This quick and easy vegan bacon recipe is crispy, chewy, smoky delicious, and made with just 6 ingredients! Tofu strips are marinated in a salty, sweet, smoky marinade that tastes just like bacon. 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 make 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.
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.
This recipe 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.
Quick & Easy Vegan Bacon (made with tofu)
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.
Notes
Nutrition
More Vegan Bacon Recipes You Might Enjoy...
Chris says
This is easy to make and sooooo tasty. I love it so much and make it often. I use a mandolin to slice the tofu evenly. When it's fried up it gets crunchy, caramelized, and has a nice chew. I have made many versions of vegan bacon and this is by far the best I've tried.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Debbie says
We really enjoy this marinade and have made it many times already. Although we don’t really use it as a bacon substitute, we really like it sliced a little thicker and used for sandwiches. I have also used it to marinate smoked tofu that was cut into thicker rectangles and used on a hot dog bun. One package of smoked tofu yields 6 “weiners”. Thanks Sam for another great recipe.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That's great! Thanks for sharing, that sounds like a great vegan hot dog idea!
Roberta John says
Love your posts! You are a great inspiration for me - I'm struggling with being vegetarian. I hope to be vegan someday.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much Roberta!
Heather says
Delicious! I let sliced these into sandwich sized rectangles instead of strips as marinated it for 2 days. Followed the pan-fried method because my air-fryer was occupied with some broccoli. Omg this is a delicious tofu recipe. I put it on toasted bread with vegan mayo, vegan cheese, mustard and spinach. Served half a sandwich to my 8 year old. She scarfed it down and asked for the other half. In her words, “This sandwich is poppin’ with flavor!” Lol I definitely agree! The tofu was the star. Another go to recipe in this house.
Cheyenne says
what tofu did you use? I tried pan fry with extra firm from wegmans and it was awful. it just completely crumbled when I tried to do anything and I ended up with mushy pieces.
Jaclin says
I use extra firm tofu, and slice it with a cheese slicer so the pieces are all the same thickness. Fry in a little bit of olive oil until browned and crispy... they crisp up a bit more as they cool.... we absolutely love it!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That sounds great!
Dee says
YUM!! Which cooking method is your favorite? Or, what are the differences in taste/texture of each? Can’t wait to try this, just deciding which method to use!!
Marie says
Holy mother of whichever Higher entity you follow. This was by far in the 12 years I've been a vegetarian, the closest tasting thing to bacon I've ever eaten. I will forever be in your debt. Couldn't find liquid smoke in Ireland but found an online store that do it now. I'm after a delicious blt and smacking my lips. I thank you forever!!
Marie says
meant to be five stars above but with the excitement my bacon tasting fingers pressed the wrong button
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, no problem!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha!! Awesome!! So thrilled you loved it so much Marie!
Steve says
Love your site and recipes and have tried many! I followed the directions for the marinade exactly. Put the tofu in a gallon ziplock and let marinate for 2 days, turning occasionally. When I went to take it out and cook it it was pretty much mush. Very difficult to get whole pieces out. Ended up with a bunch of smaller pieces and couldn't use all of the tofu. Baked as directed, let cool. Just tasted like tofu with a hint of soy sauce flavor. 🙁
Where did I go wrong?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Steve, it's difficult to tell without being in the kitchen with you... did you use extra-firm tofu (and not firm or medium firm)? Did you measure out all of the ingredients exactly? This is a go to staple in my house so I know that it works wonderfully for us 🙂
Steve says
Yep, used extra firm tofu and measured every ingredient precisely. I'll give it another try and pay extra-careful attention to everything. I must've missed something. Thanks Sam!
Cheyenne says
Hi Steve! did you ever figure out what you did wrong? I had the same result and was hoping you had the answers
Steve says
I haven't tried it a second time yet. But I'm going to.
Cindy says
This is delicious. I wanted to eat the entire batch myself. Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome!
Nick says
Hi Sam, not tried this yet as I can’t find liquid smoke locally but if it’s as good as your seitan marinades I’m sure it will be delicious. Any idea what I could substitute for the liquid smoke?
Sam Turnbull says
You can find liquid smoke in the BBQ sauce section of most grocery stores, usually in a small bottle on the top or bottom shelf. You can also order it online. It's a great ingredient to have on hand. Otherwise, you can add more smoked paprika. Hope that helps!
Heather says
I find smoked paprika as a good substitute when I’m out of liquid smoke!
Wayne says
Thank you, Sam, for another easy and tasty recipe!
One of the things I like to do with marinades is to prepare larger batches, fill a few ice cube trays, then freeze them and bag them once frozen. This way all that prep-time is managed at once and all that is needed is a minute to thaw the desired amount of frozen marinade and continue with the rest of this wonderful recipe.
P.S. This marinade also works well with the dried rice paper version of bacon 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed!!
Nicole says
Can I leave out the maple syrup if don't have any? Thank you.
Nicole
Sam Turnbull says
Yep, it might just be lacking a bit of sweetness. Enjoy!
Cat says
Do I need to flip it them in the airfryer? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Nope! Enjoy!
Claude lynn Leger says
I love this recipe. So good.
To slice the tofu nice and thin I use the mandolin and it works line a charm.
Sam Turnbull says
Great idea! 🙂
Walt says
Does this recipe crisp the tofu bacon enough to be able to use it, say, as bacon crumbles on a salad?
Sam Turnbull says
It is crispy chewy, so you could chop it up and it would be great on salad! You could also try my tofu bacon bits recipe 🙂
Deb Z says
Never mind. Just read you didn't think it made a difference in pressing. Sorry!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Yep 🙂
Deb Z says
Hi Sam! So you don't press the tofu?
Sam Turnbull says
Nope! I tested both pressing and not pressing the tofu and I found the result was the same. 🙂