Yuba “Bacon” (vegan, gluten free)
Oct 24, 2021 • Updated Jun 20, 2023
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This vegan Yuba Bacon is made with tofu skin and has a perfectly crisp texture with a bit of chew in the center. Meet your new favorite homemade bacon alternative!
People love bacon. So it’s not surprising that there are so many vegan alternatives. From coconut bacon to eggplant, it seems like everyone is trying to turn plants into bacon. But this version, made with tofu skins called yuba is my personal favorite. It’s super easy to make in the oven, and the soy soaks up the delicious, savory and smoky flavors of the sauce like nothing else. Plus, the texture is crisp on the outside with a slight chew in the center, just like the real thing.
What is Yuba?
Yuba is the Japanese word for soy or tofu skin. It’s usually sold dried and looks like wrinkly pieces of paper. You can find yuba in Asian grocery stores and online. It’s cheap and so tasty AND really high in protein as well!
How to Make Vegan Yuba Bacon
Once you’ve found yourself some yuba sheets, making your bacon is easy. You can find yuba in both fresh and dried form, and we’re using a fresh, hydrated form that comes in sheets. If you’re using dried yuba, soak in warm water until fully rehydrated before continuing with the recipe.
Yuba is quick to absorb the flavors from the liquid sauce, which makes this the most flavorful vegan bacon!
Depending on the texture you’re looking for, there are two options to prepare the yuba bacon:
- For thicker bacon with a chewier texture, cut thicker strips of yuba and slice them into bacon-sized strips. You’ll pre-bake these before adding the sauce to dry them out a bit while maintaining a chewy interior.
- For thinner, crispier bacon, peel apart the layers of yuba until you have very thin pieces. Skip the pre-bake step and go straight to the sauce and baking.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to flavor your vegan bacon:
- Yuba.
- Tamari. You can also use soy sauce if you’re not gluten-free.
- Maple syrup. Coconut sugar will also work. You don’t need much!
- Liquid smoke. A little goes a long way with this ingredient, so make sure to measure it.
- Garlic powder. For added flavor.
- Smoked paprika. To add a touch of spice and extra smokiness.
- MSG. This one’s optional, but highly recommended. It’s pure umami and really brings your bacon flavors to life.
Serving Ideas
If you don’t finish off this bacon when it’s fresh out of the oven, her are some of my favorite ways to serve vegan bacon:
- Replace the tempeh in my Vegan Cucumber Tempeh Sandwich
- Crumble it up and make a vegan cobb salad
- Toss it on this Crunchy Pad Thai Inspired Salad
- Make a vegan BLT
- Add it to Vegan Lemon Pepper Pasta or make plant-based carbonara!
Storage
Store leftover yuba bacon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Pop into the oven or airfryer to re-crisp if you’d like!
More Vegan Snack Ideas
- Healthy Makhana / Lily Seed Snack (vegan, paleo, gluten-free, oil free)
- How to Make Easy Popped Sorghum 2 Ways
- Candied Korean Sweet Potato – Goguma Mattang (고구마 맛탕)
If you make this bacon recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below!
Yuba "Bacon" (vegan, gluten free)
Ingredients
- 5 oz yuba sheets
- 3 tbsp tamari
- 2 tsp maple syrup or coconut sugar
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp MSG optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- (1) For a chewier texture: peel yuba into thinner strips (aim for about 3-4 sheets of width), then slice into bacon-like strips. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden brown on the edges. (2) If you prefer a crispier, thinner texture, then aim to peel apart until relatively thin. Skip the pre-roast step and proceed to step 3.
- Whisk together your sauce ingredients and place your yuba into the marinade, making sure to evenly coat as much as possible. Let sit for roughly 10 minutes.
- Place your yuba strips onto a lined baking sheet, then bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. If preparing the extra crispy way, keep an eye as they will be prone to burning. Once they are darker in colour and crispy, remove from the oven.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
