How To Make The Original Carrot Bacon Recipe (2024)

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This is my original carrot bacon recipe that started an internet craze! It's salty and sweetly smoky, really delicious, and easily made from carrots and five other basic ingredients. Try it for yourself!

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The original carrot bacon recipe!

You saw it here first!

Years before anyone in the West had even heard of TikTok, I developed and published this baked carrot bacon recipe. What's that saying about often imitated but never bettered? Well this is it - the real deal. The original and the best!

Carrot bacon

Okay, let's get this straight - carrots are not the same as bacon!

I know that. However, a lot of people, when they give up meat, miss bacon, so my carrot bacon goes some way to filling that void.

I also know that some Americans seem to be obsessed with cooking their bacon to a cinder (why?!), and most Europeans, in my experience, don't. While you can clearly see from my photos that my carrot bacon is crispy, it's not so crispy that you touch it and it shatters!

Ingredients for original carrot bacon

  • carrot
  • tahini
  • rapeseed oil
  • maple syrup
  • all-purpose soy sauce
  • liquid smoke

How to make carrot bacon

Making my carrot bacon is simplicity itself; simply peel and top & tail your carrots, slice really thinly (I use a Y peeler for this), blitz the rest of the ingredients together, marinate for half an hour, then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. As I said, it's really simple!


By the way, have you tried carrot lox yet? If not, you're in for a real treat!

Dehydrated carrot bacon

Update May 2018: I've experimenting with making carrot bacon in a dehydrator (this one, from Excalibur, to be precise), and apart from being super-easy, the result is a very crispy 'bacon', without being in any way charred around the edges... which happened the first time I made it in my new oven when I moved back to Britain!

At Beet Bar (Margate), where I developed their entire menu, my dehydrated carrot bacon continues to be hugely popular, and a firm favourite with vegans and omnivores alike!

To make dehydrated carrot bacon, simply marinade as usual, and lay out in a single layer on each tray - make sure you use the ParaFlexx sheets - and then set your dehydrator 150ºF, and let it work its magic for 12 hours. For the nine tray model I use, four large carrots is sufficient to fill it.

Notes

What is rapeseed oil? This is also known as Canola. It's made from seeds of the Brassica napus plant, which is a member of the cabbage family. It's not the same as grapeseed oil.

Can I use a different oil? Absolutely! But do choose one with a neutral flavour, such as sunflower or rice bran, that's suitable for roasting.

Can I use olive oil to make carrot bacon? No, absolutely not! Olive oil really isn't good for this type of baking, and the flavour it imparts really doesn't work for this recipe.

I can't have soy, what can I use instead of soy sauce? Liquid coconut aminos are your friend!

I can't have gluten but I'm fine with soy, what can I use? Tamari is gluten-free soy sauce.

What can I use instead of liquid smoke? Try some smoked paprika. Start with ½ tsp, taste, and if necessary, add a bit more. It all depends on your taste, and the age of the paprika.

I'm allergic to sesame, what can I use instead of tahini? Although I haven't tried it, you could probably use a nut or sunflower butter. You may want to add a dash more liquid smoke though, to replace the smoky tahini flavour. Let me know in the comments if you've made it without tahini.

Do I really have to marinate the carrots for 30 minutes? Yes, yes you do. Unless you want tasteless carrot strips instead of tasty carrot bacon!

Know your oven! If you know your oven runs a bit on the hot side, either reduce the baking time or the temperature. Similarly, if you know that normally you have to increase the temperature by a few degrees for everything else you bake, then do so accordingly for this recipe!

Want more more vegan deliciousness?

  • The world's best vegan sausages
  • How to make vegan condensed milk
  • Best-ever vegan nacho cheese (no nuts!)
  • Cashew pesto
  • How to make vegan 'Nutella'

You'll love this Carrot Bacon

Because it's...

  • salty
  • smoky
  • slightly sweet
  • easy to make
  • nut-free
  • gluten-free if you use tamari
  • soy-free if you use coconut aminos
  • full of Vitamin A
  • really, really delicious

If you can resist eating it straight from the oven (and no one would blame you if you can't!), this carrot bacon is fab in BLTs, in bagels, in salads, added to pizza and pasta... there are so many possibilities. Enjoy!

How To Make The Original Carrot Bacon Recipe (5)

📖 Recipe

How To Make The Original Carrot Bacon Recipe (6)

How To Make The Original Carrot Bacon Recipe

This is my original carrot bacon recipe that started an internet craze! It's salty and sweetly smoky, really delicious, and easily made from carrots and five other basic ingredients. Try it for yourself!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: British

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Nut-Free: Yes

Soy-Free: Potentially

Gluten-Free: Potentially

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Marinating time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Makes (slide to adjust): 2 servings

Calories: 149kcal

Author: Nico

Ingredients

  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil (AKA canola)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • teaspoon all-purpose soy sauce (or tamari, orcoconut aminos)
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Equipment (options for slicing the carrots!)

  • food processor (use the slicing disc)
  • mandoline
  • Y peeler
  • box grater
  • cookie sheet
  • silicone baking mat
  • baking parchment

Instructions

  • Peel and top & tail the carrot, then slice very thinly.

  • Blitz the rest of the ingredients together for 20 seconds or so, until you have a thick marinade.

  • Place the carrot and marinade into a dish, mix together so that all of the carrot slices are coated, and set to one side for 30 minutes.

