This coconut bacon features wide strips of coconut that are infused with a smoky flavor. Sprinkle on your favorite salad or sandwich for the perfect meal!
We’re not about to bash bacon. Bacon has a intoxicating smoky flavor that adds a unique intensity to everything from salads to gourmet doughnuts. And it’s darn good. Since we eat about 90% mostly whole food plant based (WFPB), we do allow ourselves a bit of bacon every once in a while. But most of what we cook at home is vegetarian and vegan. And it’s incredibly hard to imitate that unique flavor that bacon can add to a dish. Enter: coconut bacon!
What’s coconut bacon?
Enter: homemade coconut bacon. It might sound a little odd: coconut that tastes like bacon? But after experimenting with this concept, Alex and I agree it is definitely worth making! Wide strips of coconut are infused with a spicy, smoky flavor that both crisps in the oven and maintains intermittent chewy parts, reminiscent of the crispy and fatty texture of bacon.
While its shape and size are not a substitute for bacon strips on a breakfast plate or in a BLT, it works perfectly sprinkled in a salad or on one of those fancy gourmet doughnuts. Oh, and for snacking. (Pop them in the freezer for a quick fix of smoky, salty goodness; they thaw in a few seconds.)
The ingredients you’ll need
Making vegetarian bacon is a surprisingly straightforward process and requires only a handful of ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Unsweetened large coconut flakes. Do not use shredded coconut! It won’t give you the right consistency. Double check that your coconut flakes large are unsweetened.
- Olive oil
- Sriracha hot sauce
- Soy sauce (or liquid aminos for soy free)
- Liquid smoke This one’s required! There’s no good substitute for liquid smoke, but it’s fairly easy to find at the grocery store and online.
How to make coconut bacon
Coconut bacon couldn’t be simpler! You’ll need 20 minutes of total time, plus the time it takes to preheat your oven. Here’s how to make coconut bacon:
- Stir: Gently stir together the coconut strips with olive oil, Sriracha hot sauce, soy sauce, and liquid smoke.
- Bake: Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes, stirring halfway through. Coconut burns quite easily, so you’ll need to keep an eye on your vegetarian bacon near the end of the cook time.
- Cool. The coconut bacon will continue to crisp up as it cools, so don’t worry if it’s not perfectly crunchy when you pull it out of the oven.
How to store it (to keep it crispy)!
After your coconut bacon is cooled, you can enjoy it right away! Here’s a trick to keep leftovers crispy. Store leftover vegan bacon the freezer! Yes, place it in a sealed plastic bag or container and pop it in the freezer. This keeps the bacon crisp, and it comes back to room temperature right when you take it out!
Other ways to make vegan bacon
There are a few other ways to make vegan bacon outside of using coconut! Here are our other favorite methods:
- Shiitake bacon. Use shiitake mushrooms to make smoky, salty bacon! It’s perfect as a garnish for soups and salads, much like coconut bacon.
- Tempeh bacon. Use soy-based tempeh as a canvas for your bacon. This one is protein packed and great for BLTs and alongside scrambles.
This coconut bacon recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan / plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
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How to Make Coconut Bacon
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 19 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
This coconut bacon features wide strips of coconut that are infused with a smoky flavor. Sprinkle on your favorite salad or sandwich for the perfect meal!
Ingredients
- 2 cups large unsweetened coconut flakes (not shredded coconut)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce (or liquid aminos)
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, gently mix all ingredients until the coconut is coated.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread the coconut in a thin, even layer on top. Bake 10 to 14 minutes, stirring once and flipping the pan halfway through, watching carefully towards the end of the cooking time to ensure that it doesn’t burn. Remove when bacon is just browned.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet; the bacon will crisp up as it cools. Eat immediately, or store leftovers in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer (this keeps the bacon crisp, and it comes back to room temperature quickly).
Notes
Inspired by Cookie and Kate
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: coconut bacon
Looking for more easy vegetarian recipes?
- Vegetarian Cobb Salad
- Vegan BLT
- Classic Vegetarian Chili
- Refried Bean Tacos
- Chickpea Veggie Burger
- BBQ Soy Curls
- Crispy Portobello Mushroom Bacon
Last updated: December 2019
i am lucky to have a vegan food truck that makes and sells wicked coconut bacon. I am in no way a vegetarian but don’t think eating meat all day everyday is good for anyone so this stuff is just the ticket. I love it sprinkled on some crunchy slaw in a wrap for lunch on the go. Just don’t add the coconut bacon till the last minute- you want crunchy not soggy! Might have to give it a try myself now with this fab recipe.
Ever since I saw Kathryn’s recipe for coconut bacon, I’ve been intrigued. Now you’ve inspired me to give this a try!
I just learned about coconut bacon this weekend and I’m so intrigued by it! I love bacon and coconut so I’m sure I will double-love this. :)
Oooh I really like your recipe here! I’ve seen a lot of variations of coconut bacon but it’s usually a tamari + maple syrup + paprika combo of some sort. This is very original!
So excited to see what you guys do with this! Definitely something I’m going to try out. Your recipes bring out the vegetarian side of me!!
Oh my sweet goodness. Coconut Bacon? Why hasn’t anyone thought of this sooner. Simply genius!! Pinning. :)
I’m not vegetarian but I’m down to try anything bacon inspired.
I love coconut. I love bacon. To discover that they can become one? THIS I need to eat.
This is so awesome! I love those coconut chips marketed as “hippie snacks” and these look just like them only a different flavor. Im not a vegetarian and I love my bacon, but this looks awesome in its own right.
What if you used bacon grease instead of soy sauce?
Then it wouldn’t be vegan