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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes » Savory Vegan Breakfasts

    Vegan Canadian bacon in the air fryer or oven

    Published: May 12, 2022 by Becky Striepe · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Recipe Video Print
    image collage of labeled ingredients and an English-style breakfast on a white plate with vegan Canadian bacon
    English-style breakfast on a white plate with vegan Canadian bacon

    This recipe is sponsored by EZ Tofu Press. All opinions are 100% my own.

    Vegan Canadian bacon is smoky, salty, and slightly sweet. And it's so easy to make! Serve it up in a breakfast sandwich, and English-style breakfast, or anywhere else that you'd use conventional Canadian bacon.

    English-style breakfast on a white plate with vegan Canadian bacon
    Jump to:
    • Recipe notes
    • What is Canadian bacon?
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage directions
    • 📖 Recipe

    Recipe notes

    This recipe is super duper easy. Get your tofu pressing, then slice it into thin, square pieces.

    While the tofu is pressing, whip up that super easy, 6-ingredient marinade. Marinate, bake or air fry, and devour!

    pressing the tofu with the EZ Tofu Press

    There are really three keys to this recipe:

    1. 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.
    2. Slice it nice and thin. I'm talking about ¼" slices. Thicker slices will still work, but you may need to cook your bacon for longer to get it nice and firm.
    3. 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 veggie Canadian 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 in a single layer.

    tofu and flavorings in containers on a table, labeled with text

    That single layer is important, so your vegan Canadian bacon will cook evenly.

    What is Canadian bacon?

    Canadian bacon is actually more like ham than it is like American bacon. The slices are thicker, and it has a milder flavor.

    It still has the flavor elements of bacon -- smoky, salty, sweet -- but the texture is a bit thicker and chewier, rather than crunchy. It's less fatty than American bacon, which is why it's less crunchy.

    This recipe uses tofu to achieve that chewy texture and a marinade with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and liquid smoke to impart that bacony flavor.

    You're probably most used to seeing Canadian bacon cut into rounds. I left my tofu pieces square, so none would go to waste. But you can certainly use a knife to round the corners of your vegan version!

    process collage showing slicing the tofu, marinating it, laying it on the baking sheet, and a serving suggestion

    Serving suggestions

    You can really use this veggie bacon anywhere that you want to add the smoky-sweet, salty power of Canadian bacon:

    • Add it to a vegan breakfast sandwich.
    • Serve it with vegan baked beans, fried tomato and mushrooms, vegan sausage, etc for an English-style breakfast.
    • Pair it up with a tofu scramble.
    • Use leftovers as cold cuts in a sandwich for lunch.

    Anywhere you'd use conventional Canadian bacon, this vegan Canadian bacon works like a charm!

    Storage directions

    Store leftovers in an airtight container, where it will keep for three to four days.

    You can serve leftovers cold or warm them up in the oven, air fryer, microwave, or in a frying pan.

    📖 Recipe

    English-style breakfast on a white plate with vegan Canadian bacon

    Vegan Canadian Bacon Recipe

    Vegan Canadian bacon is smoky, salty, and slightly sweet. And it's so easy to make! Serve it up in a breakfast sandwich, an English-style breakfast, or anywhere else that you'd use conventional Canadian bacon.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: tofu bacon, vegan Canadian bacon
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Marinating Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 6
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • ¼ 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 ¼" thick squares or circles

    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. Pour on the marinade, and marinate for 30 minutes.
    • Air Fryer Directions: Transfer the tofu to your air fryer basket in a single layer. You may need to do 2 batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. Air fry for 18-22 minutes at 400° F minutes, shaking gently every 5 minutes or so. Your vegan Canadian bacon is ready when it's super firm and a little crispy on the edges. Thicker pieces will take longer to cook. If you don't use oil, your edges may not crisp up, so be careful not to overcook.
    • Oven Directions: Preheat the oven to 400° F. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a lined 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 through cooking. It's ready when it's super firm and a little crispy on the edges. Thicker pieces will take longer to cook. If you don't use oil, your edges may not crisp up, so be careful not to overcook.

    Equipment

    • EZ Tofu Press
    • Air Fryer optional

    Video

    Notes

    Cooking time uses the air fryer time. Cooking this in the oven will take a bit longer.
    The calorie calculation includes the optional olive oil.
    Store leftovers in an airtight container, where they will keep for 3-4 days.
    You can serve leftovers cold or warm them up in the oven, air fryer, microwave, or in a frying pan.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Canadian Bacon Recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    95
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    5
    g
    8
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    5
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Sodium
     
    555
    mg
    23
    %
    Potassium
     
    36
    mg
    1
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    5
    g
    2
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    7
    g
    14
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    0.01
    mg
    0
    %
    Calcium
     
    87
    mg
    9
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Holly

      October 23, 2022 at 10:50 pm

      Can this be frozen to be saved for longer?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        October 24, 2022 at 1:37 pm

        I wouldn't recommend freezing. Tofu's texture changes quite a bit when you freeze it, and I'm not sure how that would impact the results when you thaw.

        Reply
    2. Pamela

      March 08, 2022 at 11:04 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious and yummy I can't stop eating my tofu bacon! Thank you for positing this easy recipe

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        March 10, 2022 at 6:27 am

        You are so welcome! I'm glad you love it as much as I do!

        Reply
    3. Amy

      April 13, 2018 at 7:54 pm

      5 stars
      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).

      Reply
    4. lena pfeffer

      April 06, 2018 at 4:25 pm

      i'm curious. is liquid smoke healthy for you? everything i read says no. can it be left out?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 06, 2018 at 5:13 pm

        You can, but it won’t have that smoky bacon flavor. Try using 1/2tsp of mild chipotle chili powder instead.

        Reply
    5. Mary Ellen @ VNutrition

      April 06, 2018 at 7:27 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 06, 2018 at 8:52 am

        Aah you must pull out your air fryer again! So ideal for someone as busy as you are.

        Reply
    6. Sarah De la Cruz

      April 02, 2018 at 8:06 pm

      I love making bacon! Tofu has been on my list to experiment with! Can't wait to try this—perfect in a BLT sandwich!!!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 02, 2018 at 8:58 pm

        Yes, totally! I can’t wait for you to try it, Sarah!

        Reply
    7. Dianne

      April 02, 2018 at 11:09 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 02, 2018 at 8:58 pm

        Ooh pizza!!

        Reply

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    About Me

    photo of Becky Striepe
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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