My tofu bacon BLTs are one of my most popular recipes ever - they've been shared on social media nearly 100,000 times!! If you haven't tried my easy tofu bacon yet, you must give it a try - it's sweet and salty and spicy, and goes brilliantly in a sandwich. A good sandwich is such an underrated lunch. And since I'm always looking to find new ways to enjoy old favourites, this time I thought I'd adapt the recipe to make these crumbly little tofu bacon bits!
You'll need to use firm or extra-firm tofu to make these tofu bacon bits - you need to be able to crumble the tofu to get the right texture. Silken tofu won't work, for example, as it's too smooth and creamy to crumble. Then just add your marinade, and fry it all up! I used my favourite tofu bacon marinade (if it ain't broke, don't fix it...) - the main ingredients are maple syrup, soy sauce, hot sauce, and smoked paprika, so you get the perfect sweet-salty-spicy-smoky balance. You can use any kind of marinade you like though, if you don't fancy mixing up your own - in the past I've just used a shop-bought BBQ sauce on my tofu bacon, and that works well too!
You can fry your tofu bacon bits for as long as you like to get your desired consistency. If everything's crumbled perfectly evenly, it will all cook to the same texture, or you can leave some pieces a little larger so you get some crispy bits and some chewier bits, like I did. It's hard to go wrong with such a tasty marinade.
Tofu bacon bits are useful wherever you might use the normal kind - tossed through a salad (we all know lettuce needs a bit of livening up sometimes!), sprinkled over a bowl of soup as a crouton alternative, stirred through pasta (I'm imagining a luxurious carbonara), or just eaten by the handful. They're best eaten fresh - unfortunately they're not long-life, like normal bacon bits are - so it's best to just make a small batch at a time.
If you've got any more ideas for these tofu bacon bits, let me know!
Tofu bacon bits
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon hot sauce (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Black pepper
- 200 g extra firm tofu, crumbled (~ 1 cup when crumbled)
- ½ tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Add the soy sauce, maple syrup, hot sauce, smoked paprika, and a good pinch of black pepper to a small dish, and mix to combine. Crumble the extra firm tofu, and add to the marinade. Mix well, and leave for a few minutes (or longer).
- Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan, and add the marinated tofu. Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, until cooked to your liking - depending on how finely your tofu is crumbled, it might take around 20 minutes.
- Use immediately, or leave to cool first. They're best eaten the same day.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for ⅓ of the batch.
Don't forget to make my original tofu bacon BLTs:
And my BBQ tofu bacon BLT wraps:
Barb says
Can you crumble and marinate then freeze to fry up as needed??!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
I've not tried that, but it definitely sounds worth a try! Let me know how you get on :)
Vanessa says
This is genius! As a vegan, one of the top questions I get when people know that I am a vegan is "But what about bacon" lol, its crazy but true. Not a huge bacon lover myself but I know a lot of people are. This looks like an awesome way to satisfy that craving in a healthy and delicious way. Thanks for sharing!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Thanks Vanessa! I don't know why everyone's so obsessed with bacon haha
Tofu says
This Looks so yummy! Awesome recipe
Jenna says
So tasty! After burning my saucepan I ended up finishing these off under the broiler on a silicone mat to get them extra crispy. Perfect on a spinach salad!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Glad you enjoyed them :)
Robert says
Will be trying your recipe soon. Will it be good refrigerated after making it and how long do you think it will keep in the fridge?
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
They're best eaten fresh to be honest. I'd say you could safely store them in the fridge for up to 3 days, but they won't be as crispy!
Kiwi says
Just made this for my family (who hate tofu) and everyone loved it! Tip: use a splash of liquid smoke!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Yay thanks! Glad you all enjoyed it :) Need to get my hands on some liquid smoke!
Sheila says
This is a perfect combination of great food texture. A brilliant idea to enjoy tofu. Recommending everyone to try this.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Sheila! :)
Lauren @ Inspire Create Educate says
I love this! <3 <3
I have dried soya pieces and I think they'd be perfect for this.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
That would work well too!
Margot says
Love the idea... I really need to try this out. I like tofu in all forms so I'm sure it will be delicious as bacon! :)
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Margot! It was yummy :)