01
Sunflower Seeds
5.01/4 cup : 1 cup
Toasted seasoned sunflower seeds make a crunchy bacon-bit topping for salads
5.0
vegan bacon
substitute.
8 vegan substitutes for bacon — top pick Sunflower Seeds at 50% function match.
all substitutes on this page are vegan
top substitutes
02
Mushrooms
2.51 cup : 1 cup
Slice thin, roast until crispy; smoky umami flavor
2.5
03
Tempeh
2.51 slice : 1 slice
Marinate in soy sauce, maple, and liquid smoke then pan-fry for tempeh bacon
2.5
show 5 more substitutes
04
Seitan
2.51 slice : 1 slice
Thin-sliced marinated seitan crisps up; chewier than bacon but same role
2.5
05
Tofu
2.51 slice : 1 slice
Press firm tofu, slice thin, marinate with smoke and maple; crispy plant-based bacon
2.5
06
Jackfruit
2.51 slice : 1 slice
Shredded jackfruit marinated in smoke and soy crisps in the oven for BLTs
2.5
07
Paprika
2.51/2 tsp : 1 tsp
Smoked paprika adds bacon flavor to beans, soups, and sauces without the meat
2.5
08
Eggplant
2.51 slice : 1 slice
Thin eggplant strips with smoke seasoning and maple bake into crispy eggplant bacon
2.5
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Mushrooms: Lacks smoky pork fat richness
watch out
Mushrooms: Cannot achieve bacon's crispy shatter
watch out
Tempeh: Chewier soy-based strip — won't shatter
watch out
Seitan: Chewier than crispy bacon strips
watch out
Tofu: Thinner crisp — won't match bacon's fat snap
watch out
Jackfruit: Chewier and stringier than crispy bacon
watch out
Paprika: Powder only — no meaty strips or fat
watch out
Eggplant: Eggplant strips lack bacon's fatty crunch
watch out
Eggplant: No smoky pork fat flavor without seasoning