Author: If you made (or are thinking of making) my 2 ingredient vegan chicken (washed flour seitan), you may be wondering what to do with the leftover starch water. Introducing my vegan wheat starch bacon!!! This is the most bacon-y vegan bacon I've ever made! And this recipe makes a HUGE batch that can be frozen for later.
Crispy, chewy, salty, and delicious! This has even out baconed my rice paper bacon which formerly held the position of most bacon-y. This starch water bacon is crispy, chewy, fatty, smoky, salty goodness. And, well, just look at it!!
My favourite part about this vegan wheat starch bacon (aside from the flavour and texture of course), is that it can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or even frozen. So you can make big batches of this, and have the slices in the freezer, ready to fry up whenever vegan bacon cravings strike!!!
To make vegan wheat starch bacon:
Separate the starch from water: If you are saving the starch water from making washed seitan, save the water from the first 3 washes in a large container, or in several bowls. Let the starch water rest for 4 hours or overnight so that the starch and the water separate. The white starch will sink to the bottom, and the yellow water will rise to the top. Gently pour off and discard the water leaving behind just the starch.
Give your starch a good stir to make sure it is smooth (it can get clumpy when it sits), and add a splash of water if needed to get a nice thin batter.
Season the starch: In a large measuring cup or medium bowl mix together all of the "red bacon starch" ingredients. If making the white bacon starch, in a separate measuring cup or bowl, mix together the "white bacon starch" ingredients. The white bacon starch is for making the bacon look more realistic mimicking the fat of the bacon, but feel free to skip this step if you prefer.
Make vegan bacon crepes: Heat a large skillet or non-stick frying, brush the pan with oil. Working quickly, pour or spoon a small amount of the red starch into the pan to make a thin crepe. Use a spoon to drizzle the white starch across the top of the crepe to make stripes (you only need to do this on one side). Cook the crepe a couple of minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Keep the crepes nice and thin to get the best texture. You can add more water to the starch to make the batter thinner if needed. Repeat these steps until you use up all of the starch, making several crepes.
Cut bacon strips: Once the crepes are cooled, use scissors or a knife to cut the crepes in the bacon sized strips. At this point, you can store the starch bacon strips in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer.
Fry up that vegan bacon! when you're ready to enjoy the bacon, heat 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Fry the bacon strips until they reach the desired crispiness. Drain on a paper towel. Enjoy!
Enjoy this crispy, chewy, delicious vegan wheat starch bacon anywhere you like! Serve it up with a side of tofu scramble, crumble it onto a salad, or on a pasta, or you could make a B.L.T. sandwich- my fave!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Wheat Starch Bacon
Servings: - 45 bacon slices (give or take)
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Ingredients
For the red bacon starch:
- 1 ½ cups wheat starch water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
for the white bacon starch (optional):
- ¾ cup wheat starch water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
Other:
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Separate the starch from water: when making washed seitan save the water from the first 3 washes in a large container, or in several bowls. Let the starch water rest for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge so that the starch and the water separate. The white starch will sink to the bottom, and the yellow water will rise to the top. Gently pour off and discard the water leaving behind just the starch. Give your starch a good stir to make sure it is smooth (it can get clumpy when it sits), and add a splash of water if needed to get a nice thin batter. *If you are using store-bought wheat starch, mix starch and water together until you reach a consistency similar to the photos above.
- Season the starch: In a large measuring cup or medium bowl mix together all of the "red bacon starch" ingredients. If making the white bacon starch, in a separate measuring cup or bowl, mix together the "white bacon starch" ingredients. The white bacon starch is for making the bacon look more realistic mimicking the fat of the bacon, but feel free to skip this step if you prefer.
- Make vegan bacon crepes: Heat a large skillet or non-stick frying, brush the pan with oil. Working quickly, pour or spoon a small amount of the red starch into the pan to make a thin crepe. Use a spoon to drizzle the white starch across the top of the crepe to make stripes (you only need to do this on one side). Cook the crepe a couple of minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside. Keep the crepes nice and thin to get the best texture. You can add more water to the starch to make the batter thinner if needed. Repeat these steps until you use up all of the starch, making several crepes.
- Cut bacon strips: Once the crepes are cooled, use scissors or a knife to cut the crepes in the bacon sized strips. At this point, you can store the starch bacon strips in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer.
