How To Make Vegan Coconut Bacon (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free, Paleo)

Making coconut bacon is a lot easier than you think! This how-to tutorial recipe for Easy Vegan Coconut Bacon is gluten-free, allergy-free, paleo, free of store-bought additives, oil-free, and sugar-free! Of all the vegetarian bacon substitutes, this one is all natural and lasts for months, making it a great homemade staple!

Here at Strength and Sunshine, you know we’re big fans of the famous dehydrator eggplant bacon. However, eggplant bacon isn’t a great fit for EVERY recipe that calls for meatless bacon. Coconut bacon, on the other hand, is fit for just about every vegan bacon need. It’s crisp, crunchy, won’t get soggy (like eggplant bacon would), can be sprinkled, piled on, layered in, eaten by the handful, and pretty much lasts forever. Basically, if you don’t have a jar of homemade coconut bacon in the pantry…are you even living?

My only beef (or…pork?) with most coconut bacons on the market is that fact that they’re not allergy-free. Hint: They contain soy and/or wheat/gluten due to their notable use of soy sauce. That’s why it’s prime time we learn how to make our own vegan coconut bacon that’s top allergen-free, safe for celiacs, and free of anything we don’t “need” in our natural “bacon” substitute!

What is in vegan coconut bacon?

This coconut bacon is simple, quick, and just needs a few ingredients to make it…”bacony”! It’s completely, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, corn-free, sesame-free, sugar-free (optional), oil-free, paleo, keto-friendly, and basically your new favorite pantry staple (that you didn’t even know you were missing out on!)

What you need:

• Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
• Smoked Paprika
• Smoked Sea Salt
• Pure Maple Syrup or Sugar-Free Sweetener or Sugar-Free Maple
• Coconut Aminos
• Black Pepper

Many recipes call for liquid smoke. I used to use liquid smoke in recipes, but after doing more research and really looking at what’s in liquid smoke, I’m kind of grossed out. This is all natural coconut bacon, so besides the coconut aminos, every ingredient is of single-origin. I opted to get the smokiness from smoked paprika and smoked sea salt. The smoked sea salt hits two needed flavor aspects. The smokiness and the saltiness of real bacon.

How to make coconut bacon

The best thing about making vegan coconut bacon right at home is that it’s quick, easy, you can make the quantity you want, and adjust the flavoring perfectly to your tastebuds! There are really only 2 steps, 3 if you count putting it in a storage jar!

The simple steps:

1. Mix the coconut flakes/chips with the seasonings.
2. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to make sure nothing burns.
3. Letting it cool COMPLETELY before storing it in an airtight jar or container.

I wasn’t joking! It’s that easy and just like making granola! Just make sure to keep an eye on it (that’s why you mix it around on the baking sheet every few minutes) so nothing burns. You’ll know when it’s done as it will be nicely browned and crunchy! You can double, triple the amount you make as well! Just add this recipe to your weekly and/or monthly meal prep routine so you’re never out-of-stock.

How to store

Once you’ve baked the coconut bacon and have allowed it to cool completely at room temperature, right on the baking sheet, you can just transfer it to a glass jar or closed airtight container. Store it in a cool, dry, place (aka your pantry or spice cabinet) and you’ll have meatless bacon bits at the ready! It can last for at least 6 months if stored properly!

How to use coconut bacon

You can sprinkle it on salads, mix it into pasta or grain dishes, use it in a sandwich, add it to a savory breakfast scramble, or even mix it into or top baked goods with it!

Recipes to get you started:

• Baked Vegan Bacon Ranch Pasta Skillet
• Authentic Vegan German Potato Salad
• The Ultimate Vegan BLT
• Vegan Chickpea Scramble
• Vegan Chickpea Flour Omelette

Easy Vegan Coconut Bacon

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Now you must share with me how you’ll be using your homemade coconut bacon first! There are endless possibilities and it won’t be the last time you’ll see it being used in recipes on Strength and Sunshine (that’s for sure!)

So tell me:

+ What will you use it on first?

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