Smoky Tofu Bacon
This smoky tofu bacon will rock your world! It’s smoky, salty and filled with that hickory flavor that we all know and love about bacon! And the best thing about this tofu bacon is that it is actually healthy for you, is high in plant protein and no animals had to suffer! I gave this tofu bacon to my whole meat eating family and they were all shocked at how much it tasted like bacon and how delicious it was!
What Ingredients do you need for your smoky tofu bacon?
- Extra Firm Pressed Tofu
- Soy Sauce
- Maple Syrup
- Liquid Smoke
- Spices (onion, garlic, smoked paprika, pepper)
- Olive Oil
How to make smoky tofu bacon:
To make smoky tofu bacon first press an extra firm block of tofu for about 30 minutes. It must be an extra firm block or the tofu will fall apart! While the tofu is being pressed prepare your marinade by adding all ingredients to a bag or jar, and stir to combine. Thinly slice your tofu in bacon ‘strips’. If you like crispy bacon slice the tofu thinner rather than thicker. I prefer mine to be on the thicker side! Marinate the tofu for a minimum of 30 minutes. You can do this the day before and marinate overnight as well! Then transfer your tofu to a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes flipping halfway through and brushing the tofu with more marinade at the halfway point!
How do you make tofu taste like bacon?!
Tofu is such a versatile food! It has minimal taste and takes on the flavor of anything you put on it! The trick is to press the tofu to remove all the liquid so that it can absorb all that delicious flavor! You can press tofu by wrapping it in a kitchen towel or paper towel and placing some heavy objects on top such as a sauce pan and a few cans! Alternatively, you can use a tofu press! Once the liquid is removed it will absorb our bacony flavored marinade and really begin to taste and smell like bacon! It has a smoky, maple taste from using maple syrup, smoked paprika, and liquid smoke! You won’t believe how much it tastes like bacon!
What can I use this smoky tofu bacon for?
My favorite way to use this smoky tofu bacon is on a TLT, a tofu, lettuce, tomato sandwich. It tastes so similar to a classic BLT you will not believe it! I made one for my meat eating family members and they were SHOOK! You can also make your tofu bacon alongside some scrambled tofu like eggs and bacon, or cut it into smaller pieces and add it on top of a salad!
Substitutions:
- You can use the marinade to flavor other things too! Use it to make tempeh bacon or even carrot bacon!
- If you do not have liquid smoke you can omit and add more smoked paprika to give it that smoky flavor, although it will not be quite as smoky!
- You can sub maple syrup for some date paste to make the tofu bacon refined sugar free!
- To make this gluten free use a gluten free soy sauce or tamari!
Other recipes you’re sure to love 😉
Smoky Tofu Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 block Extra Firm Pressed Tofu (400g)
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2½ tbsp Liquid Smoke
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- First Press your tofu by wrapping it in a kitchen towel or paper towel and pressing it for 30 minutes to release the liquid.
- While the tofu is being pressed prepare the marinade with the rest of the ingredients. Just add all ingredients into a bag or container that will fit all of the tofu.
- Slice the tofu into strips that resemble bacon strips. The thinner the tofu, the crispier the tofu bacon will be.
- Place onto a baking tray and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes flipping halfway through. At the halfway point (10 minutes) when you have flipped the tofu, spread the extra marinade on with a brush then return to the oven to bake for another 10 minutes.
- Enjoy on salads, on a TLT (tofu, lettuce, tomato) sandwich, or on its own!
- Recipe inspired by a tempeh bacon I had at Yam Chops in Toronto! One of the best vegan butcher shops ever!