Vegan Bacon Bits

These smokey, crispy, salty little crumbles are tasty and so versatile. Use them as a topping for salads, tofu scramble or soups, stir them through dips and pasta dishes, or add them into wraps or sandwiches. They’re easy to make and would go well with all sorts of foods

I was talking to my Mom recently about the bacon bits we bought years ago (they were called Bac-os if anyone remembers them?). Anyway, I thought I’d have a try at making some and came up with this recipe. My partner absolutely loves these, despite usually being wary of tofu (he’s not a tofu fan) and adds them to everything

Yield; 65g of vegan bacon bits Cook time; 30 minutes

You’ll need;

200g firm tofu
One tablespoon of nutritional yeast
One and a half tablespoons of soy sauce
Half a teaspoon of liquid smoke
One teaspoon of smoked paprika
A pinch of sugar

Method;

Start by pressing the tofu, this will help it to absorb more of the marinade. I find the easiest way to do this is with a tofu press. I use this one by Tofuture
While the tofu is pressing, whisk together the marinade in a small bowl
Next, crumble the tofu into very small pieces, this will take a little while, try to get the pieces as uniform in size as you can
Pour over the marinade and mix it through the tofu. Ensure all the tofu is evenly coated, then pop it in the fridge for half an hour or so
When you’re ready to bake the tofu, line a baking tray and spread the tofu in an even layer. Bake at 200°C/180°C fan assisted for around 30 minutes. Remove the tray every ten minutes and give the tofu a good stir. This will ensure the tofu bakes evenly
Once they’re reddish brown in colour and starting to really crisp up, remove them from the oven and let them cool. They will continue to crisp up as they cool down
When they’ve cooled to room temperature you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge

They work brilliantly on top of a tofu scramble, they add a lovely salty bacon flavour and a nice texture with their crunch

If you want to make a creamy, soft tofu scramble, Click Here for my Tofu Scramble Tips

You don’t have to fry the tofu scramble, if you’re short on time or just want a quick breakfast, then you can use the microwave. Just put the scramble mixture in a covered bowl in the microwave for a couple of minutes while your bread toasts (and if you like a buttery flavour to your “eggs” add a knob of plant based butter in too). Making your scramble this way is quick and convenient, but it’s still enough time to heat it though and for the cheese to melt, giving you a soft, creamy texture

Then just season to taste with black salt/kala namak for that authentic eggy flavour, spoon the scramble onto the toast, top with bacon bits and serve. It’s such an easy, delicious vegan breakfast

These bacon bits are also great with salads too. I love mixing up the textures and flavours of my salads, so they work really well. This is a couscous salad, with chickpeas, houmous and my chicken style seitan slices