used it to make bacon bits by adding 1/2 the marinade recipe to a cup of water used to rehydrate TVP and it came out really good! I happened to have smoked maple syrup on hand too and used that in the mixture.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That’s amazing, Sydney! So happy you enjoyed it! Incase you aren't aware I also have a tofu bacon bits recipe and tvp breakfast sausage patties, which might also interest you! Thank you for the review 🙂
Tracey says
So easy and delicious!! Had the most delicious BLTs last night. I used the air fryer and turned out perfect! I am so glad I found you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed the tofu bacon Tracey!! 🙂
Maria says
Hello. What can we substitute for liquid smoke? Thank you!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
You can add a bit of additional smoked paprika in its place.
Diane says
My favourite bacon. Easy to make and easy to eat it all up. Super yummy!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you love it Diane 🙂
Kathie says
This was so amazing! I found tofu/ soy sheets at an Asian market in the refrigerated section which made it super easy! I cut a few with a pizza cutter and threw them in a ziplock with the marinade for a day or two for more intense bacon flavor! I used your preferred air fry method! Outstanding and tastes just like bacon! Thank you for all of your delicious recipes!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thanks for your review, Kathie!
Denise says
I love this "bacon" so much and it is my "go to" recipe. Just super delicious!
Jennifer Bivins says
Fun to make.
Leila says
Quick and easy. It makes wonderful sandwiches. The only downside is you really need to keep an eye on it, otherwise it overcook quickly.
Chris says
Sam’s recipes are always great. I have folders full of her yummy ideas. This is another of my favourites.
Stacey says
I wanted to like this but it really had no flavor; I may have air fried it too long. Maybe I didn’t marinate it long enough (probably 2 hrs). It just seemed bland and tasteless. My sandwich was good though because I had a fresh local grown tomato
I didnt have any vegan mayo on hand so I drizzled with balsamic and added spinach
Carolina says
My first time making tofu bacon and it was delicious!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Terrific!
Shelley says
love this tofu bacon so much. I didn't want to throw away the marinade so I'm currently marinating some veggie dogs in it.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh great idea! So happy you love the recipe 🙂
John dixon says
What is even the point. you do not eat meat then why do you want everything to taste like meat. Ridiculous.
Sam Turnbull says
The point is to eat things that taste great, without harming any animals. Seems pretty obvious to me. 😉
Jackie says
I used my air fryer, but needed to double the cook time. Otherwise followed the recipe (marinaded overnight), and I loved the result. Thank you for another great recipe!
Barbara says
A plant-based diet is rich in fiber, vitamins and other nutrients. Vegetarians, generally eat fewer calories and less fat. They also tend to weigh less and they have a lower risk of heart disease than non-vegetarians do. Research shows that people who eat red meat are at a higher risk of death from heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Even eating less red and processed meat has a positive effect on health. I am not a vegetarian; I just do not eat a lot of animal products (meat, dairy, etc.). I have had hereditary high cholesterol since I was in my late teens and it keeps my cholesterol down without medication. My partner used to totally snub tofu, plant-based diets, etc. I do not think of things as meat-substitutes though. I just think of them as something different that is part of a healthier lifestyle. If you are a "meat & potatoes man", you will need to try things more than once for your taste buds to acquire a taste for them. Try things! You never know, you might end up liking them! Be adventurous! 🙂
Jane says
We tried this today for the first time and although we like the taste I don't think I've quite got the texture right. You mention that it gets crisp and chewy as it cools, do you cook it ahead and reheat it? If so how do you reheat it for the best texture?
VJ says
John, take your attitude somewhere else. We eat plant-based for so many reasons, and your shame game isn’t necessary and quite ridiculous itself.
Samantha Campbell says
trolling a recipe that you are entirely uninterested in, what's the point?
Judy C says
Do you think you can use super firm tofu or is extra firm better? Thank you! Looks/sounds yummy!
Sam Turnbull says
Super firm would work great as well! Enjoy!
Del Salyer says
Delicious tofu bacon recipe. It smells like bacon, it tastes like bacon, it chews like bacon, and it makes an excellent BLT sandwich. This bacon is superior to tempeh bacon, which I also tried yesterday. This is now my go-to recipe for bacon. Thank you Sam!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Amazing! We're thrilled you like it!
Kym says
As A substitute for tofu and banana peel..crispy vacon..I used your marinade with carrots sliced with a veggie peeler..(marinated over night in fridge) then used airfry pan in my toaster oven 325 to my choice of crispy perfection for a vacon tomato lettuce sandwich...thanks for you delicious recipe
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
We're so thrilled you liked it and made a delicious sandwich!