Looking for that smoky, crispy goodness of bacon, but can’t or don’t want to use the real thing? No problem!
There are plenty of tasty alternatives that can provide a similar flavor profile.
We’ve ranked the best of the best bacon substitutes by effectiveness, explaining how to make each work in your dishes and highlighting their key differences from the real deal.
Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!
1. Guanciale
Guanciale is an Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. It has a stronger, more concentrated flavor than bacon, thanks to its longer curing process and high percentage of fat.
How to make it work: Use the guanciale as you would bacon, but remember that its powerful flavor can dominate a dish, so adjust quantities accordingly.
Suitable for: Carnivores
Texture: Fatty, crispy when cooked
2. Pancetta
Pancetta is Italian cured pork belly that is seasoned, rolled, and then dried. While it delivers a similar savory, salty profile as bacon, it lacks the smoky flavor because it’s typically not smoked. You can use it sliced or diced in dishes for a depth of flavor similar to bacon.
Suitable for: Carnivores
Texture: Fatty, can be crispy when cooked
3. Turkey Bacon
Turkey bacon is a low-fat alternative made from chopped, formed, cured, and smoked turkey. It has a similar taste to bacon but is leaner and less rich. It can be prepared in the same manner as traditional bacon.
Suitable for: Carnivores
Texture: Lean, can be made crispy
4. Canadian Bacon (or Back Bacon)
Canadian Bacon, also known as Back Bacon in the UK, is made from lean pork loin and is more similar to ham than traditional bacon. It has a less fatty, more meaty texture and lacks the crispiness of traditional bacon. Use it in recipes where a less fatty, meatier bacon is desired.
Suitable for: Carnivores
Texture: Meaty, less crispy than traditional bacon
5. Liquid Smoke
Liquid smoke is a product that provides a concentrated smoky flavor, essentially distilling the essence of smoked wood into a bottle.
Liquid smoke lacks the meaty richness and the fattiness of bacon, providing only the smoky aspect. However, it’s a simple and effective way to impart a bacon-like taste to a variety of dishes.
How to make it work: Start with a few drops in your marinades, sauces, or directly in your dish — be cautious though, as too much can make your food taste overly smoky.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, carnivores
Texture: Liquid, adds no texture
6. Coconut Bacon
Coconut bacon uses unsweetened coconut flakes to mimic the crispy texture of bacon.
Coconut bacon lacks the meaty flavor and it has a slightly sweet coconut taste, but that’s also what gives it its charm. It’s an intriguing, tropical twist on the traditional bacon flavor.
How to make it work: To make it work, toss your coconut flakes in a mixture of soy sauce, liquid smoke, and maple syrup, then bake until crispy.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians
Texture: Crispy, flaky
7. Shiitake Bacon
Shiitake bacon is made from thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms baked until crispy.
While shiitake bacon delivers a satisfying crunch and umami flavor, it lacks the fattiness and rich depth of bacon.
How to make it work: For the best results, toss your sliced mushrooms in oil and salt before baking.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, carnivores
Texture: Crispy, chewy
8. Tempeh Bacon
Tempeh bacon has a smoky, salty taste, but its texture is more dense and it has a unique tang from the fermented soy.
How to make it work: Slice your tempeh thinly, marinate it in a blend of soy sauce, liquid smoke, and maple syrup, then pan-fry or bake until crispy.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians
Texture: Dense, crispy on the edges
9. Soy Bacon
Soy bacon, often found pre-made at the grocery store, mimics the taste and texture of bacon to some extent, but it’s less fatty and can have a slightly soy-like taste.
How to make it work: Prepare it according to package instructions, and use it anywhere you’d use regular bacon.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians
Texture: Chewy, slightly crispy
10. Seitan Bacon
Seitan bacon offers a meat-like texture but lacks the fattiness of bacon. Its taste depends largely on the marinade used.
How to make it work: To make it work, thinly slice your seitan, marinate, and pan-fry or bake until crispy.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians
Texture: Meaty, chewy
11. Eggplant Bacon
Eggplant bacon can achieve a crispy texture, but lacks the rich, meaty flavor and fattiness of bacon.
How to make it work: To create this substitute, thinly slice an eggplant, marinate it in a smoky, sweet, and salty sauce, and bake until crispy.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, carnivores
Texture: Crispy, slightly chewy
12. Bacon Salt
Bacon salt offers a smoky, salty flavor, but it lacks the texture and richness of actual bacon.
How to make it work: Sprinkle it on your dishes as a finishing touch, or incorporate it into your recipes as you would regular salt.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, carnivores
Texture: Granular, adds no texture to a dish
13. Bacon-Flavored Olive Oil
Bacon-flavored olive oil provides a hint of smokiness, but it’s less intense than bacon and lacks the crispness and fattiness.
How to make it work: Use it in place of regular olive oil for sautéing, roasting, or in dressings to infuse a touch of bacon-like flavor.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, carnivores
Texture: Liquid, adds no texture
14. Carrot Bacon
Carrot bacon can achieve a crispness similar to bacon, but lacks the rich, meaty flavor.
How to make it work: To create it, thinly slice carrots, marinate them in a smoky, sweet sauce, and bake until crispy.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, carnivores
Texture: Crispy, thin
15. Tofu Bacon
Tofu bacon can reach a similar crispness to bacon, but it lacks the rich, fatty flavor and its texture is more spongy.
How to make it work: Thinly slice your tofu, marinate it in a smoky, sweet, and salty sauce, and bake until crispy for best results.
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians
Texture: Spongy, can be made crispy
The Takeaways
When it comes to replicating that beloved bacon flavor and texture, there’s a wide array of options to choose from.
If you’re looking for meat-based alternatives, guanciale and pancetta offer a richer, more complex flavor profile that can replace bacon in various dishes.
For a less fatty alternative, turkey bacon is an excellent option, while Canadian Bacon (or Back Bacon) provides a more ham-like texture.
For plant-based diets, alternatives range from clever uses of vegetables like coconut, shiitake mushrooms, eggplant, and carrots to vegan protein sources like tempeh, soy, seitan, and tofu.
Even simple seasonings like liquid smoke, bacon salt, and bacon-flavored olive oil can provide that much-loved bacon-like touch to your dishes.
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or a carnivore looking for variety or dietary alternatives, the world of bacon substitutes offers something for everyone.
Exploring these different options can open up a wide array of culinary possibilities, allowing you to enjoy the essence of bacon in a way that aligns with your dietary needs and preferences.
