Name: Veggie Bacon Bits (Made with TVP)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 cup textured vegetable protein ((TVP)); ¾ cup vegetable broth; 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon smoked salt ((or regular salt with a drop of liquid smoke))

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Learn how to make veggie bacon bits at home using TVP! These smoky, salty bacon bits are easy to make and create a delicious topping for Caesar salad, tofu scramble, baked potatoes and other classic vegan recipes.

Skip the imitation bacon bits and make your own homemade bacon crumble. Its crisp yet chewy texture is way better than anything you could buy in store!

A jar of veggie bacon bits sits on its edge on an oval wood board with lots of bacon bits spilling out of jar, all over the wood board. Two slices of lemon are on the board to the back right. Behing the wood board is a square wood bowl filled with tossed Caesar salad sitting on a folded light brown towel.

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Are TVP Bacon Bits Vegan?

TVP bacon bits are often vegan. TVP stands for textured vegetable protein and is made from defatted soy flour. This is the ingredient commonly used to make imitation bacon bits that are sold at grocery stores.

It surprises a lot of people that imitation bacon bits are typically vegan. However, they don’t taste that great (a matter of opinion, of course). Since making homemade veggie bacon bits is so simple, why not enjoy the crisp and chewy result!

Medium blue plate topped with a baked potato cut in half and topped with Caesar salad dressing, chopped green onion and lots of veggie bacon bits with the green onion and bacon bits sprinkled all over plate. A jar of bacon bits sits slightly blurred to the back left while a white plate with a whole baked potato topped in the same way sits blurred to the back right.

Veggie Bacon Bits Ingredients

Ingredients for this recipe are easy to find except (possibly) smoked salt. I buy smoked salt at a bulk food store, but it’s also simple to purchase online.

I use smoked salt and smoked paprika to create delicious bacon flavor in this vegan recipe. If you can’t find smoked salt, or don’t want to buy it, a drop of liquid smoke works too.

I don’t enjoy the taste of liquid smoke and have found the combo of smoked paprika and smoked salt provides plenty of flavor!

Textured vegetable protein (TVP): This is the base ingredient for these veggie bacon bits. It’s an ingredient that cooks super quickly and offers plenty of plant-based protein.
Vegetable broth: You need to hydrate dried TVP with liquid before eating it. I like to use vegetable broth for some extra flavor, but you can use water if you prefer.
Soy sauce: To give these TVP bacon bits saltiness, depth of flavor and some darker “meaty” color, soy sauce is an essential ingredient. I found that a low sodium soy sauce provides more than enough salt. Keep this recipe gluten free with tamari instead (I often switch between soy sauce and tamari!).
Vegetable oil: TVP is a dry ingredient, so some oil adds moisture and keeps the bacon bits crispy without being dry. Oil also helps replicate the fat content of bacon, a main reason people like it so much (fat brings flavor and satisfaction to pretty much any food).
Nutritional yeast: For flavor (and nutrition) some nutritional yeast makes a great addition to this recipe.
Maple syrup: Balance the heavy smoky and salty flavors with some sweetness from maple syrup!
Smoked paprika: I don’t like liquid smoke, so plenty of delicious smoked paprika brings smoky bacon flavor to this recipe.
Smoked salt: This is the perfect ingredient to recreate bacon flavor; I keep smoked salt on hand almost exclusively for making bacon bits. You can substitute it for a drop of liquid smoke and regular salt.

Top view of an arrangement of ingredients in glass bowls or jars on white-grey marble. From top left, working right then down: TVP, vegetable oil. vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, soy sauce, paprika and salt in same dish.

How to Make TVP Bacon Bits

This recipe is quite simple to make. While it takes some time to bake, the work required is minimal!

Step 1: Prep Bacon Bits

TVP is a dehydrated food, so the first step is to fully rehydrate it. Rather than rehydrating with plain water, I like to add spices and flavoring to dry TVP before heating (to rehydrate).

This allows for the best flavor as the TVP can absorb spices rather than simply coating the outside.

To prep the TVP, place it into a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl. Add all the other ingredients and stir so the TVP is evenly coated with all that flavor!

Glass bowl filled with uncooked TVP that is being stirred with some clumps of red and orange spices and lots of liquid visible around the edges and in the bottom of the bowl. A hand holds the right side of bowl while another hand holds a spoon in the TVP at the top-center of image.

Then, microwave your TVP for about 1 minute. Stir the TVP and microwave for another minute.

