Author: Heather
Category: Appetizers
Published Date: 02/14/2018
Comments: 127
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Get Recipe Ingredients
Before we decided to cut meat from our diet, we, like most people, LOVED bacon. We would eat it as often as we could. Whether it was for breakfast, in a sandwich or even in ice cream, we never passed up an opportunity to eat bacon. So when we decided to transition into this new healthier lifestyle, we had to find a way to substitute our favorite food. So far, this vegetarian and vegan friendly zucchini bacon is my favorite!
We tried the packaged vegetarian bacon, some call it “fakin’ bacon.” And while it wasn’t bad, it also wasn’t something that I could see myself eating regularly. So I went on the hunt for new options. I love that zucchini bacon is made from veggies (something we can all use more of in our diet). And while zucchini bacon doesn’t taste exactly like bacon (if I’m being completely honest), it does taste really good and has a similar flavor.
The Zucchini Bacon Recipe
The zucchini bacon recipe is pretty simple. I do recommend marinating the zucchini overnight if you are able to. Also, if you have a kitchen tool that easily slices veggies, use it! I tried to cut the zucchini by hand and they were all different sizes and shapes. If you can get them more consistent, you will find a good flow once the zucchini slices are baking and you’ll know how long to keep them in the oven.
For the full zucchini bacon recipe, scroll down! This is great for sandwiches (Like our favorite Avocado sandwich). I would also eat this as a snack. I recommend making a big batch of zucchini bacon each time because of the amount of prep and cook time. Plus, once you start eating, it’s hard to stop.
Vegan Zucchini Bacon
- Total Time: 130 minutes
Description
Looking for a veggie alternative to bacon? This crispy zucchini with a smoky flavor is a great option!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 Zucchini (thinly sliced)
- 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 2 TBSP maple syrup
- 2 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
- 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- ½ TBSP liquid smoke
- Fresh ground black pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients (except zucchini).
- Place marinade in a sealable bag or container with lid and add slices of zucchini.
- Marinate zucchini for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place zucchini strips in a single layer.
- Bake for an hour, turn each slice over and repeat.
- When you have the desired consistency (soft or crunchy), remove from oven and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 120 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
- Cuisine: American
This vegan zucchini bacon is the perfect compliment to a plate of delicious french toast!
Have you ever tried zucchini bacon or have another recipe you’d like to share? Comment below and let me know!
Hello There!
Hi! I’m Heather, Mom of 3, professional snack opener, the only person who knows where everything is in my house and part-time magician (I can turn a bunch of candy into a gift basket and everyone thinks it’s amazing). I share a mix of parenting moments, easy recipes, crafts, and DIY home decor projects.
Around here, we love turning ordinary stuff into extraordinary gifts, from candy box baskets and birthday punch boards to homemade advent calendars and other crafty chaos that somehow always works out.
Welcome to The Super Mom Life — where the projects are fun, the coffee is strong, and the laughter is pretty much required for survival. Don't forget to follow us on social media!
I am not a fan of zucchini, but I have to say that this is a great recipe. I made this recipe for my daughter who is a vegetarian and is a very picky eater and she loved it. I did add a tbsp of brown sugar and a hint of crushed red pepper. I also think a 1/2 tbsp of dried coffee would add a great umami to the recipe. I will be trying that when I make it again.
I made a BLT with a garden tomato, lettuce and zucchini bacon…Delicious. I highly recommend this recipe.
200 degrees f or c ?????
Author
Hi Ali. This would be 200 Fahrenheit.
Question….. Could this be air fried to decrease cooking time?
Author
Hi Shannon. I’m sure it’s possible, though I haven’t tried it yet.
I think a couple things about this recipe need adjusted. I tried it this week and it was pretty good, but not great. First of all, I don’t know what kind of oven you are using that will crisp up zucchini in 2 hours at 200 degrees. If you’re not using a convection oven, you’ll want to bump the temp to at least 250. I ended up baking mine for probably 2.5 hours. And the zucchini gets really thin in the oven, so make sure they are thick slices. Lastly, I thought the soy flavor was WAY too strong. I would cut the soy sauce in half next time. Overall, it was a good starting point for a zucchini bacon recipe. I am going to try making it again but better.
Author
Hi Maddy. Thank you for your feedback. Since all ovens are different, it’s important to keep an eye on yours and adjust. It also depends on the thickness of your zucchini. I prefer them to be on the thin side so that they are crispier, but again, that can be adjusted to your liking.
I’ve been looking for a delicious substituted for bacon, chewy salty. Crispy around the edges. The marinating wait is killing me but essential since I had to slice by hand. This recipe looks like the one so we’ll see in 5 hrs.
I am making this today, for my second time. I love it! When I made it the first time, a few weeks ago, I ate it as a snack. Today, I am making a batch to share with my mother and brother. We will put some on top of our homemade black bean burgers. Yum!
Author
I love the idea of having it as a snack! Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy!
Hi quick question. Is 200 degrees in Celsius or Fahrenheit?
Thanks
Author
Thank you for the question Liora! We are in the US, so we use Fahrenheit.