Homemade vegan bacon bits are smoky, salty, crunchy, and completely irresistible! Perfect for topping salads, stews, soups, and baked potatoes. They're also great by the handful! Gluten-free, WFPB, and ready in 30 minutes.

close up to show the texture of crispy vegan bacon bits.

Recipe Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I love these. I made them to put on a loaded baked potato and found myself snacking on them straight from the baking sheet!" -MDJ

Most vegan bacon bits recipes use TVP (textured vegetable protein). It's definitely an easy way to do it, but I prefer this richer (and some would say healthier) soy curl version.

When I first started cooking with soy curls, I never dreamed they would be so versatile. I've turned them into plant-based taco meat, added them to vegan pot pie and our favorite Instant Pot lentil curry. I've even made slow cooker BBQ with them!

So I figured, why not make vegan bacon bits?

Not only are these vegetarian bac'n bits totally delicious , I also love that this recipe doesn't require any special equipment. And start-to-finish it only takes 30 minutes!

Jump to:

Are bacon bits vegan?
Ingredient Notes
How To Make Vegan Bacon Bits
How do I know when bac'n bits are done?
How to Store
Variation - With Oil
Ways To Use Vegan Bacon Bits
Recipe
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💬 Comments

Are bacon bits vegan?

This might seem like a silly question, but some store-bought bacon bits actually are vegan. McCormick and Frontier are two common brands of bac-un bits that happen to be vegetarian and vegan.

Even if you're lucky enough to come across vegan bacon bits at the market, most contain maltodextrin, dextrose, or other preservatives you probably don't want in your food.

The good news is that it's ridiculously easy to make your own vegan bacon bits at home, and your family will love the crunchy texture and delicious smoky flavor!

Want to learn more about soy curls?

Get all the details here: Best Soy Curl Recipes

chunky vegan bacon bits in a jar and scattered on a tray.

Ingredient Notes

Soy Curls - made from one ingredient, whole, non-GMO soybeans; ordering online is the best way to get them (not widely available in stores). Check out this post about soy curls to learn more!
Tamari (gluten-free) or Soy Sauce - important for saltiness and adding depth and umami.
Coconut Milk (optional) - omit for extra crispy bacon bits. Adds a touch of richness.
Maple Syrup - balances the tamari with just enough sweetness.
Nutritional Yeast - this is also important for umami.
Liquid Smoke - gotta have it when you're imitating bacon!
Apple Cider Vinegar - this ingredient might surprise you, but the tang really helps balance the sweet-and-salty flavors.
Smoked Paprika - adds color and more smokiness.

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How To Make Vegan Bacon Bits

Here's a quick summary to give you an overview of the process. Find the full recipe and instructions in the recipe card below.

two photos showing before and after breaking soy curls into smaller pieces.

Put 4 ounces of dry soy curls in a large bowl. That's half of a bag.
Use your hands to break up the soy curls into smaller pieces. Try to get them somewhat similar in size so they cook evenly. No need for perfection, though.

TIP! Instead of breaking up the soy curls by hand, once they're softened by the marinade you can use a large food processor to pulse them into bits.

coating the soy curls in smoky sauce then spread on a baking sheet.

In a small bowl whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the sauce over the broken soy curls, and stir until everything is well coated (photo above left). It will take several minutes of tossing and stirring for all of the marinade to be absorbed.
On a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, spread the vegan bacon bits in a single layer. Give them plenty of space, using two smaller baking trays if necessary.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18 to 24 minutes or until as crispy as you like.

How do I know when bac'n bits are done?

After about 17 to 18 minutes they should still be a bit chewy, which you might want depending on how you plan to use them. If you want super crispy and crunchy bits, return the pan to the oven and check the texture every 2 to 3 minutes.

Another way to achieve crispier bits is to reduce the coconut milk to 1 or 2 tablespoons, or simply omit it.

Keep an eye on the bacon bits in the last few minutes due to oven variance and so they don't burn, which can happen quickly!

During recipe testing, 18 minutes bake time created slightly chewy bacon bits, and 24 minutes was perfect for crispy bits. Keep in mind, the size of the pieces makes a big difference.

And that's it! You just made your own healthy vegan bacon bits.

How to Store

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I feel comfortable keeping them for 1 week, though I'm sure they'd be fine longer since they contain almost no moisture.

Vegan bacon bits also freeze well. From the freezer, simply move them to the fridge, and use as desired.

Variation - With Oil

If you include oil in your diet feel free to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of a neutral flavored oil to the marinade. Obviously bacon is very high in fat, and soybeans are not. So a touch of oil adds a bit more richness.

Ways To Use Vegan Bacon Bits

For a smoky and salty burst of crunch, they're great on salads, grain bowls, and baked potatoes.

And when baked just until chewy, these tasty morsels are excellent stirred into mashed potatoes and potato salad.

If you also find yourself eating these healthy bacon bits by the handful I completely understand. That happens a lot in our house!

I hope you enjoy these vegan bacon bits as much as we do. If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and give the recipe a star rating to let others know how they turned out!