- Fry up that vegan bacon! when you're ready to enjoy the bacon, heat 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Fry the bacon strips until they reach desired crispiness. Drain on a paper towel. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
Tracy says
The chicken came out great! But I just couldn’t get the crepes pancake consistency. They were thin and gel like. As I went to toss the rest of the starch water, I discovered about an inch of starch paste on the bottom of my container that I could peel off. Lol. If I decide to make it again I’ll definitely check and make sure it’s all stirred in first.
Also, I used sweet paprika and I think it’s too sweet so recommend using smokey paprika if there’s any question about that.
Love your recipes, Sam❤️
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, yes, if the starch is on the bottom of the container, it definitely wont be the right consistency! So happy you're enjoying my recipes so much 🙂
Kelley M says
I can't wait to try this recipe! Can you use whole wheat or any other non-bleached flours? Or does it have to be all purpose?
Sam Turnbull says
You need to use wheat starch (not wheat flour). Hope that helps!
Isabel says
I’m excited to try this! I say this with love but I had to laugh—this is basically the same recipe as for the wheat paste I used to use back in the day for posting concert flyers around town. This is the most punk rock of vegan bacons! I could’ve saved the leftover wheat paste to make vegan bacon to serve at the show. Love it.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Love it! I use to make wheat paste with just flour and water to make paper mache. I've never used wheat starch before!
Erin says
This is phenomenal! When I make again I will up the smoky seasoning just a bit to make it a bit more savory. Excellent texture though. Makes a great BLT! I use your recipes all the time and I'm a happy new vegan
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love it Erin!
Karen Daniels says
I am definitely going to try both the chicken and the bacon recipes! My two daughters and I (one is vegan and the other is transitioning) plan on getting together 1-2 times a month to do batch cooking or to learn a new technique and the bacon will be a good one to do together. I'll make the chicken the day before due to the time it takes, but they can sample it when we get together to make the bacon.
Just a thought. When you make the vegan chicken, your directions say to cook it in vegetable broth. Perhaps you could add a comment about, after removing the chicken, saving and using that broth to add to a vegetable soup so it does not go to waste. For instance, I soaked soy curls last night in vegetable broth to hydrate them and when squeezing them out over a bowl and strainer and saved the broth to use in a pot of soup today
Sam Turnbull says
I hope you enjoy both recipes! And great idea about reusing the broth 🙂
Eliav says
Hi! my vegan chicken is cooking as we speak, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with the starchy water. this looks promising!
Would it work if I'd skip the crepe part and go straight to the frying? just pour out a line of the starch mix in to a pan with hot oil.
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Eliav, I haven't tried it, but it might work. I think there is something to the crepe getting cooked, cooled, and then cooked again that helps it crisp, but maybe I'm wrong. If it works out for you let me know! I would love to hear how it turns out 🙂
Eliav says
I really wanted liquid smoke for your recipe and didn't have any, so instead I steamed the starch, then sliced and fried it, and then made a sweet and sour Asian style sauce for it. A bit different but it was lovely and crispy
Sam Turnbull says
Interesting idea!
TJ says
Does anyone know if this is gluten free and safe for someone with celiac?
Sam Turnbull says
I highly doubt it. Even though you are washing away the gluten from the starch, I would imagine there is still a small amount of gluten left. I wouldn't risk it.
Taylah says
Hi do you think you could mix cornstarch and water to make starch bacon?
I’ve made it a few times using the washed seitan method but it’s just to much waste if I can’t use the gluten after. I wonder if you can get the same result using cornstarch.
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried but if you do, let us know how it works 🙂
Janne P Swearengen says
Never in a bazillion years would I have believed this until we made this bacon yesterday!! We saved up the starch water from two batches of the WTF chicken and dove in. OMG!! This stuff is fabulous! For a first time effort, we were more than pleased. We will probably tweak the seasoning a bit as we really like intense flavors and I'm sure we can thin the batter a bit more as we become more 'crepe-savvy'! I'm going to order some starch online and have it handy from now on!! This is awesome!
Sam Turnbull says
That's awesome Janne! Yes, I've ordered the starch too, but have yet to use it. When I do I will update this recipe with more specific measurements 🙂
Lo says
Thanks for the recipe! This sticks way too much on all of my pans, do you think there is a way to bake it instead? And if so what temp and how long?
