Vegan Eggplant Bacon
Vegan eggplant bacon is a smoky, salty-sweet plant-based topping made from thin eggplant slices brushed with a marinade of soy sauce, agave syrup, liquid smoke and paprika, then baked until the edges go crispy and golden. It gives you that savory, wood-smoked bacon flavor with none of the pork, and it comes together with pantry staples in about half an hour. If you have been curious about how to make vegan bacon that actually tastes the part, this is one of the easiest ways in.
I don’t think anyone would hold it against you if you said you liked bacon. It is one of the most iconic foods in American cuisine, and I know, you might say that nothing can come close, regarding crispiness and texture, not to mention flavor. I, however, would beg to differ! The best way to get convinced is not to take my words for granted, so if you are following a vegan diet or simply want a less-fattening version of traditional bacon, this eggplant version is the one I keep coming back to.
Why eggplant makes such convincing vegan bacon
Eggplant has a spongy, open flesh that drinks up marinade like almost no other vegetable, so it carries that smoky-sweet sauce all the way through rather than just sitting on the surface. As the slices bake, the water cooks off and the sugars in the agave caramelize at the edges, which is what gives you crisp, chewy, bacon-like strips instead of soft roasted eggplant. The liquid smoke and sweet paprika do the heavy lifting on flavor, standing in for the wood-smoked, cured taste that makes real bacon so recognizable.
The marinade, and what’s in it
Next, you will apply a special marinade sauce that is prevalent in all of my vegan bacon recipes. It leans on a few key players: soy sauce for salt and umami, agave syrup for the sweetness that caramelizes, lemon juice for brightness, and liquid smoke plus sweet paprika for that unmistakable smoked-bacon aroma. Garlic powder, ground cumin and black pepper round it out. You can swap around some of the ingredients for the sauce, but this combination is the one that tastes closest to the real thing to me. If you cannot find liquid smoke, smoked paprika in place of the sweet paprika will get you partway there, though the smokiness will be softer.
Tips for crispy, not soggy, eggplant bacon
- Slice thin and even. Thin slices dry out and crisp; thick ones stay soft in the middle. Aim for slices of the same thickness so they finish baking at the same time.
- Brush with oil first, sauce second. The card has you bake with olive oil for the first 10 minutes, then brush on the marinade and bake again. This lets the eggplant dry out before the sugary sauce goes on, so it caramelizes instead of steaming.
- Watch the last few minutes. The agave means the edges can go from golden to burnt quickly. Pull the tray when the slices look crispy and golden and the edges have curled.
- Single layer, always. Crowded slices trap steam. Give each piece room on the baking paper so the moisture can escape.
What to serve it on
This is a topping, so think of it as the salty, smoky finishing touch rather than the main event. Pile it on avocado toast or a stack of gluten-free vegan pancakes for a savory-sweet breakfast, crumble it over a bowl of vegan red lentil soup, or tuck it into a sandwich with fresh tomato and greens. It is also lovely scattered over a hearty salad like this vegan Olivier salad, where the smoky crunch plays off the creamy dressing.
Storage and make-ahead
Eggplant bacon is at its crispiest straight from the oven, but it keeps for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It will soften as it sits, so if you want the crunch back, warm the slices in a hot oven or a dry pan for a couple of minutes before serving. I would hold off on freezing it, since eggplant tends to turn watery once thawed. If you love cooking with eggplant, you might also enjoy these lentil and eggplant patties or classic stuffed aubergines with garlic sauce.
I definitely recommend that you try this recipe at home, whether you want to get started with vegan cooking or just fancy a less-fattening take on traditional bacon. If you make it, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment telling me how crispy you got your slices and what you piled them on — be sure to tell me which serving idea was your favorite!
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Vegan Eggplant Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
For the marinade:
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp agave syrup
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- ⅓ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin ground
- ¼ tsp black pepper ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- In a jar or bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients until incorporated.
- Layer a baking tray with baking paper.
- Lay on the eggplant slices in a single layer.
- Brush every slice with olive oil and bake for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven.
- Brush every eggplant slice with sauce, using a kitchen brush.
- Place them back in the oven and let cook for about 10 more minutes or until crispy and golden.
- Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Thinly slice an eggplant, lay the slices in a single layer on baking paper, brush with olive oil and bake at 180C for about 10 minutes. Then brush each slice with a marinade of soy sauce, agave syrup, lemon juice, liquid smoke, sweet paprika, garlic powder, cumin and black pepper, and bake for another 10 minutes or so until crispy and golden. The eggplant absorbs the smoky-sweet sauce and crisps at the edges, giving you a bacon-like flavor and texture.
Yes. Every ingredient in this recipe is plant-based: eggplant, olive oil, soy sauce, agave syrup, lemon juice, liquid smoke and dried spices. There is no pork, dairy, egg or honey involved, so it is fully vegan and a good fit for a plant-based diet.
Liquid smoke is what gives this its signature wood-smoked flavor, but if you cannot find it, swap the sweet paprika for smoked paprika to bring in some of that smokiness. The result will be a little milder and less intensely smoky, but still savory and satisfying. A splash of a smoky barbecue-style sauce can also help in a pinch.
Sogginess usually comes from slices that are too thick, slices crowded on the tray, or pulling them out too soon. Cut the eggplant thin and even, keep the pieces in a single layer with room around them, and bake until the edges curl and turn golden. Baking with oil first, before the sugary marinade goes on, also helps the eggplant dry out so it caramelizes rather than steams.
It stays good for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It is crispiest fresh from the oven and will soften as it sits, so reheat the slices in a hot oven or a dry pan for a couple of minutes to bring the crunch back. Freezing is not recommended because eggplant turns watery once thawed.
Treat it as a smoky, salty topping rather than a main dish. It is great on avocado toast, tucked into sandwiches, crumbled over soups and salads, or layered onto a savory breakfast. Anywhere you would want a hit of bacon flavor and a bit of crunch, these eggplant slices fit right in.
So simple and delicious! I’m impressed 🙂
Thank you! 😀
It looks very yummy.
Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe with us.
You’re welcome, I hope you’ll try it! 🙂