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.