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried baking it. Did you use oil? You need lots of oil to get the correct texture and to stop it from sticking 🙂
Samantha says
Just made your chicken for the second time and I’m in love, it’s so easy! Tomorrow I’ll use the leftover starch water to attempt this bacon for the first time! How long do you think it’ll keep in the freezer? X
Sam Turnbull says
Well, mine didn't last long but that's because we ate it all! Haha. I think it should keep well for at least 2 months 🙂
Samantha says
Perfect, thank you so much! Ours only lasted a couple of days but for future reference ha ha! X
Sam Turnbull says
Haha love it!
Jo says
I havent made this yet but definitely will be soon ...also going to try the rice paper vegan recipe. I have used many of your recipes since I went to a mostly vegan diet. My daughter is a true vegan through and through ...she loves it that I am cooking vegan items. Its so nice when we have family get togethers that I can prepare foods similar to what the meat eaters are having, makes the gathering truly inclusive. I have to admit I have seen other family members trying the vegan items as well!
Thank you so much for your continued posting of recipes ...I look forward to seeing you smiling face in my inbox!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you Jo!
Kim Emons says
Just made this shortly after making the vegan 2 ingredient chicken. Yum, Yum, Yum. Sooooo good. My crepes were more like a pancake, but the crispy factor and flavour didn't suffer at all. I don't know how you do it Sam. In my household we continually are amazed at what you create.Thank you again!
Sam Turnbull says
Awww melt my heart. Thanks Kim!!
Flo says
I just made those, thank you Sam.
My white parts were more transparent than white.
Any idea why!
Merci beaucoup
Sam Turnbull says
I'm not sure, probably just a little bit more water in your mixture than mine. 🙂
deimos says
Why don't you just eat bacon and chicken? Wouldn't that be a lot easier?
Sam Turnbull says
By eating the vegan version, nobody has to die. It's that simple. 🙂
Kim Emons says
Love this response!
Cindy says
Me too! Eish
Janice says
Where does the trans fat in this come from? I'm watching my fat intake so I'm wondering. Thanks.
Sam Turnbull says
I'm guessing from the oil used for frying.
Janice says
I did a little more looking up information and I found that you are indeed correct. Quite a few vegetable oils actually have trans fats in them. I do most of my frying with olive oil, and that has none, so I will stick with that Thank you, and thank you for a great recipe that I'm going to try.
Tonya says
That's why I try to do oil-free. Those processed oils can be sneaky-sneaks. It's not always an easy transition to make. Frying just makes things taste so dang good! That's why I really appreciate that you put recipes that are specifically oil-free on your site, and you're so good at creating delicious ones! I am really excited to try the 2 ingredient "chicken." I'll try and experiment and see if I can make this bacon oil-free because it's such a brilliant way of using up leftovers. Keep up the good work!
Kathryn Gannon says
Have you tried de-odourized coconut oil by Biona this is a very healthy oil and can be used at high temperatures.
Shelley says
If you're using store bought wheat starch, roughly what quantity of wheat starch should you mix with what quantity of water? Thanks.
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't measured this yet but will update once I get the measurments!
Lorna says
I was very disappointed using wheat starch. I used just shy of a pound and it was far too watery, nothing resembling a batter at all. Flipping it was difficult and it crumpled. I went ahead and followed through. It looked a mess but the taste was quite good. If I ever make the xhicken recipe, I will try again with the leftover water.
Kathy Ostman-Magnusen says
Your recipes are only printing out in Asian characters. You may have been hacked.
I totally love your recipes and have your cookbooks, including your new one.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Kathy, I did some testing and I can't see the problem on my end, and I haven't heard of this problem from anyone else. Do you think it could be a setting on your computer? Sorry I can't be more help!
Kathy says
Gosh, maybe, but your site is the only one that does this. Crazy too because it’s sporadic. Hopefully it’s just me though!
Btw... I have both your cookbooks and love your YouTubes and blog.
Sam Turnbull says
Weird! And thank you so much!!
Angela says
If this tops banana peel bacon--which I love!--I'm all in! I'm not super confident in my cooking skills (so may or may not try the washed seitan recipe) and I need more clarity on making the starch water. "If you are using store-bought wheat starch, mix starch and water together until you reach a consistency similar to the photos above." But around how much of each to get to 2-1/4 cups? Thanks for your fantastic recipes! Making vegan fun is half the battle (and you make it all the way fun)!
Sam Turnbull says
I hope you love it! I don't have exact measurements yet, but I will update once I get them sorted 🙂
Mike says
Hi - is the wheat starch the same as vital wheat gluten? Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Mike, it's actually the opposite of vital wheat gluten. When making vital wheat gluten you are separating the gluten (protein) from the starch. You can see how this is done in this post. 🙂