Bacon, without the cruelty, cholesterol or fat. It’s all possible with the help of rice paper, that wonderful wrapper used to make fresh spring rolls. In the past I’ve shared a coconut bacon recipe that’s truly phenomenal on baked potatoes and salads. This time I’m sharing a smokier version that’s more “realistic” in regards to the traditional texture and appearance of bacon. The one meat every person I encounter tells me they could never give up to go vegan. Maybe this will make transitioning easier for you, at the very least it’s delicious on veggie burgers or crumbled on twice baked potatoes.
The technique used for this is actually quite easy. You’ll need a cutting board or flat surface that you can cut on and it should also be non-stick. In the photos you can see I’m using a silicone cutting mat. If you do not have one, you can also use your counter top and a sheet of parchment paper. Anything you don’t mind cutting on and nothing wooden, or your rice paper will stick (you can absolutely use a cooking spray to combat this though).
You start by mixing everything to make the marinade. Wet a piece of rice paper and lay it flat onto your work surface. Add a spoonful of marinade and spread it evenly. Top with a second piece of rice paper that’s been soaked in water. You really don’t need to soak until the paper is soft, once you press the two together they will soften completely in a matter of minutes. You can start cutting your slices as soon as the top layer feels soft and slightly sticky. I like to start at the top, press down and slowly move the knife downwards in short bursts. To make sure I’m getting a clean cut through both layers. I’ve also heard that you can use a pizza cutter, but you don’t have as much control that way. I also slightly trim the sides down so the end pieces aren’t rounded, but that’s a totally optional step.
I think this is a great recipe to make in bulk and store in an air-tight container for the week. I’ve read others say that 3-4 days is about all you can keep them for. But I snap them in half and transfer to a sealed mason jar, stored in the freezer. From there I’ll just place a few strips onto my baking sheet and reheat at 350 F for a couple of minutes to bring them back to normal. This way you can eat vegan BLTs any day of the week! If you’re interested in checking out other rice paper bacon recipes, I highly recommend the shiitake version by Mississippi Vegan or the crazy realistic version from Yup It’s Vegan!
Smoky Oil-Free Rice Paper Bacon
Prep
Cook
Total
A cruelty-free, meatless take on bacon. Using rice paper, soaked in a smoky oil-free marinade and baked to crispy perfection!
Ingredients
- 8 sheets of Rice Paper, white or brown
- 2 tbsp Vegan Worcestershire
- 2 tbsp Coconut Aminos
- 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1/2 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2 tsp Liquid Smoke
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Double layer rice paper wet, place on nonstick surface.
- Coat with marinade in between sheets.
- Once softened, use a sharp knife and cut into strips. Pressing down and then dragging the knife for a clean cut.
- Holding each end of the strip, dunk it into the marinade and use your thumb and pointer finger to remove the excess. Dunk and repeat. When wiping off the excess, stay to one side to replicate a line of "fat". Keeping one side of the strip more saturated gives it a chewier texture and the other side stays crispy. If you want an even chewier texture, flip over one side of the rice paper so it's overlapping by 1/4 inch.
- Bake at 375 F for 12-14 minutes on the center rack. Watch carefully, they burn easily. Feel free to sprinkle with salt or nutritional yeast for even more flavor and texture.
- Remove from oven and cool for 1-2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Undercooking is better than over cooking. Otherwise it takes like a "bacon" chip instead of chewy. The ones I slightly pulled on curled on the sides and yielded a chewy texture.
Courses Appetizer, Side
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan, Oil-free
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 4 strips
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 96 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Sodium 339 mg | 14% | |
Total Carbohydrates 21 g | 7% | |
Dietary Fiber 1 g | 4% | |
Sugars 4 g | ||
Protein 2 g | 4% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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Oooo, I can hardly wait to make this! I think my husband will enjoy it! Thanks Margaret!
Can’t wait to hear what you think about it, enjoy! 😀
It’s kind of scary how this really does resemble bacon! Wow! And the possibilities are endless…I’m thinking baked potato topping and BLTs! Thank you for sharing <3
It is, I wouldn’t say the texture and flavor are spot on but pretty close. Closer than most vegan options available that aren’t as healthy. I’m really digging this crumbled over salads and double stacked on veggie burgers. I actually made a BLT with it on my first test and it was honestly the best BLT I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to make it again!
Ooh I’ve been seeing versions of this coming up more frequently in my feed – am keen to try it out. Looks really interesting!
There are quite a few versions available. Hope you give it a try, let me know what you think if you do!
This looks great…when you say double layer rice paper wet, do you mean to dip the rice paper in water first? Thanks ??
Basically, wet a single layer of rice paper and place it on to a non-stick surface and then top it with the marinade and a second layer of wet rice paper. Let them sit until they become tacky and they’re ready to be cut into strips. Hope this helps!
Thanks! That helps a lot ?
Yay, hope you enjoy!
This was delicious! I will definitely be making it all the time. Thanks for the recipe!
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! <3
I think not having oil is a way better solution! I’ve made the ones from Edgy Veg and my god was it salty. 3 tbsp of tamari for the batch, and the oil made the marinade difficult to stick. I’m going to try yours this weekend 😀
Thanks, I really enjoy this method. Hope you enjoy it too!
I’m a little confused by your instructions. Did you wet two pieces of rice paper, soak only the inside with the marinade and then stick them together? You did not put marinade on the outside?
I apologize for the confusion. Yes, I wet a piece of rice paper, laid it down and added a spoonful of marinade and topped it with another wet piece of rice paper. Just to add even more flavor. Then once it’s altogether, I let it fully soften and cut it into strips carefully. Taking each strip and dunking it into the marinade as well. Letting any excess drip off. Hope that helps!
First BLTs on two summers. I may have cooked it too long, but they were so good. Hubs can’t have oil and I’m grateful to you for a recipe without it. 🙌
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for giving my recipe a try!