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Vegan Oyster Mushroom Bacon is smoky, crispy, and easy to make! Pink oyster mushrooms are the perfect texture for making vegan bacon.
Soy sauce and liquid smoke infuse the mushrooms with a savory, smoky flavor, and maple syrup brings a subtle sweetness.
Altogether, this crispy mushroom bacon is so good that it is gone almost as quickly as you can make it!
My favorite way to use it is to make a vegan BLT sandwich.
It’s also great for a classic breakfast spread alongside tofu scramble, a vegan buttermilk biscuit, and fluffy Bisquick pancakes.
Which Mushroom Makes the Best Bacon?
This vegan bacon recipe uses pink oyster mushrooms to make the best vegan bacon bits!
Pink oyster mushrooms are unique because of their soft, meaty texture. They are super easy to shred into pieces that resemble bacon bits. And the best part is they can be infused with lots of flavor.
You could use the same marinade from this recipe with other mushroom varieties, such as blue oyster mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, portobello, shiitake, or even cremini, but for best results, try to get your hands on pink oyster mushrooms!
Where to Buy Pink Oyster Mushrooms
I got my mushrooms from a local farmer's market. I couldn't resist that beautiful color! Once harvested, pink oyster mushrooms don't last long, so if you see some at the market, grab them.
If you can't find any in person, pink oyster mushrooms are also relatively easy to grow at home from a grow kit, and they produce mushrooms quickly.
Ingredients
You will need these simple ingredients to make vegan bacon with oyster mushrooms:
- Pink Oyster Mushrooms - Are perfect for making "bacon" bites.
- Soy Sauce - Adds a savory taste.
- Maple Syrup - Adds a sweetness for a classic "maple bacon" taste.
- Liquid Smoke - Gives this mushroom bacon a smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the maple. This specialty ingredient is also great to have on hands for recipes like BBQ tofu nuggets.
- Olive Oil - Helps crisp up the mushroom when pan frying.
- Smoked Paprika - Adds even more smokiness.
Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.
How to Make Mushroom Bacon
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the best vegan mushroom bacon:
1. Rip pink oyster mushrooms into pieces.
2. Mix the smoky bacon marinade.
3. Coat the mushrooms in the marinade.
4. Pan fry marinated mushrooms in oil.
5. Flip the mushrooms to cook both sides.
6. Place cooked mushroom bacon on a plate to finish crisping up.
Top Tips
Let the shredded mushrooms marinate for a few minutes before pan frying them. This helps them infuse all the flavors and breaks down the mushrooms. I like to use a spatula to press the mushroom pieces, somewhat flattening them. You don’t have to be gentle with them!
Allow the bacon bits to crisp on a plate for 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll know the mushrooms are ready to be taken off heat because they will start browning, but they still need a few minutes to cool and crisp up!
Ways to Use
I love to just snack on these smoky mushroom bacon bits, but they can instantly add flavor to so many different dishes:
- Make creamy vegan carbonara with mushroom bacon.
- Add to a vegan cobb salad or broccoli salad.
- Make a vegan BLT, vegan breakfast tacos, or vegan breakfast burritos.
- Serve alongside tofu scrambled eggs and vegan French toast.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover mushroom bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For best results, reheat it in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes. You can also pan fry it again, flipping occasionally to ensure even heating.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Oyster Mushroom Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups pink oyster mushroom about 4 ounces ripped into shreds
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari, coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Rip pink oyster mushrooms into pieces. You can shred them a lot or a little, depending on how big you want your bacon.
- To make the smoky bacon marinade, mix soy sauce, liquid smoke, maple syrup, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Add the shredded oyster mushrooms to the marinade and mix to coat all the pieces.
- Use a spoon or spatula to press down the mushrooms, flattening and infusing them with the marinade.
- Let the mushrooms marinate for 5 to 10 minutes while you preheat a large skillet to medium-high heat with a generous amount of olive oil to coat the entire pan.
- Pan fry marinated mushrooms in oil for 3 to 5 minutes. Spread them in a single layer so there is no overlap. If needed, cook them in multiple batches, adding more olive oil each time.
- Flip the mushrooms to cook the other side for another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Place cooked mushroom bacon on a plate to finish crisping up for 5 to 10 minutes.
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