Vegan Tofu Bacon BLT

I’ve experimented with quite a few vegan tofu bacon recipes and so I wanted to share my favourite one with you. It’s such an easy recipe and quickly turns a humble block of tofu into a powerhouse of flavour that you can use in sandwiches, tear up in salads, or include as part of a healthy cooked breakfast.

I deliberated whether or not to actually call this ‘bacon’, because I’m in no way pretending that it replicates the texture or flavour of bacon made from pigs. But it’s definitely tasty enough to take the place of traditional bacon in many dishes, including this vegan BLT, because it has a delicious bite, and salty, smoky, slightly sweet flavours that make this great protein source so versatile. Also, I couldn’t come up with a better alternative name - ‘smoky baked tofu slices’ just doesn’t have the best ring to it.

Vegan Tofu Bacon BLT Recipe

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1 x 280g block extra firm tofu (such as this tofu by The Tofoo Co)

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1 Tbsp liquid smoke

• 1 Tbsp tomato puree

• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1 tsp cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• good pinch of black pepper

To serve:

• 4 bread rolls

• 4 large tomatoes

• 8 large lettuce leaves

• 4 Tbsp Hellmann’s vegan mayonnaise

Note: this recipe makes approx 12 slices of tofu bacon, enough for four BLTs - keep any leftover tofu bacon in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180C (360F).

Quickly drain the tofu by pressing gently between your hands over the sink for about 30 seconds. Then thinly slice the tofu length-ways. Use a couple of pieces of kitchen roll to pat the tofu slices dry.

Now mix up the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Carefully dip the tofu slices in the marinade and arrange on a wire rack set over a baking tray.

Bake the tofu bacon slices for about 15-20 minutes, until the edges start to turn brown and the tofu feels firm. Keep an eye on the tofu, especially for the last 5 minutes, because the marinade can burn if left in the oven too long.

Remove the tofu bacon from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare your BLT sandwiches. Simply wash and slice the tomatoes and lettuce leaves, then add a few small dollops of the vegan mayonnaise. Then layer a few slices of the tofu bacon, and enjoy!

Nutrition (per BLT):

• Protein: 19.8g (Women: 39.6% / Men: 36.0%)

• Iron: 5.9mg (Women: 39.9% / Men: 67.8%)

• Calories: 443 (Women: 22.2% / Men: 17.7%)

• Sugars: 11.2g (Women: 12.4% / Men: 9.3%)

• Total Fats: 18.4g (Women: 26.3% / Men: 19.4%)

• Saturated Fat: 1.9g (Women: 9.5% / Men: 6.3%)

• Salt: 1.5g (Women: 25.0% / Men: 25.0%)

• Fibre: 6.6g (Women: 22.0% / Men: 22.0%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.

Easy vegan tofu quiche with broccoli and sun dried tomatoes

I toyed with the idea of cooking a vegan quiche for a while, but for some reason didn’t get round to it until quite recently. I think I just presumed it would be a palaver to make.

But I met with family for a Sunday lunch earlier this summer and thought I’d try making one to bring along. And I was genuinely surprised at just how easy making a tofu quiche was (with the help of my quick fool-proof crust, the same one used for my trusty vegan plum tart recipe). It really is delicious too, if I do say so myself! When baked, the creamy tofu provides the perfect quiche texture, and the garlic, leek and nutritional yeast all give lovely ‘cheesy’ and umami flavours. It went down a storm with my family, with vegans and meat-eaters alike all devouring it and asking for the recipe… So here it is!

This quiche recipe is really versatile too. I’ve since made it with a variety of different vegetables - whatever I’ve had lying around - mushrooms, green peas, spinach, and roasted vegetables like courgette, aubergine, bell peppers and red onion, all work well. Best not to use veggies that contain too much water though (like fresh tomatoes) as this could result in a soggy quiche.

Nutritionally, this tofu quiche contains just a fraction of the saturated fat of a traditional quiche, with just as much protein, more fibre, more iron, and all the flavour!

Easy Vegan Tofu Quiche with Broccoli and Sun-dried Tomatoes Recipe

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 200g whole wheat flour

• 65ml olive oil & 1 Tbsp for frying

• 65ml water

• 400g block of firm tofu

• 1 leek, thinly sliced

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1/2 jar of sundried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1/2 head of broccoli, par-boiled

• 20g fresh basil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Good pinch of black pepper

Method:

Mix the olive oil and water, using a whisk to thoroughly combine until cloudy (this is the oil emulsifying). In a separate bowl, combine 200g flour with the salt, then gently pour the oil / water mixture into it.

