This Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Bacon is the perfect savory salad topping! It is super flavorful and satisfying but 100% meatless so everyone can enjoy it. This recipe is super quick and easy, made with only mushrooms, oil, paprika and salt, but it tastes amazing! I love to add it to the top of a big salad or stir it into a side salad. 

Cooked Shiitake Mushrooms on parchment paper on a baking tray with a spoon in them.

I originally shared this recipe on May 5th, 2017. I have updated the images and text to share it with you again today.

Table of contents

Why We Love This Recipe For Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Bacon

If you’re wanting vegan bacon, but think you won’t like this shiitake bacon because you’re not a fan of mushrooms, think again! The texture of this meatless bacon is nothing like a raw or even sautéed mushroom so don’t worry. It is hard and crispy with a little bit of leathery chew just like real bacon!

It’s a totally satisfying alternative to pork bacon and has a wide variety of uses. Shiitake bacon can be used to top off salads like this Vegan Tempeh and Cauliflower Power Salad, or these Meal Prep Wasabi Salmon Salads. I also like to use them in place of bacon in Vegan Broccoli Salad and to top off Corn Chowder. In actuality, you can replace bacon in just about any recipe, just stir them in at the end so they stay crispy!

For more mushroom love try this vegetarian mushroom carbonara, these roasted portobello mushroom recipe and my Sauteed Portobello Mushrooms to name a few favorites!

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Shiitake mushrooms on a table with a small bowl of oil and a small bowl of paprika next to them.

Shiitake Mushrooms

I’ll always advise that you purchase mushrooms from the bulk bin if you can—that way you can choose the freshest ones. We also recommend washing shiitake mushrooms by wiping the cap with a damp paper towel. Mushrooms are so absorbent that if you wash them under the tap they will retain some of the water. If this happens, place on a paper towel to dry for a few minutes.

Cooking Oil

Avocado oil or organic canola oil work best for this recipe but you can use olive oil as well.

Smoked Paprika

Smoked Paprika is the essence of the bacon flavor in this shiitake bacon. Look for it in the spice isle at large supermarkets. I only use 3/4 teaspoon, but you can add more to taste if you like a stronger smoke flavor.

Salt

Kosher salt is great for cooking but sea salt will work too, just make sure to use half as much as you would with kosher salt because it is higher in sodium. 

Step-By-Step Instructions To Make Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Bacon

Left Side: Oven dial turned to a 2 o'clock position and a white light is 'on' next to it. Right side: shiitake mushrooms being sliced by hand and knife on a wooden chopping board.

Step 1: Prepare the oven and mushrooms.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms. Just pull them off by hand. The stems are tough and pithy so they’re really not good for eating. You can add them to vegetable stock or homemade chicken stock if you like. Next cut the caps into thin strips (a quarter-inch thick is perfect.) They shrink considerably while they are roasting, so you don’t have to make them paper-thin.

Left: Sliced shiitake mushrooms in a glass bowl being stirred. Right: sliced mushrooms on an oven tray.

Step 2: Season Mushrooms

After they are sliced, toss them with oil. I like to use a neutral oil like avocado oil because I want the smoke to be the real starring flavor here. Because shiitake mushrooms are really absorbent, it is helpful to drizzle the oil along with the bowl (intentionally), then toss the shiitakes. The oil will be more evenly dispersed.
For flavoring, all you need is a little salt and smoked paprika. The smoky paprika will taste just like bacon! Add the seasoning in and toss again to coat as evenly as possible.

Step 3: Spread on a Sheet Pan

Next comes the roasting. Spread the mushrooms out over a large rimmed baking sheet. Try not to let them overlap too much.

Sliced and seasoned mushrooms cooking on a tray in the oven

Step 4: Stir To Bake Evenly

Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Make sure to stir the shiitake bacon with a spatula a few times while it roasts, so that it crisps up evenly. Otherwise, the pieces on the edge of the pan may overcook and burn.