  • Heat your oven to 200°C/400°F

  • Place the carrot strips side-by-side on a cookie sheet (lined with a silicone baking mat or baking parchment if it’s not non-stick), spread a little of the remaining marinade evenly over the strips, and then bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on how crispy you want your ‘bacon’ to be.

  • Remove from the oven, and enjoy your delicious plant-based bacony treat!

Nutrition Facts

How To Make The Original Carrot Bacon Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 149Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Sodium 104mg4%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 2g4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe?Do mention @yums0me and/or tag #yums0me - I'd love to see how yours turned out!

DisclaimerMeasurements in parenthesis are approximate; it is beyond the scope of yumsome to be able to provide pinpoint-accurate ingredient quantities for every type of measuring utensil. As a guideline however, I make the assumption that:

  • 1 cup = US cup = 240 ml
  • 1 tablespoon = US/UK = 15 ml
  • 1 fl oz = US = 30 ml
Further information may be found here

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How To Make The Original Carrot Bacon Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does carrot bacon taste like real bacon? ›

Some pieces will still look like carrot slices, but some pieces will look like crispy bacon. No matter what it looks like, the taste is unbelievably good. Again, it's a healthy carrot with a marinade that helps it taste like bacon.

What are the ingredients in veggie bacon? ›

Ingredients: Water, soybean oil, modified corn starch, egg whites, soy flour, wheat gluten, hydrolyzed corn protein, contains 2% or less of vegetable glycerin, salt, soy protein isolate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, sugar, yeast, caramel color, natural and artificial flavors, monocalcium phosphate, sodium ...

What are the ingredients in facon? ›

Ingredients: 49% pea protein* (of which 79% pea protein*, 20% horse beans*, salt), rapeseed oil*, water, tomato concentrate*, apple juice*, onion granules*, smoked salt, salt, apple cider vinegar*, sweet paprika* and garlic granules*.

Does liquid smoke taste like bacon? ›

It can emulate the savory taste of bacon

And, it is a flavoring agent that can be found in your favorite smoked gouda cheese as well as hotdogs, both of which have a taste similar to that of bacon. While barbecue purists may balk at using liquid smoke, vegetarians may appreciate the gift it can be.

Why does restaurant bacon taste so good? ›

The secret is pre-cooking your bacon

Regardless of the perfect meat-to-fat ratio and peak freshness, the real secret to diner-worthy bacon is the cooking method. According to Epicurious, par-cooking it in the oven is the preferred method of many restaurant owners.

Why doesn't bacon taste like bacon anymore? ›

Changes in production methods: The way that bacon is produced has changed over time, with some modern production methods involving the use of additives and different types of feed for the pigs. These changes can affect the taste and quality of the bacon.

What is the vegetable that tastes like bacon? ›

Packed with iron, calcium, magnesium, and protein, the seaweed–called dulse–also tastes like bacon. Well, sort of. The verdict: Yes, with its savory, umami, and salty taste, it's sort of like bacon. A smoked version is even more bacon-like.

What tastes like bacon but is vegetarian? ›

If you're looking for an all-veggie bacon substitute, shiitake bacon is the one for you! The mushrooms themselves have a rich umami flavor, so just two ingredients turn them into delectable vegan bacon: tamari and extra-virgin olive oil.

What is gypsy bacon? ›

A very traditional and old-fashioned form of bacon, Gypsy bacon is prepared with garlic and paprika giving it its characteristic spice that is similar to Hungarian bacon. It is rich in flavor and pungent in aroma and usually cooked over and enjoyed around the campfire.

Does facon taste like bacon? ›

Facon – tastes almost like bacon - Organic Plant Protein.

What is facon vs bacon? ›

Vegetarian bacon, also referred to as facon, veggie bacon, or vacon, is a vegetarian "bacon" made from plant matter. It has no cholesterol, is low in fat, and contains large amounts of protein and fibre.

What tastes like bacon but no bacon? ›

Vegetarian bacon is a meat-free alternative to traditional bacon, which is typically made from pork. There are a variety of ways to make vegetarian bacon, but it is often made from ingredients such as soy, tempeh, or mushrooms, which are flavored and processed to mimic the taste and texture of traditional bacon.

How do you imitate bacon flavor? ›

Another great method for making vegan or vegetarian food taste like real bacon is by using marinades! Generously coat your food in a rich smoky sauce and leave for 20 minutes (or even better – overnight) before cooking to let your ingredients soak up all those scrumptious bacon flavours before cooking.

What is a good substitute for bacon flavor? ›

Mushrooms have a meaty quality to them which is why they are a staple in many vegetarian diets. They absorb virtually any flavor that you introduce to them to, making them a great candidate for bacon substitution! No bacon bits need, coconuts are here!

What is a bacon alternative that tastes like bacon? ›

Tempeh Bacon

Before you ride off bacon made from soy beans, hear us out. When you combine salty and savory flavors together and infuse them into something, it can be quite convincing. Tempeh is like a sponge for flavor and allows you to get the taste and feel of bacon without the harmful effects.

What tastes like bacon but isn't bacon? ›

There are a variety of ways to make vegetarian bacon, but it is often made from ingredients such as soy, tempeh, or mushrooms, which are flavored and processed to mimic the taste and texture of traditional bacon. Some brands may also use pea protein, rice, or wheat gluten to make vegetarian bacon.

What is the meat that tastes like bacon? ›

Prosciutto, pancetta, and bacon are all cured meats that look and taste somewhat similarly; but their appearance, texture, and taste differ depending on where the meat comes from, the breed of pig it comes from, and how it's cured.

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