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. So that’s why I am sharing it during salad month.
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 arritbiata sauce, but you want to make it meatless, skip the bacon and stir this vegan shiitake bacon in just before serving for best texture.
- Make Vegan Broccoli Salad.
Questions:
What would you use this vegan shiitake bacon for?
Do you know of other uses for shiitake mushroom stems?
Click here to see all of the Salad month recipes I have shared over the last few months of May.
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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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.
Nutrition
- Calories: 41
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
This sounds great, I love bacon but hate all the fat. I would definitely eat this.
Great to hear that you like the idea Dahn. Have a great day.
I adore both paprika and mushrooms, so I think I’d love this idea for a delicious vegan bacon alternative!
Thanks so much Kavey
What a clever substitute for bacon! I’d love to use it to garnish soup and some of my pasta dishes.
That’s a great idea Andrea.
What an interesting and flavorful recipe I’m going to have to try this soon.
Thank you so much Hannah. Glad you stopped by.
What a clever idea! I’ve never thought of making a vegan substitute for bacon — because I like the real deal, but I can absolutely see how the ingredients you’re using would give a sense of smoked pork.
I love the real deal too, lol. It makes a shockingly good sub though.
I will definitely give this a try. I bet it would be good sprinkled on a baked potato with sour cream.
Yes for sure that would be a great way to use this recipe!
We didn’t have shiitake mushrooms and simply used the baby bells we had and I thought they were better than bacon!
That’s great to hear Allison. Thanks so much for coming back to report!
Yum! This is so perfect for on top of my lunchtime salad!
These are my favorite topping for salad too!
I would need to make a huge batch–I have a feeling I’d be snacking on this “bacon,” too!
I have been known to do just that!
THIS IS SO BRILLIANT! I want to put this on everything!
Well I can’t take credit for coming up with the idea. One of my chef instructors in school taught us how to do it.
Wow, interesting and I bet they taste great!
They’re savory little nuggets for sure!
Katie, my mouth is watering! Love this!
Yay! Glad to hear it. For some I know it would be a tough sell.
So simple but not sure my family would go for it. I’m the only mushroom lover in the house. 🙁 More for me!
Ha ha. That’s the spirit!
What a clever idea! Shiitake mushrooms are a favorite around here and I love the idea of having them stand in as bacon in a salad.
I love shiitake mushrooms too. We have a local source for them too, so I buy them year round!
What a smart idea to swap in mushrooms!
Thanks so much Erin. They add smoky crispness and I don’t miss the bacon!
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!
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.
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.
Yum – I love mushrooms in any form. Great by themselves or a perfect topping for a salad.
★★★★★
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!
Thank you for share this recipe.Great job..
You are welcome. Thanks for dropping by! Have a great week.