Name: Easy Vegan Mushroom Bacon
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces king oyster mushrooms; 3 tablespoon canola oil; 1 teaspoon real maple syrup; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ((optional))

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Smoky, peppery, and savory – get ready to bring on the smell of mushroom bacon throughout the entire house as it crackles in the oven.

We’re going all plant-based and we’re using our magical plant-based friend: mushrooms.

I am going to be real here: I am a big fan of anything salty and smoky and includes bacon – veggie of course.

This is one of my favorite, easy vegan bacon recipes to pop into a sandwich, munch on as a snack, or to pair with my breakfast tofu scramble.

In this recipe, we’ll be using king oyster mushrooms, also known as trumpet royale. We don’t discriminate mushrooms here, but there’s a reason why I chose to use king oyster mushrooms for bacon.

The Secret Ingredient: King Oyster Mushrooms

King oyster mushrooms are large and tube-like, with a brown top and white, long stalks. The long stalks have the perfect texture and mild flavor to mimic bacon strips when thinly sliced and cooked.

Because king oyster mushrooms are mild in flavor, they are perfect for creating smoky, peppery, and umami flavor profile from the rest of our ingredients.

Additionally, cooking these in the oven will dehydrate the slices of mushroom, firm them up, and get them perfectly crunchy.

So, if you’re missing real bacon but want to stick with going meatless – this will be your new favorite way of getting that.

One whole king oyster mushroom with a knife

There’s No need To Marinade

If you’ve tried other vegan bacon recipes made with tempeh, carrots, or tofu, you might see you need to marinade – which take some time. However, we’re not doing that here.

The smoky-peppery sauce will work its way through when added directly to the mushroom slices.

Crucial Step: Bacon Needs To Cool

After slicing the bacon out oven, it’s crucial to alow them to cool off. I highly recommend getting a cooling rack so the air can move freely ad around the mushroom bacon strips.

Allowing the strips to cool will yield a crispier texture. Otherwise, they will be too soft a bit soggy. If you don’t have a cooling rack, just let them air out on the baking tray.

What To Pair Mushroom Bacon With

I hope you’re not just having mushroom bacon for breakfast! Load up those plates and make it complete with these plant-based breakfast recipes that pair perfectly with a side of homemade veggie bacon.

One of my favorite ways of having mushroom bacon is by tossing a few strips onto a creamy avocado toast or twisting up a classic cucumber tea sandwich.

Although mushroom bacon is perfect as a breakfast side dish, it can be used in many other plates.

One of my favorite ways of using mushroom bacon is in a loaded veggie sandwich with soft ciabatta bread.

What to add in a veggie bacon sandwich: crunchy sprouts, ripe tomatoes, vegan provolone cheese, non-dairy creamy mayo, refreshing cucumber, carrot matchsticks, and slender cuts of red onions.

In addition to sandwiches, mushroom bacon can also be used to top off creamy carrot soup, added to a breakfast burrito, thrown in a salad, or stirred into a tofu scramble.

What You Should Know Before Making Mushroom Bacon

It’s crucial to keep an eye out for your mushroom bacon while it’s cooking in the oven.

These thin slices of flavor cook quickly and a minute longer can turn them into chard – we don’t want that.

They take about 25 minutes to cook, so I recommend keeping a close eye on them at the 15-minute mark – just in case.

Cooked mushroom bacon cooling on a cooling tray

Additionally, after they are done cooking it’s okay if the center of the mushroom bacon is still tender when you pull them out of the oven – they’ll further cook as they crisp and cool off.

Breakdown Of The Ingredients:

Bowl king oyster mushroom, smoked paprika powder, canola oil. maple syrup, and black pepper — Ingredients: mushroom, salt, smoked paprika, oil, maple syrup, black pepper

Canola/vegetable oil: This will help the mushrooms crisp up and give it a nice bacon-y texture.

Salt: It will bring forth the flavors from the mushroom and other ingredients.

Maple syrup: It’ll add a touch of sweetness. It’s going to give you that sweet bacon-like flavor that we all love. I recommend using real maple syrup for this recipe. If you can do Canadian maple syrup – even better (the flavor is ridiculously good!)

Smoked paprika: It’ll give the mushrooms some color while giving you a depth of smokiness that we all know and love in a strip of bacon. Smoked paprika is a common seasoning that can be found in many grocery stores. However, I recommend buying it online. You can purchase a large container at a cheaper price.

If you’re on a smoked paprika kick and want to switch things up, go for a bowl of crispy, smoked paprika chickpeas.

Pro-tip: Double up the recipe if need be – you’ll definitely be back for seconds.

What I love most about this recipe is that you’ll only need five simple ingredients.

If you’re unable to find king oyster mushrooms, try to find them at a local Asian store, if you have one around.

They typically have a wide variety of mushroom species. I haven’t tried other varieties for this recipe, but feel free to experiment and let me know how they come out!

To slice king oyster mushroom bacon, carefully slice lengthwise with a knife, as thinly as possible. You’ll want to run the knife evenly along and bumps or raises.

Thinly sliced king oyster mushrooms on a chopping board with a knife

You’re in for a treat with this recipe. Breakfast is going to be lit with this vegan mushroom bacon recipe.

All you need is a side of scrambled tofu and toast, and you have a meal. Ready for breakfast? Alright, let’s get started.

Kitchen Tools I Use And Love

One product I really want to highlight here is the cooling rack set. I use this kitchen tool for just about most baking/roasting recipes like cookies, and double chocolate chip banana bread. It helps allow airflow in foods without moisture collecting underneath.

For more breakfast recipes, check out 18 Frugal Plant-Based Breakfast Recipes. We have sweet, savory, and everything in between!

How To Make Mushroom Bacon:

Slice the king oyster mushrooms into thin strips.
In a small bowl, combine the veggie bacon liquid spice mix.
Brush or evenly coat the strips.
Place the slices onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake the mushroom bacon in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.
Cool the veggie strips on a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes.