6-Ingredient Easy Vegan Bacon Bits

Salty, smoky, savory, slightly crunchy, and easy-to-make vegan bacon bits. These delicious little bits only require six ingredients, are ready in about 20 minutes, and make the perfect topping for soup, salad, potatoes, veggies, and more.

Did you know that many store-bought bacon bits are accidentally vegan? Brands like McCormick, Cool Foods, Badia, and It’s Delish all offer their own versions in-store or online. However, this homemade version has all the great imitation bacon flavor without additives, preservatives, and artificial colors. They also taste better and are cheaper when you make them in your own kitchen!

Ingredients for Vegan Bacon Bits

• TVP: TVP (textured vegetable protein) is a meat substitute typically made from soybeans during the process of making soybean oil. It’s fat-free, low in calories, and rich in nutrients like protein and fiber. TVP is available at most large supermarkets, health food stores, or online.
• Miso Paste: Miso paste is made from fermented soybeans. This stuff can add some seriously savory flavor to your dishes. It also contains probiotics and is super good for you!
• Soy Sauce or Tamari: For saltiness and color.
• Maple Syrup: For a touch of sweetness and to help with caramelization.
• Liquid Smoke: This is what gives the TVP that smokiness like real bacon. You can also add smoked paprika for even more flavor.
• Oil: Once the liquid is absorbed and the TVP is rehydrated, oil is added for fat. This also helps crisp up the TVP bits while cooking.

Storing

Once cool, store them in an air-tight container in your fridge. They should last 2-3 weeks and are nice to have on hand when you want to add some crunch or smokiness to soups, salads, veggies, and more.

Ideas for Use

These vegan bacon crumbles make the perfect topping for so many of your favorite foods. Try adding them to your next salad for some extra crunch, or make these while the potatoes are in the oven for a topping at your baked potato bar. They’re delicious on soups and chowders and also add a nice smoky flavor to pasta dishes. Next time you make a vegan omelet, breakfast pizza, or even avocado toast, you could also use them! They add a ton of flavor to sandwiches, wraps, and burgers, as well.

There’s really no compromise when it comes to vegan cooking.  It’s better for us, for the animals, and for our environment, so make this family-favorite, crowd-pleasing casserole and share it with the people you love – whether they’re vegan or not! 

If you make this recipe, let me know!  Please leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and be sure to tag me.  And, make sure to follow MNVegHead on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

Lots of love, Allison

Recipe Inspiration

This recipe was inspired by the TVP Bac’n Bits recipe from the Make it Vegan cookbook by Ashley Hankins. This is my favorite vegan cookbook to date. If you’re looking to incorporate more vegan recipes into your routine, Ashley, aka “Eat Figs Not Pigs” is an excellent follow on Instagram and also has an amazing blog with tons of free recipes.

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