Vegan Bacon (Low Sodium)

My Vegan Bacon (Low Sodium) is a crispy homemade vegan gluten free bacon that is easy to make. Healthy and perfectly flavoured, this bacon is so tasty and not too salty.

I set out to make the perfect Vegan Bacon that isn’t overly saturated with a too-salty taste. This recipe has less sodium than most vegan bacon recipes out there, but is full of smoky savoury flavour!

My Vegan Bacon (Low Sodium) is a Healthy Choice

This Vegan Bacon (Low Sodium) recipe is a healthy choice, made up of only wholesome pantry ingredients!

The base of this bacon is rice paper, is low in carbohydrate and fat and offers a moderate protein content. Nutritional yeast boosts the vitamins and protein in this recipe, while natural maple syrup gives just a hint of sweet.

The only salt in this recipe comes from the two tablespoons of soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten free option). You can even go down to 1 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce if you like.

This bacon has such a lovely flavour and has much less sodium that meat derived bacon, and much less than store bought vegan bacon! It’s also entirely non-processed and has zero preservatives!

Ingredients in This Recipe

• Rice paper
• Neutral oil
• Soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
• Nutritional yeast
• Liquid smoke
• Maple syrup
• Smoked paprika
• Black pepper

How to Make This Vegan Bacon

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a sheet of parchment paper to a baking sheet.
2. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade in a wide bowl.

3. Cut rice paper into thick strips (you can stack 2 at a time to cut them).

4. Dip one strip into the marinade then stick the other strip to it to fuse the two strips together. Then, dip each side into the marinade (you can use your fingertips to spread around the marinade a bit onto the bacon strips). Place on baking sheet.
5. Repeat with additional rice paper/rice paper strips until the baking sheet is filled.

6. Bake for about 7 to 9 minutes, or until crispy!

Tips for the Perfect Bacon

Be sure not to omit the paprika (preferably you should use smoked paprika) or the maple syrup. They really combine with the liquid smoke to makes the flavour essence of this recipe.

Be prepared that your smoke detector may go off! I find that if my oven is not completely spotless, this vegan bacon will set off the alarm. It does cause a smoky aroma. Be extra sure to set your timer for the oven and do not overcook them or they will burn.

Common Questions

Can I omit the paprika?

The smoked paprika really adds a wonderful savoury flavour to this bacon. You can of course experiment with the marinade flavouring, but the mix in this recipe is perfection!

How long will this bacon last in the fridge?

Once fully cooled, store leftover rice paper bacon in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze this bacon?

I haven’t yet tried freezing this bacon but I wouldn’t it. Likely the rice paper once frozen and thawed will take on a different texture.

My rice paper keeps cracking and won’t cut into strips. Why?

If your rice papers are old they will dry out and crack, making it hard to cut them into strips without shattering. Ensure you have a fresh or recently opened package of rice papers! It makes a world of a difference.

If your rice papers are old and shattering, you can still make this vegan bacon! They just won’t be perfect looking strips. Simply stick together pieces, even if they aren’t uniform. They will meld together when covered in the marinade and cooked.

Looking for more vegan breakfast recipes? Try this bacon along with my 7 Minute Vegan Scrambled Tofu!

7 Minute Vegan Scrambled Tofu