Listen, I am well aware that most people’s first thought when they hear about the existence of Vegan Carrot Bacon is a befuddled “…why?”. But hear me out—this stuff is smoky, crispy, and packed with that salty flavor that makes the “real thing” so addictive in the first place. Plus, it’s way healthier than actual bacon and perfect for so many dishes – slap it on a vegan BLT for lunch, next to some vegan eggs for breakfast, or straight to the taste buds for an easy snack. If you’ve never tried making crispy carrot bacon before, now is the perfect time to start.
For another plant-based bacon alternative, try this easy Tempeh Bacon.
For more vegan breakfast recipes, try this Vegan Breakfast Sausage, or Just Egg Quiche.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients – Carrots, oil, liquid smoke, and spices. That’s all you need to make this easy recipe.
- Leave the cholesterol behind – Even if you indulge in the real stuff every once in a while, your arteries will thank you for giving this carrot bacon a try.
- Versatile – Crumble this bacon on top of your salads, toss it in a sandwich, or eat it solo – you’ll start finding uses for this bacon in your every day life once you taste how good it is.
Ingredients
- Carrots – Wide, chonky (yes, chonky) carrots work best for this recipe.
- Soy sauce – Sub for liquid aminos or tamari to suit your dietary needs.
- Toasted sesame oil – Sesame oil adds some lovely flavor, but you can sub olive oil, avocado oil, or any other neutral-flavored oil.
- Liquid smoke – This comes in many varieties. I prefer the hickory flavor, but any liquid smoke will do.
- Pure maple syrup – Adds a touch of sweetness reminiscent of traditional bacon. Make sure to use the real stuff, as the pancake syrup tends to burn easily.
- Spices – Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper.
- Optional: A sprinkle of salt for finishing.
Helpful Equipment
In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:
- Vegetable peeler or mandolin
- Large, flat bowl or dish (glass storage containers work great)
- Tongs
- Baking sheet with a cooling rack
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
How to Make
This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grab your large carrots, scrub them clean, then peel them into thin slices using a vegetable peeler—this is your “bacon.” More pressure on the peeler will result in thicker bacon. Try to keep the thickness uniform to prevent burning.
In a large, flat bowl or dish, mix the soy sauce, liquid smoke, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, and the spices (not the salt). This is your marinade. Lay the carrot strips in the marinade give the dish a good jostle or use a pastry brush to brush the marinade over all of the carrot slices. Let the slices soak for 15-30 minutes to soak up all that smoky goodness.
Place carrots on a baking rack over a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper (tongs are very helpful for this). You don’t have to line your baking sheet, but it makes clean up much easier.
Bake the carrots at 350°F for 5-8 minutes. Carefully flip each strip, then bake them another 5-6 minutes until they’re golden brown and crispy.
Let them cool on the cooling rack. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
That’s it! Enjoy!
How to Serve/Variations
- Pile it onto a vegan BLT with vegan mayo for an actual good sandwich.
- Chop it up into vegan bacon bits and sprinkle on everything from tofu scramble to salads.
- Wrap around asparagus or baby carrots and roast for bacon-wrapped carrots.
- Want it sweeter? Add a touch of agave or extra maple syrup.
- Swap soy sauce for coconut aminos if you’re soy-free.
How to Store
- Room Temperature: If you don’t eat it all immediately (impressive self-control), store leftover vegan carrot bacon in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two.
- Fridge: Leftovers will last 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Reheat: Pop into the air fryer or back in the oven at 325°F for a few minutes until crispy.
More Tips
- Not Vegan? You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy this version of crispy bacon!
- Oil-free? If you want a healthier alternative, skip the oil and just use vegetable stock in the marinade.
- Trying this in an air fryer? Air fry in a single layer at 325°F for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Want it extra crispy? Try cooking in a large skillet over medium heat instead.
FAQ:
Technically…sure. I imagine baby carrots will be harder to slice safely, but if you are okay with smaller pieces of bacon instead of the long strips, go for it!
Pop them back in the oven or air fryer at 325°Ffor a few minutes until crispy again.
You can, but it won’t be as crispy when you reheat. If you must, freeze it in an airtight container and reheat in the oven or skillet to bring it back to life.
Vegan Carrot Bacon
Equipment
- Vegetable peeler (or mandolin)
- Glass storage container (or other large, flat dish)
- Aluminum foil (or parchment paper)
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1-2 large carrots
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Salt for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Wash, peel carrots into wide, thick strips using a vegetable peeler or mandolin.
- Mix all ingredients except salt into a large, flat bowl (a glass storage container works great).
- Lay the carrot strips into the dish with the marinade. Use a pastry brush to ensure all strips are coated in the marinade. Let soak 15 – 30 minutes
- Lay marinated carrot strips on a baking rack over a lined baking tray.
- Cook for 5-8 minutes at 350°F. Flip then cook 5-6 minutes more until they are wavy and golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on the cooling rack. The carrots will continue to crisp as they cool.
- That's it! Enjoy!
Notes
More Tips
- Not Vegan? You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy this version of crispy bacon!
- Oil-free? If you want a healthier alternative, skip the oil and just use vegetable stock in the marinade.
- Trying this in an air fryer? Air fry in a single layer at 325°F for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Nutrition
Please note, while all ingredients used in this recipe have been verified to be vegan and free of applicable allergens at the time of recipe creation, different brands may differ in their ingredients or processing procedures and may change their ingredients at any time. For some recipes, I do include ingredients that are processed in a facility that processes other allergens. Please make sure to check the ingredients and processing procedures for your specific purchases to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
This hits all the *bacon* parts of the brain without having to eat bacon! SO smoky and delicious.