This vegan Eggplant Bacon recipe takes all the flavor and crispiness of bacon and packs it into thinly sliced eggplant! Perfect in your vegetarian breakfast spread, on BLTs, and just generally anytime you’re craving bacon.
When I went vegetarian, there was one craving that would pop up out of the blue, coming at me with full vengeance. I’m talking the bacon cravings.
But in this day and age anything is possible, including the meatless bacon! Which is, of course, what we’re whipping up today.
This vegan bacon uses eggplant as the base. Eggplant is super absorbent and great with smoky flavors, so it’s an obvious pick. Then just brush it with a flavorful spice combo and pop it in either the air fryer (for maximum crispiness) or oven! Boom, bacon.
Ingredients for Eggplant Bacon
Unlike many of the vegan bacon recipes out there, we’re making this Eggplant Bacon without liquid smoke. Instead, we rely on the combined flavors of Worcestershire sauce and smoked paprika!
- Eggplant: The base of our vegan bacon! It’s cut into thin into strips and then loaded with flavor. Most types of eggplant work well here, but we’re going with the classic Italian eggplant.
- Soy sauce: This adds the salty component (sub tamari for a gluten-free option).
- Oil: Olive oil helps to promote that crispy, crunchy texture to simulate bacon.
- Maple syrup: Just a drizzle of sweetness transforms the flavor depth of this eggplant bacon!
- Worcestershire sauce: This brings major umami into the mix. Be sure to use a plant-based Worcestershire, as the traditional sauce has anchovies (I love this one)
- Spices: Finally, a blend of spices like smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin!
How to vegan-ize your bacon
Step 1: Slice Bacon
Slice your eggplant pretty thin (about 1/8 of an inch). I use a mandolin slicer to make this easier!
MANDOLINE SLICER
This tool makes quick and even slicing a breeze!
Step 2: Flavor It Up
Stir together your favor makers and brush them onto the eggplant slices.
Step 3: Cook
You’ve got two options here. You can airfry (my preferred method because it makes them extra crisp) or oven bake.
I think you’re going to love this plant-based bacon! Serve it with these Vegan Breakfast Tacos, or with a big stack of Paleo Banana Pancakes, or even on a Vegetarian Wedge Salad!
Ingredients
- ½ eggplant
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce 15 mL, or tamari for GF option
- 1 Tbsp olive oil 15 mL
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup 15 mL
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven or air fryer to 250°F (121°C). Cut eggplant into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice into long strips resembling bacon (about ⅛ inch thick, a mandolin slicer makes this easier).
- Flavor: In a small bowl, stir to combine all remaining ingredients. Liberally brush onto both sides of eggplant slices.
- Cook: If air frying, place bacon in a single layer in your air fryer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until dry and browned. If baking, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until dry and browned (flip each bacon slice halfway through bacon for even cooking).
- Cool: Allow eggplant bacon to cool slightly. It will continue to crip up as it cooks!
Nutrition Information
Which air fryer is best?
Not sure which air fryer is best? Here are a few of our favorites (complete list of best air fryers here).
Lewis Johnson says
That looks like real bacon. I need to try it.
Sarah says
Yes you do! 😀
Muriel Schintz says
Sarah, what about liquid smoke to flavour the eggplant? What are your thoughts?
Sarah says
That’d be delish! Just use it in moderation 😀
Brittany says
Super mega LOVED it!!!! The kiddos and I tried it this morning for our “bacon” avo toast and it turned out spectacular!!! Easy to make, delicious to taste! Can’t wait to do it again!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Sarah says
So happy to hear it, Brittany! Enjoy! 😀
carolyn says
The mixture tastes like bacon, but the finished product did not.
Charmaine says
So glad I found your website, I just bought my Phillips XXL Airfryer and I cant wait to try this recipe.
Bette says
If cut thin enough it will have the texture and crispiness of bacon. But in my opinion it takes a very strong imagination to think it tastes anything like bacon. I would eliminate some if not all of the salt as the soy sauce contains alot of sodium.
Joyce says
The flavor was tasty, although, to me, the flavor was not like bacon. I cooked it an hour because it did not crisp up, even then. Why do you think that this happened? I used all the sauce. Was that too much?
Sarah Bond says
Hi Joyce! Did you make this in the air fryer or oven?
jenn says
omg this recipe is SO GOOD!
Sarah Bond says
YAY! I’m so happy to hear it, Jenn! 😀
Kathryn says
I cooked some in air fryer and some in the oven. Both acceptable. I think I prefer the oven. Very tasty.