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If you loved bacon and are looking for a vegan alternative, you’ll love this Vegan Bacon with Mushrooms. It’s ready in just 15 minutes and is much healthier than real bacon. The salty flavor will keep you coming back for seconds and thirds!
I’ve heard it’s also called vegan bacon “facon” or “vacon”. But no matter what you want to call it, vegan bacon really is a thing — and it’s damn delicious!
I’ve tried several vegan bacon recipes over the past few years. This Vegan Mushroom Bacon quickly became my favorite and we’ve made it so many times!
Why this recipe works:
- THE liquid smoke and smoked paprika powder gives it an incredibly smoky taste.
- Portobello mushrooms they’re thick, meaty, and packed with flavor, making them perfect for this vegan bacon. They are a great meat substitute! And perfect for those of you with a soy or gluten intolerance.
- Soy Sauce and Vegan Worcestershire sauce give it a hearty, salty taste reminiscent of traditional bacon.
- And the Maple syrup it really hits the spot. I mean smoked maple bacon, right?
- Plus, the recipe couldn’t be much simpler and is ready in less than 15 minutes.
The ingredient list for this Mushroom Bacon is pretty short. Many of the ingredients could still be staples in your kitchen, however.
You need:
- portobello mushrooms (you could also use cremini mushrooms, which translate into smaller pieces of “bacon”)
- liquid smoke
- I am willow
- smoked paprika powder
- Maple syrup
- vegan Worcestershire sauce
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
As always, you can find the full ingredient list in a separate printable recipe box at the end of this post.
Preparing this vegan bacon couldn’t be much easier. All you have to do is follow five simple steps!
FIRST STEPPreparation: Clean the mushrooms and slice them with a sharp knife.
SECOND STEP: In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the marinade (smoked paprika powder, soy sauce, liquid smoke, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup). Season with salt and pepper. Beat until well combined.
THIRD STEP: Put the sliced mushrooms in a bowl and pour the marinade over the mushrooms.
FOURTH STEP: Mix the mushrooms carefully with a wooden spoon until they are completely marinated.
FIFTH STEP: Heat some olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat (the mushrooms will shrink noticeably during the cooking process). Add the mushrooms and sprinkle over another 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side over high heat.
- Liquid smoke it’s a key ingredient in this recipe. Don’t leave it out because the mushroom bacon won’t become smoky and will look like real bacon. You can find liquid smoke in the condiments aisle of the most well-preserved supermarkets. If you’re having trouble finding it, you can also order it online. A bottle of liquid smoke is kept forever because very little is needed!
- Make sure you don’t use more liquid smoke than indicated in the recipe as it has a very strong taste (and smell).
- If you suffer from a gluten intoleranceyou can substitute soy sauce for tamari.
- The mushrooms will shrink noticeably during the cooking processso please consider this when cooking for a larger crowd.
- You could also use cremini mushrooms instead of portobello mushrooms, which translates into smaller pieces of “bacon”. The texture won’t be as meaty either.
How to serve this vegan bacon:
This mushroom bacon is quite versatile. There are so many ways you can serve it.
It’s great:
- on a bun with vegan mayonnaise, lettuce and tomatoes (vegan BLT)
- with scrambled tofu
- in combination with hash brown
- with pasta (e.g. spaghetti carbonara – I usually use tempeh bacon for my vegan carbonara, but it’s also great with this mushroom bacon)
Turn this mushroom bacon into vegan bacon bits
Looking for vegan bacon bits to sprinkle on a salad, baked potato or soup? Then turn this vegan mushroom bacon into bacon bits!
Instead of cutting mushrooms into slices, just cut them into cubes. Then follow the rest of the recipe.
However, if you do, you may want to adjust the cooking time a bit. The best rule is to cook them until crispy.
Vegan Tempeh Bacon
As I mentioned, I usually use tempeh bacon for my vegan carbonara. It really is a great substitute for bacon and is very easy to prepare.
I especially like hers compact texture and this is really crunchy. For the tempeh bacon recipe, I cut the tempeh into cubes and marinated them in barbecue sauce and other spices.
The recipe is actually very similar to this one. The marinade is, however, different. It’s great for sprinkling on pasta and salads!
Vegan rice paper bacon
It might seem a little strange at first, but using rice paper is a great way to make vegan bacon. It’s a huge trend on Pinterest and across the web right now!
And it really looks like real bacon, doesn’t it? It has a really great texture reminiscent of crispy bacon.
If that sounds like something you’d like to try, check this out rice paper bacon. Melissa at Vegan Huggs did a great job creating this crunchy, smoky vegan alternative to bacon.
Coconut vegan bacon
You can even use coconut flakes to make vegan bacon! You can believe?!
Simply pour a smokey marinade over the coconut flakes and pop them in the oven. They will come out crispy and smoky!
Alissa from Connoisseurus Veg has a great recipe for coconut bacon on his blog.
Love hearing from you guys!
I hope you enjoy my Vegan Mushroom Bacon as much as we do around here. And I hope this little vegan bacon guide was helpful too. We crazy vegans can make bacon out of everything! Haha!
If you try this Mushroom Bacon, I’d love to hear what you think. As soon as leave me a comment and a star rating under. Your comments really make my day!
Do you like my recipes and want to see more? Then follow me on Facebook, InstagramOR Pinterest!
Sin – xx
Vegan Bacon With Mushrooms
If you loved bacon and are looking for a vegan alternative, you’ll love this Vegan Bacon with Mushrooms. It’s ready in just 15 minutes and it’s much healthier than real bacon. The salty flavor will keep you coming back for seconds and thirds!
Press Pin Evaluate
Portions: 4 people
Calories: 47kcal
Instructions
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Clean the mushrooms and slice them with a sharp knife.
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In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the marinade (smoked paprika powder, soy sauce, liquid smoke, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup). Season with salt and pepper. Beat until well combined.
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Place the sliced mushrooms in a bowl and pour the marinade over the mushrooms.
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Thoroughly mix the mushrooms with a wooden spoon until fully marinated.
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Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a non-stick pan over high heat (the mushrooms will shrink noticeably as they cook). Add the mushrooms and sprinkle over another 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side.
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Serve on a vegan mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato bun (vegan BLT) or with scrambled tofu or hash browns. Enjoy!
Notes
- Liquid smoke it’s a key ingredient in this recipe Don’t leave it out because the mushroom bacon will not be smoked and will resemble real bacon. You can find liquid smoke in the condiments aisle of the most well-preserved supermarkets. If you’re having trouble finding it, you can also order it online. A bottle of liquid smoke is kept forever because very little is needed!
- Make sure you don’t use more liquid smoke than indicated in the recipe as it has a very strong taste (and smell).
- If you suffer from a gluten intoleranceyou can substitute soy sauce for tamari.
- The mushrooms will shrink noticeably during the cooking processso please consider this when cooking for a larger crowd.
- You could also use cremini mushrooms instead of portobello mushrooms, which translates into smaller pieces of “bacon”. The texture won’t be as meaty either.
Nutrition
Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 164mg | Sugar: 2g | Iron: 0.3mg
