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Home » Recipes » Little Extras

Vegan Bacon Bits

Published on January 30, 2020 by Kate, Updated on May 16, 2022 - 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure.

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overhead shot of vegan bacon bits in a jar on a marble background with text overlay for pinterest

A little smoky, and a little spicy, these vegan bacon bits are an easy and healthy fix for your 'bacon' flavor cravings!  Super yummy topping for baked potatoes, soups, salads, and more!

We love these bacon bits in our vegan broccoli salad and with our savory oatmeal.

overhead shot of vegan bacon bits in a white bowl setting on a black backing tray

Bacon bits that you find at the grocery store on the shelf are often accidentally vegan, but why buy them when you can make 'em even better?  These homemade bits of pleasure are crunchy or soft as you please, and have all the imitation 'bacon' flavor without any additives, artificial color etc!  Total win!

Related recipe: Vegan BLT with Tofu Bacon

How to make vegan bacon bits:

Start by mixing together V8 vegetable juice, water, a bit of olive oil and seasonings in a small mixing bowl (Photo # 1).  Stir the dried TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) into the seasoning mixture and let it rest for 5 minutes (Photo # 2).  At the end of that time check to see if most of the liquid has been absorbed by the TVP (Photo 3).  Let it rest a moment or two more if necessary.  

For soft-style bacon bits, you're done!  No baking needed.  Just use or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator!

For chewy or crunchy style bacon bits: Spread vegan bacon bits out on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake in the oven for:

  • 25 minutes for 'chewy'-style
  • 55 minutes (be sure and stir it a time or two!) for 'crunchy' style 

four process photos in a collage to show how to mix and bake vegan bacon bits

Use these bacon bits in: Scrambled Tofu

Storage tips for vegan bacon bits:

If you're going for the crunchy style vegan bacon bits, let them cool completely (3-4 hours) before storing!  (They will become more crunchy as they cool and you will avoid trapping any heat in a container that could cause them to spoil!)  Store your cooled and dry crunchy vegan bacon bits in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a few weeks.

If you love the softer/chewy style bits, just let them cool a bit and then place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.  You can also freeze them for up to two months!

side overhead photo of a baked potato loaded with vegan sour cream, cheese, scallions, and bacon bits

What is TVP?

If Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) is new to you, I'm excited to introduce it to you!  Made from defatted soy flour that is pressure cooked and then dried, it is a healthy (gluten-free!) and versatile chewy protein! I know, it doesn't sound super appetizing, but this stuff is SUPER USEFUL!!

All by itself, it has very little flavor, but it is great at taking on added flavors  - in this case, making imitation bacon bits!  It's also a very inexpensive source of vegan protein, which is so awesome! Large grocery stores carry it, and you can always find it on Amazon.

Looking for a soy-free vegan bacon? Try this Eggplant Bacon!

Unusual Ingredient:

Probably the most unusual ingredient in the seasoning mix for this recipe is the Vegan Worcestershire Sauce.  It's totally optional, but it is so yummy and useful in many recipes such as my popular Epic Vegan Jerky, homemade Vegan Chex Mix, and Ultra Creamy Vegan Stroganoff.  Find this yummy seasoning at your local health food store or here on Amazon.

mini glass jar full of vegan bacon bits turned on its side on a black baking tray

Recipes that I love to use Vegan Bacon bits in:

  • Baked Potato Wedges
  • Creamy Vegan Potato Soup
  • Vegan Mac and Cheese -Bacon and Green Onion
  • Vegan Caesar Salad

If you’ve tried this Vegan Bacon Bits recipe or any other recipe on my blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I LOVE hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food!!!

overhead closeup shot of vegan bacon bits in a white finger bowl setting on a black baking tray

Vegan Bacon Bits

Smoky and lightly spicy these quick and easy vegan bacon bits and flavor and fun to salads, baked potatos, soups, and so much more!
4.84 from 6 votes
Print recipe Leave a comment
Course: condiment
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 16 Tablespoons
Calories: 30kcal
Author: Kate

Ingredients

Seasoning Mixture

  • ⅓ cup V8 vegetable juice
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce, optional
  • 1 Tbsp bragg's liquid aminos, or soy sauce
  • 1 tsp nutritional yeast flakes
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp Wrights hickory flavor liquid smoke
  • ½ tsp seasoned salt
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Then Add:

  • 1 cup TVP, textured vegetable protein

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees if desiring to bake baco bits! (see info below)
  • Whisk together V8 juice, water, olive oil, and seasonings in a small mixing bowl.
  • Add TVP and stir until well coated. Let rest for 5 minutes.
  • For soft-style bacon bits, you're done!  No baking needed.  Just use or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator!
    For chewy or crunchy style bacon bits: Spread vegan bacon bits out on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 250 degrees for 25 minutes (for chewy-style) or up to 55 minutes (be sure and stir it a time or two!) for crunchy style. 

Notes

Storage Tips for Vegan Bacon Bits:

If you're going for the crunchy style vegan bacon bits, let them cool completely (3-4 hours) before storing!  (They will become more crunchy as they cool and you will avoid trapping any heat in a container that could cause them to spoil!)  Store your cooled and dry crunchy vegan bacon bits in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to several weeks.
If you love the softer/chewy style bits, just let them cool a bit and then place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.  You can also freeze them for up to two months!

What is TVP?

If Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) is new to you, I'm excited to introduce it to you!  Made from defatted soy flour that is pressure cooked and then dried, it is a healthy (gluten-free!) and versatile chewy protein!  All by itself, it has very little flavor, but it is great at taking on added flavors  - in this case, making imitation bacon bits!  It's also quite inexpensive and can be found in the health food section of many grocery stores.

Unusual Ingredient:

Probably the most unusual ingredient in the seasoning mix for this recipe is the Vegan Worcestershire Sauce.  It's totally optional, but it is so yummy and useful in many recipes such as my popular Epic Vegan Jerky, homemade Vegan Chex Mix, and Ultra Creamy Vegan Stroganoff.  Find this yummy seasoning at your local health food store or here on Amazon.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Tablespoon | Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
« Creamy Vegan Potato Soup
Cabbage Ramen Noodle Salad (Vegan!) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Penny

    March 01, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    How well do you think this would work with soy curls that have been minced up in a good processor?

    Reply
    • Rebecca

      March 02, 2020 at 9:41 am

      I think it would work great! Soy curls have a very similar texture to TVP.

      Reply
  2. Connie Sawatzky

    February 01, 2020 at 5:21 pm

    really good but would leave out the chilli powder as it makes it taste too mexican. I also doubled the liquid smoke, but that's just my personal preference.
    Cooked for the full 55 min. but it still wasn't crispy. It was probably because I did a double batch! haha. Which was good because now, I have a ton of bacon bits which are yum!
    So good with Cesar salad. and vegan parm. Just love!
    Thank you for this easy recipe.

    Reply
    • Rebecca

      February 01, 2020 at 8:33 pm

      Thx for the comment! Yeah, a double batch probably would take bit longer, but now you're set for awhile! So glad you like the recipe!

      Reply

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