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These vegan bacon bits are chewy, smoky, and crispy on the edges once pan-fried. Inspired by French lardons, they are made with a seitan base for a meaty chew and a layer of plant-based fat to make them even more convincing! Use them anywhere you’d use bacon bits: carbonara, quiche, salads, burgers, and more!
Tired of paying $5 for a tiny package of vegan lardons or bacon bits? Here’s a homemade alternative that’s as close to the real thing as it gets!
What are lardons exactly? Lardons are small, thick pieces of bacon with generous layers of fat. They are commonly used in French cuisine. The difference between them and bacon bits is mostly in the size. Bacon bits tend to be smaller and thinner, while lardons are chunkier, typically around 1 inch long and 1/4 inch thick (2 cm x 0.6 cm).
⭐️ Why You Need To Try These Bacon Bits
- Meaty and fatty like the real deal: These bacon bits are neither doughy nor gummy. Plus, they crisp up when you pan-fry them!
- Smoky and salty: I’ve made sure that they are seasoned generously to add a deep, smoky flavor to any dish.
- They work in any dish that calls for bacon bits: Use them to make vegan carbonara, sprinkle them over pizza, stuff them into burgers or sandwiches, incorporate them into vegan quiche, and so much more. You’ll want to use them over and over!
Behind The Recipe
Before going vegan, I used to love lardons. I would use them in scrambled eggs, pasta, and quiche Lorraine, among others. Their salty, smoky flavor takes any dish to the next level. The problem is, none of the plant-based alternatives I’ve tried ever gets the texture right.
This recipe has been a long time in the making, as I wanted to replicate the original as close as possible. To do that, I took my vegan bologna as a base and tweaked it to be smokier and saltier.
The technique that sets them apart is a layer of fat that replicates the fatty marbling of traditional lardons, giving you that rich, slightly greasy bite you’d expect from the real thing. It’s based on the same technique I used to make my vegan roast pork.
📔 Success Tips
- Knead long enough. It’s essential that you knead the seitan for at least 5 minutes – it will give your bacon bits more chewiness and a better texture. I like to use my KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, but you can also knead by hand.
- Check the water level. Since you will be steaming the seitan for 1 hour, I recommend checking the water level at the halfway point. If the water level is low (under 1/2-inch – 1.5cm), add 2 cups of boiling water to the pot.
- Don’t rush the process. Allow the seitan to cool down completely before steaming it with the fat layer. Ideally, refrigerate the seitan overnight and steam it with the fat layer the next day.
- Chill before cutting. After steaming, allow the loaf to cool down completely. Slice it into pieces after chilling in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
🥓 What You’ll Need
Meat Layer
- Tofu – Use firm tofu. Rinse it and press it between sheets of kitchen paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Vital wheat gluten – Essential. Vital wheat gluten is responsible for the chewiness and meatiness of the “meat” layer.
- Worcestershire sauce – For depth. Its tanginess also helps replicate that “cured” flavor. Use store-bought or homemade vegan Worcestershire sauce.
- Liquid smoke – While you could skip it and smoke your lardons in a smoker, I went the easy way here by using liquid smoke.
- Soy sauce – For umami and saltiness.
- Oil – It adds richness.
- Sugar – To balance the saltiness. Don’t worry, it doesn’t make the bacon bits sweet.
- Red food coloring – Red coloring gives the seitan a vibrant red color. I’ve tried using beetroot powder, but unfortunately, the color faded completely after steaming.
Fat Layer
- Coconut milk – It does two things. First, it adds the necessary fat. Second, it gives the fat layer a white color. I recommend using full-fat coconut milk for optimal texture.
➜ Substitute: For a coconut-free option, use your favorite store-bought plant cream. Soy cream, for example, works great. I’ve also tried using Flora plant cream, and the result was just as good. - Tapioca starch – For that stretchy, chewy texture.
- Rice flour – The addition of rice flour helps firm the fat layer.
- Salt – To season.
🥣 Instructions (With Photos)
Quick overview: This recipe is done in two steps. First, you’ll make the “meat” layer, which is basically a seitan loaf that’s steamed until cooked. Once that is done, you’ll slice it in half, arrange it in a baking dish, pour the “fat” layer over it, and steam it for a few minutes.
1. Make the seitan
- Combine the tofu and seasoning. Add the tofu and all of the other ingredients except the vital wheat gluten to a blender.
- Blend until completely smooth, then transfer to a mixing bowl or a stand mixer.
- Combine with the gluten. Add the vital wheat gluten.
- Knead. Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes or until it develops a stretchy texture.
- Wrap in parchment paper. Shape the seitan into a rectangle measuring about 7 x 5 inches (18 x 13 cm). Place it on a layer of parchment paper.
- Next, wrap it tightly in the parchment paper.
- Wrap in foil. Tightly wrap the seitan in aluminum foil.
- Wrap it with another layer of aluminum foil, making sure it’s packed tightly.
- Steam. Place the seitan loaf in a steamer and steam it for 1 hour.
- Let it cool. Remove the seitan from the steamer and allow it to cool for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight in the fridge.
