When you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, bacon is (literally) off the table. And yet, there’s a good chance you miss it—there’s just something about its crispness, saltiness, and hint of smoke that make us hanker for it long past the bells of breakfast.
Luckily, with this mouthwatering carrot bacon recipe, it’s possible to enjoy the flavors of bacon without actually eating it. The dish transforms whole carrots into crispy strips of smoky goodness, making them perfect for snacking or topping sandwiches. So much so that it’s gone viral on TikTok, and it’s not hard to see why.
Bonus: The total cook time takes about 15 to 20 minutes, so you’ll have homemade vegan carrot bacon in no time. Read on for one of our favorite vegan bacon recipes, plus tips for customizing the dish.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Carrots. When peeled and baked, carrots become delightfully crunchy. The trick is to peel them thinly, which you can do with a standard vegetable peeler. If you have a mandolin, feel free to use that as well. In either case, avoid breaking the strips.
- Soy sauce. This is a main flavoring ingredient of carrot bacon. Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce or, if you follow a gluten-free diet, go for tamari or coconut aminos.
- Liquid smoke. For the most authentic flavor, liquid smoke is a must. A little goes a long way, so stick to the suggested 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke for best results.
- Maple syrup. Maple syrup balances the salty and umami notes while adding its own depth of flavor.
How to Make Carrot Bacon
This vegan carrot bacon recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. You might need to work in batches, depending on the size of your baking pans.
For the ingredients list and step-by-step instructions, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredient (i.e., everything except the carrots).
2. Cut off the ends of the carrots, then peel them as you normally would.
3. Use the vegetable peeler to slice the carrots lengthwise into thin strips. You can also use a mandolin.
4. In a bowl, toss the carrot slices and marinade together. Make sure all of the carrots are coated.
5. Spread the coated carrots on the lined baking sheets in a single layer. Bake for 8 minutes, remove them from the oven, and flip over. Brush the carrot strips with the remaining marinade and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the slices are wavy and slightly browned.
6. Let the carrot bacon cool completely. You can use a cooling rack, if needed.
Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Use large carrots. Compared to smaller carrots, bigger ones are easier to peel into strips.
- Switch up the sweetener. Instead of maple syrup, you can also use agave syrup or brown sugar. If you follow a vegetarian diet, try honey.
- Adjust the spices. Use more or less spices, depending on your taste buds. For example, if you want an extra kick, add a bit more black pepper or smoked paprika. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon onion powder for even more flavor.
- Chop the carrot bacon. Once the carrot bacon has cooled, chop it up for instant vegan bacon bits. Use them as a topper for soups, stews, or salads, or add them to vegan breakfast burritos and tofu eggs.
- Keep an eye on the carrots. The total time it takes for your carrot bacon to cook depends on the thickness of each strip, as well as your oven. Watch it closely, as the carrots can quickly burn.
- Serve it on sandwiches. For a delicious vegan BLT, pair the carrot bacon with lettuce and tomato on your favorite bread. It’s also super tasty with veggie burgers.
- Save the scraps. When you can no longer peel the carrots into ribbons, set the scraps aside. You can chop them up for stews, soups, salads, or any other dish you’d use carrots. Another option is to use them for vegetable broth.
How to Store Vegan Carrot Bacon
Store vegan carrot bacon in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions
- Vegan tomato soup — Top this classic soup with bits of carrot bacon
- Vegan BLT sandwich — Pair carrot bacon with lettuce and tomato for a tasty twist
- Vegan breakfast sandwich — Elevate brunch by adding strips of carrot bacon
Easy Carrot Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 carrots
- 4 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredient (i.e., everything except the carrots).
- Cut off the ends of the carrots, then peel them as you normally would. Use the vegetable peeler to slice the carrots lengthwise into thin strips. You can also use a mandolin.
- In a bowl, toss the carrot slices and marinade together. Make sure all of the carrots are coated.
- Spread the coated carrots on the lined baking sheets in a single layer. Bake for 8 minutes, remove them from then oven, and flip over. Brush the carrot strips with the remaining marinade and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the slices are wavy and slightly browned.
Notes
- Compared to smaller carrots, bigger ones are easier to peel into strips.
- Instead of maple syrup, you can also use agave syrup or brown sugar. If you follow a vegetarian diet, try honey.
- Use more or less spices, depending on your taste buds. For example, if you want an extra kick, add a bit more black pepper or smoked paprika. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon onion powder for even more flavor.
- Once the carrot bacon has cooled, chop it up for instant vegan bacon bits. Use them as a topper for soups, stews, or salads, or add them to vegan breakfast burritos and tofu eggs.
- The total time it takes for your carrot bacon to cook depends on the thickness of each strip, as well as your oven. Watch it closely, as the carrots can quickly burn.
- For a delicious vegan BLT, pair the carrot bacon with lettuce and tomato on your favorite bread. It’s also super tasty with veggie burgers.
- When you can no longer peel the carrots into ribbons, set the scraps aside. You can chop them up for stews, soups, salads, or any other dish you’d use carrots. Another option is to use them for vegetable broth.
Recommended Tools & Products
