vegan bacon

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Vegan Tofu Bacon BLT

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Vegan tofu bacon BLT recipe

I’ve experimented with quite a few vegan tofu bacon recipes and so I wanted to share my favourite one with you. It’s such an easy recipe and quickly turns a humble block of tofu into a powerhouse of flavour that you can use in sandwiches, tear up in salads, or include as part of a healthy cooked breakfast.

I deliberated whether or not to actually call this ‘bacon’, because I’m in no way pretending that it replicates the texture or flavour of bacon made from pigs. But it’s definitely tasty enough to take the place of traditional bacon in many dishes, including this vegan BLT, because it has a delicious bite, and salty, smoky, slightly sweet flavours that make this great protein source so versatile. Also, I couldn’t come up with a better alternative name - ‘smoky baked tofu slices’ just doesn’t have the best ring to it.

Vegan tofu bacon BLT recipe

Vegan Tofu Bacon BLT Recipe

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 1 x 280g block extra firm tofu (such as this tofu by The Tofoo Co)

  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup

  • 1 Tbsp liquid smoke

  • 1 Tbsp tomato puree

  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

  • 2 tsp olive oil

  • 1 tsp cider vinegar

  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

  • good pinch of black pepper

To serve:

Note: this recipe makes approx 12 slices of tofu bacon, enough for four BLTs - keep any leftover tofu bacon in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Vegan tofu bacon BLT recipe healthy

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180C (360F).

Quickly drain the tofu by pressing gently between your hands over the sink for about 30 seconds. Then thinly slice the tofu length-ways. Use a couple of pieces of kitchen roll to pat the tofu slices dry.

Now mix up the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Carefully dip the tofu slices in the marinade and arrange on a wire rack set over a baking tray.

Bake the tofu bacon slices for about 15-20 minutes, until the edges start to turn brown and the tofu feels firm. Keep an eye on the tofu, especially for the last 5 minutes, because the marinade can burn if left in the oven too long.

Remove the tofu bacon from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare your BLT sandwiches. Simply wash and slice the tomatoes and lettuce leaves, then add a few small dollops of the vegan mayonnaise. Then layer a few slices of the tofu bacon, and enjoy!

vegan tofu bacon BLT recipe vegetarian

Nutrition (per BLT):

  • Protein: 19.8g (Women: 39.6% / Men: 36.0%)

  • Iron: 5.9mg (Women: 39.9% / Men: 67.8%)

  • Calories: 443 (Women: 22.2% / Men: 17.7%)

  • Sugars: 11.2g (Women: 12.4% / Men: 9.3%)

  • Total Fats: 18.4g (Women: 26.3% / Men: 19.4%)

  • Saturated Fat: 1.9g (Women: 9.5% / Men: 6.3%)

  • Salt: 1.5g (Women: 25.0% / Men: 25.0%)

  • Fibre: 6.6g (Women: 22.0% / Men: 22.0%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.