Let’s be honest for a moment, being vegan is one of the most fulfilling choices you can make in life but every now and again, we all get a hankering for some bacon.
There’s something about bacon that just makes it one of the most delicious foods and one that’s been totally out of our reach for a long time.
However, we’re now in the age of the impossible burger and vegan cheeses (and we understand that soon there will be some impossible bacon but not in time to make our list) and that means there are plenty of awesome plant-based bacon substitutes to try.
No, none of the vegan bacon brands out there is exactly the same as bacon but they’re more than close enough to put an end to any cravings that you might have had.
Stonewall’s Jerquee Country Bacon 1.5 Ounce (8 Packs)
Stonewall’s does a lot of jerky style meat substitutes and if you enjoy their best vegan bacon you can also find some pastrami, pepperoni, chicken and BBQ beef among other options.
We do feel that this vegetarian bacon is a little expensive, but the drying process does use up a lot of raw material, we guess.
It’s very tasty though and takes a while to chew. It’s completely free of hormones, nitrates, antibiotics and anything else you might associate with meat-based jerky. It's nice with a little soy sauce or sprinkled with onion powder too.
You can find Stonewall’s Jerquee Country Bacon 1.5 Ounce (8 Packs) online.
Louisville Vegan Jerky – Maple Bacon 3 Ounces
Lousiville also offer a vegan jerky which provides a sort of maple grilled bacon taste. They're one of the best vegan bacon brands and we can't recommend their “fake meat” enough.
It’s very nice (it's one of our top picks for breakfast foods) and you’ll find it’s completely free of gluten, cholesterol and trans-fat. Speaking of saturated fat, there’s only 4 grams in every bad and you get plenty of protein (21 grams a bag, to be precise).
It really does remind you of a sweet smokey bacon and we recommend pairing with a nice spicy sriracha to get the most out of it. It even has an almost crispy texture like convention bacon.
We really like it doused in liquid smoke to give it a more smoky flavor and then to combine its meaty texture with a plant based burger or hot dogs.
This product is made completely in Kentucky.
You can find Louisville Vegan Jerky – Maple Bacon 3 Ounces online.
Betty Crocker Bac-Os Bacon Flavor Bits 3.25 Ounces
Another bacon for salads that isn’t actually bacon. But bacon lovers surely won't object to this plant based offering, it's absolutely packed with bacon like mouth feel.
In fact, you may have grown up using these bacon bits from Betty Crocker even when you were a meat eater. They’re made from Soy and they contain just a tiny trace of sugar.
There’s almost no fat in them but they do have a decent kick of protein. We think they're best used in a salad, mind you, rather than as a hearty breakfast companion.
The bright red color is artificial but from a big company – these are actually pretty good. Cool foods, if you like.
You can find Betty Crocker Bac-Os Bacon Flavor Bits 3.25 Ounces on Instacart.
Lightlife Smart Bacon Meatless Veggie Bacon Strips
Now, we, finally, find ourselves with a bacon substitute that you actually cook like bacon! It comes in strips and you grill them for the best flavor. We like to add a little olive oil as we do.
They contain, mainly, soy but they are not gluten-free as textured wheat gluten is needed to give them their texture.
They are certified 100% vegan and non-GMO. And they taste great drizzle with a little bit of vegan maple syrup (and all maple syrup should be vegan).
You can find Lightlife Smart Bacon Meatless Veggie Bacon Strips on Instacart's whole foods markets.
Organic Matters – Vegan Bacon Bits – Original – 2.25 Ounces
These clever creations use coconut oil and coconut as a base and while you can definitely taste the coconut if you eat them straight from the packet, when they’re used to flavor other dishes, they have a very authentic bacon taste.
So, make sure to warn people that it’s not really bacon, before they eat it. They're also soy free which is unusual in plant based vegan bacon. Even the most die hard bacon lovers tend to like these.
You can find Organic Matters – Vegan Bacon Bits – Original – 2.25 Ounces on Fake Meats.
Frontier Bac’Uns Vegetarian Bits – 2.47 Ounces
These simply Bac’Uns are actually a very good way to add vegan bacon flavor to any meal and we really like them on baked potatoes, but you can also pop them in everything from soups to salads.
They contain absolutely no cholesterol and not only are they vegan, they’re also kosher. They help to reduce meat consumption and are completely plant-based bacon.
You can find Frontier Bac’Uns Vegetarian Bits – 2.47 Ounces on Fake Meats.
Searching for vegan bacon recipes to impress your family? Check out our top vegan blogs.
