Vegan bacon is widely available, and it’s also easy to make at home. You have strong reasons to choose it over traditional pig-based bacon.
What’s Wrong with Bacon?
Smoky, chewy, and full of flavor, no meat receives more hype than bacon. Unfortunately, bacon is among the world’s most terrible foods when it comes to health, the environment, and animal cruelty. Because it’s a cured meat, bacon is heavily associated with colon cancer. Pig farms are infamous for polluting local wells and rivers. And bacon is commonly produced by farms that subject their pigs to appalling conditions. Vegan alternatives let you enjoy bacon’s unique flavors without causing environmental damage or animal cruelty, and without suffering health risks.
While some veggieburgers and vegan sausages taste indistinguishable from their meat counterparts, no vegan bacon product is yet in this league. Today’s offerings are a “generation 1” sort of alternative. They won’t fool anybody, but they will give you the crispy-chewy texture, the fatty mouthfeel, and the fried smokiness that people crave.
You can make a delicious meat-free bacon substitute from scratch in your kitchen. Plus, there are a number of excellent vegan brands sold at natural food stores and better supermarkets. So let’s review the best bacon replacements.
Making Vegan Bacon at Home
Believe it or not, there is an entire cookbook devoted to vegan bacon: Baconish, by Leinana Two Moons. This cookbook features every imaginable sort of bacon recipe, with main ingredients ranging from carrots to eggplant to coconut to chickpeas. Leinana’s book also offers a fantastic assortment of bacon-oriented breakfasts, sandwiches, and main dishes. Baconish is a must-purchase for any bacon lover seeking a satisfying replacement.
Also, here’s a quick and easy vegan bacon recipe put out by the Plant-Based Bistro, along with an accompanying video.
Vegan Bacon Brands
Every good natural foods store carries at least one brand of vegan bacon. Here are some top products:
- Lightlife: Smart Bacon
- THIS: Isn’t Streaky Bacon (UK only)
- Thrilling Foods: Bakon
- Upton’s Naturals: Bacon Seitan
Other Bacon-Style Products
- All Y’alls Foods: Big Crunchy Vegan Bacon Bits (Amazon.com link)
- Fresh Gourmet: Bacon-Less Bits (Amazon.com link)
- Louisville Jerky Co.: Maple Bacon (jerky style)
To sum up today’s vegan bacon situation, you already have a number of exciting options. And given that well-funded vegan food companies are spending heavily on R&D, this product category has a remarkably bright future. Expect the release of new and impressive bacon alternatives in the coming years.
