One very important thing to remember is that you also have to find good vegan bacon. We believe that you can’t simply waltz in any supermarket and grab a pack of vegan bacon and expect it to taste awesome. You have to know where to go and get the good vegan bacon… and that’s here at PlantX!
Want to have crispy, juicy, and just absolutely tasty vegan bacon? We’ve done the selection process and came up with a list just for you.
What Is Vegan Bacon Made Of?
Thanks to years of research and delicious food science, we’ve now been blessed with numerous meatless bacon alternatives - good ones, too!
Let’s get meatless bacon’s primary ingredients out of the way. Plant-based bacon, or vegan bacon, is made with ingredients like soy, pea protein, mushroom, potato, wheat and even coconut. Some have even made homemade vegan bacon with strips of carrots! They’re all selected to imitate the texture of bacon while being able to absorb flavours to taste like the real thing.
As you can already guess, vegetables alone won’t be enough to make the best vegan bacon. You need seasonings like garlic, onion, and even smoked paprika. To get that signature bacon saltiness, bacon substitutes are also often seasoned with soy sauce or tamari.
You can get your bacon alternatives in different textures, too. You can find vegan bacon that’s been made to crisp up when fired (just like the real thing)! You can also use your bacon substitutes to make a BLT or to slice on top of pizza. Vegan bacon brings the bacon-y goodness and can do just about anything your regular bacon does!
Top Products
VBites’ Vegetarian All Day Bacon Vdeli Streaky Rashers
These Streaky Rashers closely resemble the bacon we’re used to! They are slices of vegan bacon made with wheat gluten and soya protein. Fry them up, as usual, to cook them and leave them in longer if you want them crispy. If you’d like, you can chop them up or slice them even more thinly to add them to wraps and other savoury creations.
Meatless’ Meatless Pepperoni
If you love the smoky and salty flavours of bacon then you’ll love Meatless’ Meatless Pepperoni. These spiced slices can go in sandwiches, on pizzas, and in subs. Meatless’ Meatless Pepperoni has no preservatives, no artificial flavours, and no cholesterol - just the way we like it.
Pimp My Salad’s Coconut Bacon
For the soups and for the salads that could use a little more taste and texture, Pimp My Salad’s Coconut Bacon will do just the trick. This Aussie-made vegan bacon is smoky, just a tad salty, and very crunchy. Add some to baked potatoes and use them to top off tasty pasta dishes!
Meatless’ Meatless Bacon
Protein-rich, preservative-free, and cholesterol-free, Meatless’ Meatless Bacon has a lot going for it. And flavour! - Meatless’ Meatless Bacon really brings the bacon flavour we all love. These strips of vegan bacon are also rich in protein, and you’ll get 33.5 grams of it per serving of 100 grams.
Vegan Bacon Recipes
Curious about homemade vegan bacon? Wondering whether you should try making some yourself? You can! There are just a few ingredients that you’ll need to grab. Get a carrot, some maple syrup, a few drops of liquid smoke, and some soy sauce. You can add spices like pepper or paprika if you’d like, but no need for salt because you’ve got soy sauce!
Take all those ingredients, except for that carrot, and mix them into a medium-sized bowl. After you’ve done that set it aside. Get your beautiful carrot and start slicing it into thin vertical strips. If the knifework seems difficult, get a mandoline slicer (just be careful not to cut yourself). Get your sliced carrots and let them marinate in the mixture you made earlier.
Give that some time to sit…let’s say about 15 minutes at least. If you let them marinate for longer, the better. You can cook these in an oven or in an air fryer!
That’s it! You now have a homemade bacon alternative! We know that there are recipes that use rice paper, but we wanted to recommend something easy using ingredients most homes would probably have. Who knows, maybe you’ve just made the best vegan bacon in the UK!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is vegan bacon healthier than regular bacon?
As a generalisation, yes! Thanks to ingredients such as soy and pea protein, vegan bacon is often filled with fibre, protein, and other nutrients.
Plant-based bacon is also way less fatty than its oinky counterparts. But, keep in mind that there are different kinds of vegan bacon. Some might be more (or even less) nutritious than others! And do keep in mind that you might also need some oil to fry off your vegan bacon, which can affect the overall fat content.
Is vegan bacon processed?
Well, yes, vegan bacon is generally processed. It usually takes a lot of work to make them taste that good! So, you should have your vegan bacon treats similar to how you should have your regular bacon - and that’s in moderation. It’s never ideal to have a specific food all the time for every meal of the day!
How many calories does vegan bacon contain?
It’s a bit of an uneven scale when it comes to the caloric content of vegan bacon compared to regular bacon. For a rough estimate, you’ll find some that are 40 to 60 calories. There are some plant-based bacon with fewer calories, but you can also find that even some of the best vegan bacon servings have more than regular bacon.
So if you’re watching calories, it’s always best to check the nutritional labels whenever buying some.
Are vegan bacon alternatives more environmentally friendly?
Once again generally speaking, yes. Bacon for vegans appears to be more environmentally friendly than regular bacon. Just think, plant-based bacon has the potential to produce far less (and probably zero) greenhouse gas emissions compared to pig farms. They may also require less land and water to produce!
Also, did you know that soy and wheat crops produce oxygen while growing? If you add this to the list of why vegan bacon is amazing, then surely the pros now outweigh anything else!
How long does vegan bacon last in the fridge?
Some manufacturers make bacon substitutes that only need refrigeration. Your opened pack of vegan bacon will keep in the fridge within the range of 5 - 7 days. Unopened store-bought bacon could last up to a couple of weeks.
If you want bacon alternatives with a longer shelf life, you can buy vegan bacon that is frozen. One quick tip is to store your vegan bacon in however way you got them from the store. If they cam from the fridge, do the same at home.