- Slice it. Then, slice the seitan in half through its thickness. You’ll steam in two batches. Arrange one piece of seitan in a 6×4-inch (15 x 10 cm) baking dish (trim it if it doesn’t fit).
2. Make the “fat” layer
- Combine. Add the coconut milk, water, tapioca starch, white rice flour, and salt to a small bowl.
- Whisk. Whisk until fully combined.
- Pour over the seitan. Pour half of the coconut milk mixture over the seitan.
- Steam. Steam for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool completely before removing from the baking dish. You can then steam the second batch.
- Slice into matchsticks. After chilling the loaf overnight in the refrigerator, slice it into thick matchsticks. Your lardons are now ready to use!
🍚 Where to Use Them
Now comes the fun part: using them in your favorite dishes! Here are some ideas:
- Toss into salads: Green salads, quinoa salad, rice salad, the options are endless!
- Incorporate into burgers: Pan-fry until caramelized, then add to your burgers, bagels, or sandwiches.
- Add them to quiches: Add them raw to your quiche batter before baking.
- Use them as a pizza topping.
- Add to pasta dishes: These are perfect for vegan carbonara, but they also work really well in other saucy pasta dishes.
❄️ Storing
- To store: You can store these bacon bits in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
💬 FAQs
No. Vital wheat gluten is essential in this recipe. Without it, the dough will not develop the chewy, meaty texture that makes these behave like lardons.
If you need a gluten-free alternative, you can replace the seitan with smoked tofu. Slice it into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick (1.3 cm) and steam it with the coconut fat mixture. Keep in mind the texture will be softer, and your lardons won’t be as seasoned.
You can barely taste it. If you’re sensitive to coconut, replace it with plant-based cream.
No. The fat layer adheres very well to the seitan!
Yes. Toss them with oil and bake or air-fry for 3-4 minutes at 350°F (175°C). The lardons will be a bit drier.
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Vegan Bacon Bits (Lardons-Style)
Ingredients
Seitan
- 9 ounces (255 g) firm tofu
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil
- 1 medium shallot (roughly chopped)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red food coloring
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 cup (125 g) vital wheat gluten
Fat Layer
- 6 tbsp (90 ml) full-fat coconut milk (or plant-based cream)
- 6 tbsp (90 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (56 g) tapioca starch
- 6 tbsp (42 g) white rice flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Seitan
- Pat the tofu dry. Rinse the tofu, then press it between sheets of kitchen paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Blend into a cream. Add the tofu and all of the other ingredients, except the vital wheat gluten, to a blender. Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds or until smooth. It should look like a thick cream. Transfer it to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl.
- Mix with the gluten. Next, add the vital wheat gluten. Knead on medium speed for about 5 minutes. At first, the mixture will be very soft, it's normal. After a few minutes of kneading, it will start to form a dough. Note: You can also knead by hand if you do not own a stand mixer.
- Wrap it. Shape the seitan into a rectangle measuring about 7 x 5 inches (18 x 13 cm) with a thickness of 1 and 1/4 inch (3 cm). Wrap it in a layer of parchment paper. Then, tightly wrap it in a layer of aluminum foil. Wrap it one more time with another layer of aluminum wrap. This will prevent the seitan from expanding.
- Steam it. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place a steamer basket on top. You can use a bamboo or stainless steel steamer basket. Place the seitan loaf in the steamer, cover with the lid, and steam for 1 hour. Check the water level after 30 minutes and add more if needed. There should never be less than 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) of water in the pot.
- Let it cool. Remove the seitan from the steamer and allow it to cool for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight in the fridge.
- Slice it. Then, slice the seitan in half through its thickness (since you’ll steam it in two batches). Arrange one piece of seitan in a 6×4-inch (15 x 10 cm) baking dish (trim it if it doesn’t fit) and prepare the fat layer.
Fat Layer
- Combine. Add the coconut milk, water, tapioca starch, white rice flour, and salt to a small bowl. Whisk until fully combined.
- Pour over the seitan. Pour half of the coconut milk mixture over the seitan inside the small baking dish.
- Steam. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place a steamer basket on top. Place the baking dish in the steamer, cover with the lid, and steam for 10 minutes. Remove from the steamer and allow the mixture to cool completely before removing from the baking dish. You can then steam the second batch.
- Slice into matchsticks. After chilling the loaves overnight in the refrigerator, slice them into thick matchsticks. Your lardons are now ready to use!
- You can store these bacon bits in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Knead long enough. It’s essential that you knead the seitan for at least 5 minutes – it will give your bacon bits more chewiness and a better texture. I like to use my KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, but you can also knead by hand.
- Check the water level. Since you will be steaming the seitan for 1 hour, I recommend checking the water level at the halfway point. If the water level is low (under 1/2-inch – 1.5cm), add 2 cups of boiling water to the pot.
- Don’t rush the process. Allow the seitan to cool down completely before steaming it with the fat layer. Ideally, refrigerate the seitan overnight and steam it with the fat layer the next day.
- Chill before cutting. After steaming, allow the loaf to cool down completely. Slice it into pieces after chilling in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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