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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Meats

    October 21, 2020 38 Comments

    Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits

    2.7K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Did you know that those simulated bacon bits you can get at the grocery store are often vegan!? Weird eh. Although it's easy to buy vegan bacon bits, I'm not a fan of all of those artificial ingredients. Inspired by all of my tofu crumble recipes, I played around in the kitchen to make my own homemade vegan tofu bacon bits, which are easy to make, use just 7 ingredients, are oil-free, and are actually HEALTHY! Healthy bacon? I like the sounds of that!

    Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits! Easy to make with just 7 ingredients, oil-free, gluten-free, and are actually HEALTHY! Healthy bacon? I like the sounds of that! Sprinkle them on salad, soup, pizza, pasta, anywhere you like! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #veganbacon

    These bacon bits are the perfect combo of crispy and chewy with a smoky salty taste. I love having a jar on hand at all times as it's such a great way to add oomph to any dish you sprinkle them on!

    Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits! Easy to make with just 7 ingredients, oil-free, gluten-free, and are actually HEALTHY! Healthy bacon? I like the sounds of that! Sprinkle them on salad, soup, pizza, pasta, anywhere you like! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #veganbacon

    There are two key ingredients that make these tofu bits taste like bacon, and they are smoked paprika and liquid smoke. Do you see a theme here? Haha.

    Normally I would choose only one smoky seasoning at a time to use in a recipe but to make these crumbles taste extra bacon-y I really found I got the best result using some of each. Pair the smoke flavour with salty soy sauce, a little hit of maple syrup, and a few other seasonings and you get the best homemade bacon bits ever!

    How to Make Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits:

    Mix the seasonings together in a large bowl.

    Mix the nutritional yeast, soy sauce, smoked paprika, maple syrup, garlic powder, and liquid smoke in the bottom of a large bowl.

    Crumble the tofu into the bowl and toss well to evenly coat.

    Crumble the block of tofu with your fingers into the bowl over the seasoning. Mix the tofu crumbles with the seasoning making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated. Spread the tofu over a baking pan and bake for 30 - 40 minutes until browned and crispy.

    Spread the tofu crumbles evenly over the prepared pan. Break up any larger pieces of tofu to ensure they tofu is evenly crumbled. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to get browned and crispy.

    Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before storing (it will crisp up more as it cools). Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

    Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits! Easy to make with just 7 ingredients, oil-free, gluten-free, and are actually HEALTHY! Healthy bacon? I like the sounds of that! Sprinkle them on salad, soup, pizza, pasta, anywhere you like! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #veganbacon

    Sprinkle these vegan bacon bits anywhere you like. I love them on pizza, on potato soup, on salad, on pasta, just about everywhere!

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam Turnbull.

    Print Recipe
    5 from 15 votes

    Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits

    Easy to make with just 7 ingredients, oil-free, gluten-free, and are actually HEALTHY! Healthy bacon? I like the sounds of that! Sprinkle them on salad, soup, pizza, pasta, anywhere you like!
    Adapted from my other tofu crumble recipes.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time55 mins
    Course : Side Dish
    Cuisine : American
    Servings: 24 1 tablespoon servings (make about 1 ½ cups)
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 2 tablespoon soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
    • 1 block (350g) extra-firm tofu drained (no need to press it)
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    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper (see notes).
    • Mix the nutritional yeast, soy sauce, smoked paprika, maple syrup, garlic powder, and liquid smoke in the bottom of a large bowl.
    • Crumble the block of tofu with your fingers into the bowl over the seasoning. Mix the tofu crumbles with the seasoning making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated.
    • Spread the tofu crumbles evenly over the prepared pan. Break up any larger pieces of tofu to ensure the tofu is evenly crumbled. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to get browned and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before storing (it will crisp up more as it cools). Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or it freezes wonderfully as well.

    Notes

    Greasing the pan: I prefer to bake these crumbles on a greased pan as I find the get the most crispy this way. But if you prefer you can line the pan with parchment paper, you may just need to cook them slightly longer. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1tablespoon (recipe makes about 24 tablespoons) | Calories: 26kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken
    « Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
    Garlic Sautéed Green Beans »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa says

      March 18, 2023 at 7:34 pm

      Getting ready to try these. When you put them on pizza, do you put them on before or after baking?

      Reply
    2. Martha says

      November 01, 2022 at 10:20 am

      You mention on the Red Lentil Tofu recipe (which is so awesome, btw) page that it can be used for making this bacon crumble. Can the red lentil tofu be crumbled after just cooling/setting in the fridge overnight and before air frying or does it need to be air fried to firm it up enough to crumble?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 17, 2022 at 4:42 pm

        You can crumble it right after it cool and sets. It is just a bit more tender so be gentle. Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Hadley says

      August 13, 2022 at 7:12 pm

      5 stars
      Love these! They’re chewy and crisp—just delicious. And I love the flavor, more than store-bought bacon bits for sure.

      We love all your tofu crumble recipes! Would love to see a shredded Buffalo chicken one and a sausage crumble.

      Thanks, Sam!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        August 17, 2022 at 3:01 pm

        Thank you, Hadley! Have you tried my Vegan BBQ Shredded Tofu, and my Tofu Chorizo? Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Lena says

      March 28, 2022 at 10:05 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe so much! I make a big batch of it and freeze it in a glass container and then take out some whenever I feel like it. No need to defreeze or refry, I just take out a spoonfull and sprinkle on pasta or salad or anything and enjoy!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 01, 2022 at 4:33 pm

        Glad it's become a go-to for you Lena 🙂

        Reply
    5. She B. says

      January 24, 2022 at 1:43 pm

      Having a busy week can I make them 4 days in advanced ? Will they still be crispy? Does it compromise flavour. Thx. Great recipe.

