Soy Curl Vegan Bacon Bits (Oil-Free)

Need some crunchy vegan bacon bits for your salads and baked potatoes? Make your own with healthy, protein-rich soy curls. They're salty and smoky, with a hint of maple, and SO much better than store-bought bacon bits! Oil-free, gluten-free, and ready in 30 minutes.

Why We Love This Recipe

When I first started cooking with soy curls, I never dreamed they would be so versatile. I've turned them into ground taco meat, added them to pot pies and Instant Pot curries, and even made slow cooker BBQ with them! So I figured why not vegan bacon bits?

Not only are these soy curl bacon bits totally delicious (check out the comments below), I also love that this recipe doesn't require any special equipment. And start-to-finish it only takes 30 minutes!

How To Make Soy Curl Bacon Bits

Here's a quick summary to show you how EASY it is. Scroll down for the full recipe and instructions.

1. Put 4 ounces of dry soy curls (<--- Amazon affiliate link) in a large bowl. That's half of a bag.

2. Now have a seat at a table, and go to your zen place because this next step takes about 5 minutes. 🙂 Use your hands to break the soy curls into smaller pieces. Try to get them somewhat similar in size, so they cook evenly. No need for perfection, though.

TIP: You might be wondering whether a food processor can be used to break up the soy curls. Unfortunately, this doesn't work. Some soy curls end up as dust while other pieces are still large. This unevenness in size leads to smaller bits burning in the oven before the larger pieces are done.

If breaking up the soy curls by hand starts to hurt your fingers, you can finish the job AFTER pouring on the marinade, when they're softer.

3. 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.

4. On a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, spread the soy curls out in a single layer. Give them plenty of space, using two smaller baking trays if necessary.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 17 to 23 minutes or until as crispy as you like. 

Checking for Doneness

At 17 minutes they'll still be a bit chewy, which you might want depending on how you plan to use the bacon bits. If you want super crisp and crunchy bits bake them longer.

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!

For me it usually takes 18 minutes to reach a chewy stage and about 24 for crispy bits, but 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. 

Storage and Tips

Allow the bacon bits to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

They also freeze well. From the freezer, just move them back to the fridge, then use as desired.

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 little more richness.

How To Use Them

For a smoky and salty burst of crunch, vegan bacon bits are great on salads, grain bowls, and baked potatoes.

And when baked just until chewy, they're 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!

----> Try these Oil-Free Vegan Bacon Pancakes.

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