I know, I know, this is not exactly a sweet recipe! But I was so excited trying this vegan version of what they call ‘Vegan Crispy Coconut Bacon’ I had to share it with you. I was never even a fan of real bacon but trust me this pretty cool stuff! It turned out apart from being all crunchy sweet and smokey it’s the absolute cherry on top of any soup, salad or sandwich. Especially, when you love the taste of BBQ, this might just be right down your alley!
I could even see this as a topping for banana pancakes with maple drizzle and coconut bacon! I remember the first time I saw coconut bacon in a vegan supermarket and I had to get it. A bag which costs like 4€ for 50grams! I bought it as I really wanted to try it. But I figured it’s pretty much a rip off considering the ingredients and the amount you get.
So here is a really cheap way now for you to make a massive batch of coconut bacon on a budget using ingredients that I am sure you already have at home. I didn’t even bother to get liquid smoke which I figured I could order but I decided to use some really good spice mixes which worked really well. I decided to make 2 diffferent versions. One which I would call the ‘classic’ version which is sweet and somehow smoky. And the second ‘Indian’ version using a Tandoori spice mix.
But in saying that you could use just any of your favorite spice mixes. I even had a falafel spice mix floating around. And I think I will try a falafel flavoured coconut bacon next time. Imagine Falafel coconut chips as a topping for your favorite salad!
Ingredients
- 4 cups coconut flakes
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vingear
- 2 tbsp coconut syrup or maple syrup
- 2 tsp of your spice mix; I used sweet Paprika and Tandoori spice mix
Instructions
- Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, syrup, and spice mix.
- Pour over the coconut flakes and mix well until all coconut flakes are covered.
- Pour on a lined baking tray. Try to spread it out evenly so it bakes evenly.
- Now bake at 180°C for 15 minutes. Please check every 5 minutes to make sure the coconut bacon doesn't burn.
Notes
If you loved my Vegan Crispy Coconut Bacon, you will also enjoy my other savory food inspiration: Fermented Rainbow Veggies and my B12 Boosting Seaweed Pesto!