Vegan Shiitake Bacon
by Katie Webster
May 5, 2017 (updated 2/2/20) Jump To Recipe
This Vegan Shiitake Bacon is the perfect savory salad topping! It is super flavorful and satisfying but 100% meatless so everyone can enjoy it. I love to add it to the top of a big salad or stir it into a side salad.
If you 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 bacon!
The smoked paprika makes it smoky like bacon, so it’ll add that satisfying smoky contrast that bacon normally would add to a dish.
How to Make Vegan Shiitake Bacon
- To make the vegan shiitake bacon, start off by removing 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 home-made chicken stock if you like. If you have another tip for what to do with the stems, please leave a comment below!
- Next cut the caps into thin strips, like a quarter-inch thick is perfect. They shrink considerably while they are roasting, so you don’t have to make them paper thin.
- 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 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.
- Next comes the roasting. Spread the mushrooms out over a large rimmed baking sheet and transfer them 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.
- Culinary Science Nerd Alert: 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.
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.
- It is great in these Wasabi Glazed Salmon Power Salads! Just make sure to store it separately so it doesn’t get soft.
- Make Vegan Broccoli Salad.
More Mushroom Recipes To Try
Our Healthy Stuffed Mushrooms make a great vegetarian appetizer.
This vegetarian Lasagna with mushrooms and caramelized onions is made easier with a few shortcuts.
This basic technique for roasted portobello mushrooms is a great trick to know for adding mushrooms into your meals instead of meat.
If you make this recipe, please let me know by either coming back to give this recipe a rating, leave a comment or tag me on social media.
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Vegan Shiitake Bacon
- 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
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!
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
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Toss shiitake mushrooms, 1 tablespoon oil, smoked paprika and salt in a medium bowl. Spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake, stirring and turning occasionally until the mushrooms are dried out and browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet.
Notes
This shiitake bacon will loose it’s 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.
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
Would love to know if anyone has tried this with portabellos to make ones larger for sandwiches. I saw that cremini (baby bellos) seems to work in a previous comment.
Love this! Even my daughter who hates mushrooms liked it.
I am so glad you like them Karen! Thank you for coming back to leave a review!
This is literally why I continue paying internet!! So many solutions and delicious things for vegan people!! I’m purchasing the shiitakes from https://www.burmaspice.com/, I deeply recommend them. THANK you so much for this shiitake bacon. I deeply appreciate this kind of recipes.
★★★★★
Thank you for share this recipe.Great job..
You are welcome. Thanks for dropping by! Have a great week.
I love this so much! Definitely will give this a try!
★★★★★
Thanks Lindsay! I am so glad you’re on board with this. Have a great week!
Yum – I love mushrooms in any form. Great by themselves or a perfect topping for a salad.
★★★★★
How to store? How long will they last after cooking ?
Try to keep them from becoming moist again. Depending on the weather and humidity, they can keep for several days on the counter. Keep in mind, as long as they are completely dried out in the baking process. Store them in a bag or resealable container. If they become soft you can try re-crisping them in the oven for a few minutes.
These are truly delicious! I’ve made them 2 times now, and could have eaten the entire batch myself had I not practiced self restraint! Thank you for the recipe!
So glad to hear it Kelly! That is music to my ears. And thank you for coming back to let us know you like them.
Hey Katie! Thanks so much for this recipe. Excited to try it out. Do you know if I could use dehydrated mushrooms, rehydrate them, and then follow these same steps?
I don’t think that would work as well because the texture wouldn’t be the same. But I haven’t tried it. If you do end up trying it will you let us know how it goes. Thanks so much for commenting and happy cooking!