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Easy Vegan Mushroom Bacon

These homemade, oven-blasted mushroom bacon slices are crispy, smoky, peppery, and insanely delicious! Even the meat-eaters in your life will be shocked.

Strips of veggie bacon against parchment paper
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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 takes 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 the oven, it’s crucial to allow 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. 

  1. Tofu Scramble 
  2. Buttery Oat Bran 
  3. Gluten-Free Pancakes 
  4. Homefries 
  5. Tempeh Bacon
  6. Aloo Tikki 
  7. Breakfast Sausage Patties
  8. Soy Sauce & Green Onion Oats

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 on 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 to 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: 

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:

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

Easy Vegan Mushroom Bacon

Aly Michell
Vegan, pig-less bacon made with a peppery-smoky-sweet-umami flavor profile. Made with only 6 ingredients.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Breakfast, Vegetarian
Servings 4 people
Calories 118 kcal

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Chop the mushroom caps off and carefully slice the king oyster mushrooms to about 1/6th inch slices. Next, preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. 
  • In a small mixing bowl, add and combine the canola oil, maple syrup, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  • Brush and evenly coat the mushroom pieces with the sauce combination on both sides. 
  • Then, lay each mushroom piece onto the parchment paper, leaving space in between each piece (do not crowd). Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway. Keep a close eye. Cook time may depend on the thickness of the strips and your oven. Once the edges begin to darken, they are done.
  • To air fry, cook at 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes.
  • Finally, remove mushroom bacon slices from the oven and allow the pieces to sit and crisp up for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

  1. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to your liking. Taste the spice mix to see if it’s to your liking. For example, if you want more sweetness, add more maple syrup.
This recipe pairs perfectly with tofu scramble. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1-ServingCalories: 118kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 301mgPotassium: 255mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 274IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
Keyword King Oyster Bacon, King Oyster Mushroom Bacon, Mushroom Bacon, Oyster Mushroom Bacon, Vegan Mushroom Bacon
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About Aly Michell

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Comments

      • Erica

        5 stars
        This recipe is so easy and delicious! I didn’t know what to expect since I wasn’t really a bacon eater before I went vegetarian over a decade ago. But wow I’ve made it three times now and it’s come out great every time! I find that I need an extra half tbsp of oil because I don’t have a proper brush to coat the mushroom pieces. I also added a little bit of liquid smoke with great success.

        The tip about letting the pieces finishing crisping on the pan after you take them out of the oven is so spot on. The first time I made this I just started eating. The second time I let the pieces finish crisping and that made a big difference!

        Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I know I’ll be cooking it for years to come.

        Reply

  9. Aline

    I’ve already started clipping vegan recipes for the holidays because we have vegan friends coming over. This will be perfect for brunch!! Thank you always 🙂 xx

    Reply

    • Aly Michell

      I haven’t tested this recipe in the air fryer. However, I think you might just be able to do it. The same steps should apply – I would just keep an eye on them as they can burn quickly.

      Reply

  12. Felicia

    This sounds awesome! I just grabbed some king oyster mushrooms. Mainly because I was intrigued! Now I know my plan for them. How long will the bacon stay fresh for? Thanks for sharing

    Reply

    • Aly Michell

      Hi Felicia!!! I recommend eating the bacon right away or the same day. I haven’t stored mushroom bacon, but I imagine they might lose their crunch when stored in the fridge/freezer.

      Reply

  14. karin

    I can’t wait to try these! The only ones available in the store are already pre-sliced so I hope they will be thin enough.

    Reply

  16. Judy

    Just made it this am…It was very good!! I was wonder how portabella mushrooms would work?? Anyway this was excellent!

    Reply

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