Knead the ingredients for a few minutes with your hands until it comes together. Roll out the dough into a round shape on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin (or a bottle of wine!) until just bigger than your tart dish. Lightly grease your dish with olive oil, then carefully transfer the flat dough to the dish and spread it out so it neatly covers all the edges. Place the dish with the dough in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C (360F) and prepare the filling.

Unwrap the tofu and press it gently between your hands over the sink to squeeze out some of the liquid, then break up the tofu into a food processor. Blitz until smooth and creamy, adding a little splash of water or nut milk if necessary to help it reach a cream cheese texture (as per picture below).

In a frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil and gently fry the leek for a few minutes. Add the garlic, broccoli, basil, oregano, sun-dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, and seasoning (to taste) and continue to stir for another few minutes.

Now take the pan off the heat and stir in the processed tofu until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture into the base and spread out evenly using the back of a spoon.

Bake the quiche for 30-40 minutes, until the quiche is firm to the touch, starting to go golden on the top, and the base is nice and crispy.

Best served warm but store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days as it’s also delicious served cold or reheated.

Nutrition (per serving):

• Protein: 13.9g (Women: 27.8% / Men: 25.3%)

• Iron: 3.9mg (Women: 26.4% / Men: 44.8%)

• Calories: 328 (Women: 16.4% / Men: 13.1%)

• Sugar: 3.3g (Women: 3.7% / Men: 2.8%)

• Total Fats: 16.0g (Women: 22.9% / Men: 16.8%)

• Saturated Fat: 2.0g (Women: 10.0% / Men: 6.7%)

• Salt: 0.1g (Women: 1.7% / Men: 1.7%)

• Fibre: 3.9g (Women: 13.0% / Men: 13.0%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.

Quick Vegan Tofu and Mushroom Pho

This vegan take on a pho is all about creating the delicious, fragrant, broth. I'd quite happily just drink a bowl of this broth on its own, but pack it with rice noodles and amazing toppings and it turns into a hot bowl of slurpy, warming, goodness. 

Traditional pho takes up to 10 hours to prepare, but I'd rather take this healthier, mega-quick, flavour-packed vegan version any day! (Tip - if you're just making this for two people, still make the broth for four. Just strain the liquid through a sieve and freeze for a rainy day. Then defrost and serve with fresh toppings for a quick mid-week meal). 

Quick Vegan Tofu and Mushroom Pho

Ingredients (serves 4):

For the broth:

• 2L vegetable stock (only use 1 stock cube)

• 1 white onion, roughly chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• Thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped

• 3 whole star anise

• 5 whole cloves

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 Tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce

To serve:

• 225g pack instant rice noodles

• Handful coriander (cilantro)

• Handful basil

• Handful mint

• 8 spring onions (scallions), sliced

• 1 red chilli, sliced

• 2 Tbsp rapeseed oil

• 300g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

• 300g pack tofu

• 2 Tbsp cornflour

• 1 fresh lime, cut into wedges

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180C (360F).

Start by making the broth. Simply chuck the stock, onion, garlic, ginger, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and soy sauce to a large pot and simmer gently with the lid on for about 30 mins. 

Meanwhile, prepare your toppings. Cube the tofu and gently toss with 1 Tbsp rapeseed oil and the cornflour, then scatter onto a baking tray and bake for 20 mins until crispy. Sauté the mushrooms in 1 Tbsp rapeseed oil in a hot frying pan for 5-10 minutes or until browned. Wash and chop the fresh herbs, spring onion, chilli, and lime. Cook the rice noodles as per packet instructions.

Now to assemble the pho - divide the drained noodles into your serving bowls, then ladle in the hot stock (leaving the onion and spices behind). Now top with the crispy tofu, sautéed mushrooms, spring onions, chilli, fresh herbs, and lime wedges. 

Nutrition (per serving):

• Protein: 21.9g (Women: 43.8% / Men: 39.8%)

• Iron: 3.9mg (Women: 26.4% / Men: 44.8%)

• Calories: 481 (Women: 24.1% / Men: 19.2%)

• Sugars: 4.4g (Women: 4.9% / Men: 3.7%)

• Total Fats: 15.3g (Women: 21.9% / Men: 16.1%)

• Saturated Fats: 2.4g (Women: 12.0% / Men: 8.0%)

• Salt: 1.7g (Women: 28.3% / Men: 28.3%)

• Fibre: 5.5g (Women: 18.3% / Men: 18.3%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.