You’ll know the shiitake bacon is done when it is browning but not burnt. That means that most of the moisture is roasted out of it and the small amount of natural sugars are caramelizing a bit. You can read more about the interaction of moisture and caramelization of sugar here.

Let the “bacon” cool completely. It will become crisp as it cools.

Shiitake mushroom bacon on baking parchment on a tray with a spoon on the tray, on a table. Raw shiitake mushrooms are next to the tray at the bottom of the picture.

FAQs and Expert Tips For This Recipe

What is shiitake bacon made of?

Shiitake bacon isn’t made from pork like normal bacon. It is a vegan meatless alternative made with shiitake mushrooms, seasoned with smoked paprika to give it a smoky flavoring. It is roasted to dehydrate it and crisp it up to give it a texture similar to bacon.

What does shiitake taste like?

They have a rich, nutty, toasty buttery, and woodsy flavor, and a meaty texture when cooked. You can eat shiitake mushrooms raw, but their flavor is much more enhanced when they’re cooked.

What is shiitake?

Shiitake is an edible mushroom native to East Asia, though they are grown all over the world for consumption.

What is shiitake good for?

The shiitake mushroom is a good source of Vitamin B6, zinc and magnesium too, and in some traditional medicines, has been considered to have medicinal qualities. They are commonly used in Asian recipes like Tom Kha Gai (try our Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Coconut Soup) or as a meat alternative like Mock Eel.

Can these be made ahead of time?

This vegan bacon is best used within a day of baking, but it can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

How do I store them?

It will lose its crispy texture if you seal it into a container when it is not completely crispy and cool. Store at room temperature in a paper bag or a plastic bag that is not sealed shut. Re-crisp if necessary in the oven at 350 degrees or air fryer for 4 to 5 minutes or until sizzling hot. Then let it cool before serving.

Does Shiitake Bacon really taste like bacon?

Yes! It seems a bit too simple, but all you need is a little salt and smoked paprika to turn these mushrooms into little perfect pieces of vegan bacon perfection!

What to do with your Vegan Shiitake Bacon

  • Substitute the regular bacon in this French Bistro Brunch Salad to make this recipe vegetarian.
  • Add it to pasta. If you’re a fan of amatriciana sauce, but you want to make it meatless, skip the bacon and stir this vegan shiitake bacon in just before serving for best texture.

More Mushroom Recipes To Try

Shiitake mushroom bacon on baking paper on a tray.

Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter where I share weeknight meal plans delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on Instagram. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Shiitake mushroom bacon on baking paper on a tray.

Vegan Shiitake Bacon

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/4 cup, 4 servings 1x
  • Category: salad topping
  • Method: oven
  • Cuisine: American

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

This Vegan Shiitake Bacon is the perfect savory salad topping! It is super flavorful and satisfying but 100% meatless so everyone can enjoy it. And it’s ready in just 30 minutes!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (5 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or organic canola oil
  • ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Toss shiitake mushrooms, 1 tablespoon oil, smoked paprika and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. Spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven.
  4. Bake, stirring and turning occasionally until the mushrooms are dried out and browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet.

Notes

  • You’ll know the shiitake bacon is done when it is browning but not burnt. That means that most of the moisture is roasted out of it and the small amount of natural sugars are caramelizing a bit.
  • This shiitake bacon will lose its crispy texture if you seal it into a container when it is not completely crispy and cool. It is best used within a day of baking. Store at room temperature in a paper bag or a plastic bag that is not sealed shut.
  • Re-crisp if necessary in the oven at 350 degrees or air fryer for 4 to 5 minutes or until sizzling hot. Let cool before serving.
  • You can substitute some smoked paprika for liquid smoke, but only do a small amount. If you chose to do this, use half the amount of liquid smoke that you’re removing from the paprika.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5 tablespoons
  • Calories: 41
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 70 mg
  • Fat: 4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g