      Reply
      • Tara says

        March 09, 2022 at 10:39 am

        5 stars
        I have made this recipe a bunch of times (and I make a double or triple batch). You can freeze it and it tastes just the same. You can keep it in the fridge and it's just the same! They are like bacon bits so they aren't like super crunchy to begin with but they are the closest I've come to replicating that flavor.

        I use them for soups, breakfast, pizza toppers, just snacking....

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          March 23, 2022 at 12:32 pm

          Amazing! Thrilled you love them Tara 🙂

    6. Athena says

      January 04, 2022 at 3:10 pm

      5 stars
      So simple and so satisfying!

      I tried adding finely chopped kale and red onion to the mix as well and it came out great 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 25, 2022 at 4:02 pm

        WOnderful!

        Reply
    7. Shelley Keckler says

      August 18, 2021 at 12:41 pm

      5 stars
      I did not expect it to come out as well as it does. I followed exactly but will follow others on doubling the "secret sauce." It is excellent, as is the chorizo. These will both be staples in my fridge. Thank you for these great recipes. I am now following you on Instagram.

      Reply
    8. Stephanie says

      June 06, 2021 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars
      I love these! They are so good on salad. I doubled the seasoning because I like a lot of flavor. Thank you for the awesome recipe! I just discovered you and I’m so glad I did!

      Reply
    9. Ellie says

      January 14, 2021 at 11:39 am

      5 stars
      I love the simplicity of ur recipe and want to make it...but....

      I have never used liquid smoke before...do u have brand or flavor recommendation...I c mesquite n hickory...(never has those either)

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 14, 2021 at 12:50 pm

        I normally go for hickory. No brand preference. The one linked in the recipe is the one I currently have in my kitchen. Enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Ninna Bärlund says

      December 19, 2020 at 4:20 am

      Du gör så goda recept! Vilken slags sojasås använder du - japansk ljus eller kinesisk mörk?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 23, 2020 at 12:04 pm

        Tack! Jag använder Kikoman-märket, som är japanskt. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Trina says

      December 04, 2020 at 10:38 am

      5 stars
      We love this recipe. I like to double the seasoning ingredients. We put it in/on so many recipes.
      Thank you for another easy and tasty recipe

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 04, 2020 at 11:36 am

        You're most welcome! It's my pleasure 🙂

        Reply
    12. Henry Lord says

      December 03, 2020 at 8:23 pm

      I have found a huge problem with this recipe. It is so good that I just want to snack on it, that's the problem. I have even used it to turn thin slices of tofu into tofu bacon. It's great on sandwiches and this way you can have your tofu bacon, lettuce and tomato or TBLT. Yummmmm!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 04, 2020 at 11:18 am

        Hahahaha! I'm ok with that problem. So happy you love it, Henry!

        Reply
      • Richelle says

        January 13, 2021 at 11:38 am

        Anyone try this with an air fryer?

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          January 14, 2021 at 12:49 pm

          I believe the bits would fall through the basket in the air fryer.

    13. Bev says

      November 12, 2020 at 12:12 pm

      5 stars
      These are yummy! Was pleasantly surprised that they were still crispy after being refrigerated. I'd like to boost the flavor. Is there one or more of the ingredients that I could increase without throwing the flavor balance completely off? Or another ingredient I could add?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 13, 2020 at 12:52 pm

        Hi Bev, you can add more of any ingredient you like 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply
    14. Sadie says

      November 05, 2020 at 4:57 pm

      5 stars
      We love the tofu taco crumbles recipe in our house and I was so excited to see this recipe in my inbox right as I was looking for a GF bacon sub for warm german potato salad. This was so quick and easy to make and both the flavor and the texture held up so well, not just in the part we ate right away but in leftovers the next day too. As my kids say, "This goes on the make-again list!"

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 13, 2020 at 12:44 pm

        Woohoo!! Love it.

        Reply
    15. Cathy says

      October 30, 2020 at 8:20 pm

      Looks delicious! Does it get soggy or spongey when used as topping on potato soup?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 04, 2020 at 3:43 pm

        Nope! It stays perfect 🙂

        Reply
    16. Christine Lepkowski says

      October 27, 2020 at 1:14 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe amazing. I make a version of this and add it to my cauliflower mac and cheese all the time (or I just eat it cold out of the fridge). It is my favorite tofu recipe ever!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 28, 2020 at 4:10 pm

        That's wonderful Christine! 🙂

        Reply
    17. Mandy says

      October 21, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      Would this freeze well?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 22, 2020 at 11:32 am

        Yes! I will add that to the recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    18. Susan Orrell says

      October 21, 2020 at 12:35 pm

      How long can these keep? Store in fridge?

      Reply
      • Susan Orrell says

        October 21, 2020 at 12:40 pm

        ‍♀️
        Oops I see you answered that in the post. Sorry!

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          October 22, 2020 at 11:33 am

          No worries 🙂

      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 22, 2020 at 11:32 am

        It says in the recipe, it will keep for a week (or longer) in the fridge. 🙂

        Reply

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    Sam Turnbull

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    I'm Sam. Bestselling cookbook author and full-time vegan recipe creator! I LOVE vegan food, but it didn't start that way. As someone who comes from a family of hunters, butchers, and chefs I'm the last person I thought would go vegan. Here's My Story →

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