This recipe is sponsored by EZ Tofu Press. All opinions are 100% my own.
Balsamic Tofu Bacon is sweet, smoky, salty, and delicious anywhere that you'd use bacon. Serve it up as slices alongside a tofu scramble, stuffed into a breakfast sandwich, or diced up over a salad.
Balsamic Tofu Bacon - Baked or Air Fried
This recipe is super duper easy. Get your tofu pressing in your EZ Tofu Press, then slice it into thin pieces.
While the tofu is pressing, whip up that super easy, 6-ingredient marinade. Marinate, bake (or air fry), and devour!
More Vegan Bacon Goodness: 15 DELICIOUS WAYS TO MAKE THE BEST VEGAN BACON
There are really three keys to this recipe:
- Slice your tofu nice and thin. I'm talking about 1/4" slices. Thicker slices will still work, but you may need to cook your bacon for longer to get it nice and firm.
- Press your tofu. Pressing the water out helps you get a more toothsome tofu bacon. It also makes room for that tasty marinade to soak in. I like to press my tofu in my EZ Tofu Press because it's quick, easy, and even. The better you press, the better your results will be.
Speaking of marinating...
- Marinate! Don't skimp on the marinating time. That full 30 minutes will yield the most flavorful results.
Once the tofu is marinated, just throw it into the oven or the air fryer, and you'll be munching on Balsamic Tofu Bacon before you know it!
Actually, don't just throw it in. Remove it from the marinade, and either spread it on a baking sheet or put it gently into your air fryer basket.
Where to Use Your Vegan Bacon
You can really use this anywhere that you want to add the smoky-sweet, salty power of bacon.
I love it piled onto a vegan BLT with vegan mayo, like in the photo above. You can also add it to other sandwiches and wraps for a flavor and protein boost.
Dice up your tofu bacon and sprinkle it over salads or onto creamy soups.
You can also serve this on up its own. Maybe next to a good old tofu scramble or cheesy grits casserole?
Balsamic Tofu Bacon
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 block tofu - pressed and sliced into 1/4" thick pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, liquid smoke, olive oil, and garlic powder.
- Arrange the tofu in a shallow dish with a lid. Pour on the marinade, and marinate for 30 minutes.
Oven Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a non-stick or oiled baking sheet. Make sure that before you put the tofu on the baking sheet, you let the excess marinade drip off. Extra marinade in the pan will give you soggy bacon. Bake 35-45 minutes, flipping halfway. Your tofu bacon is ready when it's mostly crispy - thicker pieces will take longer to cook. Some soft spots are OK.
Air Fryer Directions
- Transfer the tofu to your air fryer basket. Air fry for 18-22 minutes at 400F minutes, shaking gently every 5 minutes or so. Your tofu bacon is ready when it's mostly crispy. Some soft spots are OK.
Notes
- Cooking time is estimated - it's right in between the minimum air fry time and minimum baking time.
- The calorie calculation includes the optional olive oil.
Amy
I tried it and Loved it - thank you!
So much better than carrot bacon or eggplant bacon (IMO).
We devoured the first block, so next time I'm going to add tofu bacon to Spring Rolls (my favorite comfort food).
lena pfeffer
i'm curious. is liquid smoke healthy for you? everything i read says no. can it be left out?
Becky Striepe
You can, but it won’t have that smoky bacon flavor. Try using 1/2tsp of mild chipotle chili powder instead.
Mary Ellen @ VNutrition
Girl, you know how to tofu right! Very excited to try this. I haven't used my air fryer in a while (scandalous, I know) but I'll dust that thing off and make this for sure!
Becky Striepe
Aah you must pull out your air fryer again! So ideal for someone as busy as you are.
Sarah De la Cruz
I love making bacon! Tofu has been on my list to experiment with! Can't wait to try this—perfect in a BLT sandwich!!!
Becky Striepe
Yes, totally! I can’t wait for you to try it, Sarah!
Dianne
I can think of about a million dishes I'd like to add this to: sandwiches, salads, pizzas, even pasta! I think I need to get cooking!
Becky Striepe
Ooh pizza!!