Vegan Bacon Bits

Plant based TVP gives my vegan bacon bits their satisfyingly meaty texture while a quick flash in the oven creates that crispy finish! Savory soy sauce and garlic powder add an umami flavor while liquid smoke and smoked paprika create a perfectly smokey bacon flavor. 

If you’re anything like me, fluffy baked potatoes and steaming bowls of creamy soup are hardly complete without a shower of salty, crunchy, bacon-y bits on top. 

Sure you could pick up a bottle of imitation bacon bits from the grocery store, or simply chop up a cooked slice of your favorite vegan bacon. 

However, I’ve found that nothing beats a fresh batch of my homemade vegan bacon bits. I use crumbled TVP–textured vegetable protein–generously coated in my own special smoky, salty, and savory seasoning blend. 

These bacon bits are so good, I even designed my vegan sloppy joe recipe to showcase them. Of course they’re good in or on just about anything though. Shower them atop a batch of Vegan Jalapeno Poppers, sprinkle over a bowl of Baked Potato Soup, or heck, eat them by the palmful! 

In my house, there’s no wrong way to eat (vegan!) bacon.  

Ingredients for Vegan Bacon Bits 

• Soy sauce – Use whatever type you like best. Regular soy sauce is my go-to, but low-sodium soy sauce works just fine. Or, use gluten free tamari soy sauce if you want a GF option. 
• Liquid smoke – A pungent ingredient made by condensing real wood smoke into a concentrated, liquid form. This is the ingredient that will give your bacon bits that truly balcony flavor and aroma. Measure carefully with this stuff though, it is strong and can easily overpower if not handled with care.
• Water – Since TVP is a dried ingredient, we need a bit of liquid to wake things up and create that crispy yet chewy texture. 
• Maple syrup – Many real bacon bits are cured with sugar, so I like to add maple syrup here to mimic that sweetness and also, who doesn’t love the taste of sweet maple plus the smoky flavor of bacon?
• Garlic powder + Smoked paprika – Garlic adds a savory flavor while smoked paprika imparts additional smokiness and a slight peppery bite.
• Textured vegetable protein – Made from soy protein, TVP is a dehydrated product that has a flaky or crumbly texture. It is highly absorbent–which makes it perfect for absorbing flavors! If it’s not available at your regular grocery store, you can usually find it at most health food stores or online.