No matter if you’re vegan, vegetarian or just wanting to start cutting down on the amount of bacon you eat, we’ve compiled some of our best tips and tricks on how to make just about any food taste like bacon!
There’s nothing better than that classic bacon smell that so many of us know and love. Not to mention the famously salty, smoky taste! But don’t fret – eating plant-based does not mean missing out on this delicious flavour. Believe it or not, the taste and texture of bacon can be replicated! Giving you that baconny taste without the costs to the planet, animals or your health.
Be clever with your cooking
Slicing different types of vegetables or meat-alternatives thinly will give them the appearance of bacon. However, unless you cook them using the correct method, the taste may not be there.
A great example of this is carrot bacon. If you try cooking thinly sliced carrot in a frying pan, you’ll be left with soft, soggy slices that in no way resemble bacon. Instead, pop them in the air fryer or oven to crisp up and give you that smoky, charred taste!
Another example is tofu bacon. This is a great meat-free bacon alternative, but we strongly recommend cooking this using a frying pan! This will allow the tofu to turn a gorgeous golden brown colour, whilst caramelising the marinade and creating a smoky yet sweet finished product.
Season to perfection
Making food taste like bacon can sometimes be a little hard work, with recipes calling for tonnes of different herbs and spices such as paprika, black pepper, onion powder, nutritional yeast and even things like caramelised sugar which aren’t so easy to come by. These ingredients are however essential to crafting the perfect bacon-y taste, such as paprika which brings the crucial smoky taste and parsley which helps to balance out the flavours.
If these crazy long lists of ingredients sound like a bit of a faff for you, a ready made plant-based alternative such as our Smoky Bacon Flavoured Seasoning may be a better option for you. This is perfect for adding to any food such as fries, pasta or even salad. The possibilities are endless!
Marinade your way to meatless magnificence
Another great method for making vegan or vegetarian food taste like real bacon is by using marinades! Generously coat your food in a rich smoky sauce and leave for 20 minutes (or even better – overnight) before cooking to let your ingredients soak up all those scrumptious bacon flavours before cooking.
One great recipe for a vegan bacon marinade combines maple syrup with vegetable oil, soy sauce, liquid smoke and our very own Maple Bacon and Black Pepper seasoning. Simply coat your meat-free bacon substitute in this sauce and marinade overnight for the best results. Then in the morning, fry or bake your facon to perfection and voila! Bacon sarnies all round!
No matter whether you eat meat, you’re vegetarian or vegan, these different ways of making anything taste like bacon will be sure to put a smile on your face!
Herby x