At this point most liquid should be absorbed. If it’s not, let the TVP sit for a few minutes to finish absorbing the liquid. Make sure there’s no liquid left in the bowl before moving on.

If you don’t have a microwave, warm the TVP in a small pot over medium heat. Stir regularly until it’s completely absorbed the liquid.

Hand holding spoon is stirring prepped TVP bacon bits; the spoon is holding the TVP to the top center of bowl so the bottom is visible and there's no liquid in bowl. A second hand holds the glass bowl on the right side.

Step 2: Bake and Serve

Preheat your oven to 350 °F and prep a baking tray by covering with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

When the TVP has fully absorbed the liquid, spread in a thin layer over the baking tray.

Bake for 30 minutes, tossing your TVP bacon bits around on the pan every 10 minutes. I set a timer for 10-minute intervals so I don’t forget.

Top view of raw TVP bacon bits being spread out onto a silicon mat on a baking tray. A hand holding a spoon is blurred in motion in the center of the image.

When you remove the bacon bits from your oven, allow them to cool for at least a few minutes. They crisp more as they cool.

Serve over vegan Caesar salad, tofu scramble, in a breakfast burrito, on a baked potato or top some vegan mac and cheese. These delicious crumbles add so much flavor to anything you toss them on!

Hand hovers over a grey-blue plate and is sprinkling bacon bits onto a baked potato half that is topped with Caesar dressing and chopped green onion (a second potato half sits on the plate too). The plate is on a light brown towel with a jar of bacon bits to the back left with a jar of creamy dressing to the back right and small wood dish of green onion to the front right.

How to Create a Balanced Vegan Meal

A balanced meal should ideally contain a good source of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and lots of veggies and/ or fruits.

TVP is essentially pure protein, so it can help boost protein intake in any meal you toss these crumbles on. This recipe also provides some healthy fats (from the vegetable oil).

Keep in mind this recipe is higher in salt and is meant to be a garnish rather than the main source of protein in a meal. They’re a great way to boost flavor in so many meals!

Small jar of TVP bacon bits sitting on an oval wood board along with two slices of lemon to the left and a square wood bowl of tossed Caesar salad topped with bacon bits behind the jar.

How to Store Leftover TVP Bacon Crumbles

Cool leftover bacon bits (on your baking tray) before transferring to an airtight container or jar. They need to be refrigerated and should last up to a week.

I’ve never reheated bacon bits because I think they’re fine cold, but they should be okay to microwave or reheat in the oven if you like.

Baked potato on round white plate, with a cut down the center of the potato and topped with creamy, white colored sauce (Caesar dressing), chopped green onion and bacon bits. The bacon bits and green onion are spilled over the potato all over the plate. Blurred jar of bacon bits and small wood bowl of chopped green onion blurred in back left of image.

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Square cropped image of a jar of veggie bacon bits sits on its edge on an oval wood board with lots of bacon bits spilling out of jar, all over the wood board. Two slices of lemon are on the board to the back right.

Veggie Bacon Bits (Made with TVP)

These TVP bacon bits are packed with smoky, salty flavor and are the perfect vegan replacement for bacon bits. Easy to make and can be gluten free!

5 from 1 vote. Leave a review!

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Servings Servings

Calories 89 kcal

Cuisine Vegan

Equipment

Medium sized mixing bowl
Baking tray
Silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)

Ingredients

1 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)
¾ cup vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon smoked salt (or regular salt with a drop of liquid smoke)

Instructions

Step 1: Prep Bacon Bits

Add all ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
1 cup textured vegetable protein, ¾ cup vegetable broth, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon smoked salt
Stir until the TVP is well coated with spices and sauces.
Place in the microwave and cook for 1 minute on the highest setting. At this point, the TVP should have completely absorbed all liquid; if not, continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until no liquid remains.

Step 2: Bake and Serve

Prep a baking tray by covering it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Spread the TVP across your baking tray in an even layer, as thin as possible.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350 °F for 30 minutes. Remove the bacon bits every 10 minutes to toss around and allow for even cooking.
The bacon bits should be mostly crisp when they’re done (they continue to crisp slightly as they cool).
Let the bacon bits cool completely on your baking tray before serving.
Refrigerate in an airtight jar or container for up to a week.

Video

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving (¼ of recipe)Calories: 89 kcalCarbohydrates: 7 gProtein: 8 gFat: 4 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2 gMonounsaturated Fat: 2 gSodium: 512 mgPotassium: 383 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 3 gVitamin A: 313 IUCalcium: 39 mgIron: 1 mg

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