I’ve been on a mission for the last year or so, and I’m happy to say I’ve finally met my goal. My tofu related goal. Everyone has tofu goals, right? I’ve been trying to recreate the BLT from my favorite (err, well, the only) local vegan restaurant, and I finally have the bacon down. Crispy, chewy, smokey — everything bacon needs. The BLT of my dreams actually has almond mayo, but I have no idea where to begin making that. (Send me recipes, please!)
How do you know this tofu is good? Josh loved it. Though he admitted he couldn’t be fooled into thinking it’s actual bacon (I mean, look at it), he proclaimed it delicious in it’s own right. In fact when I went into the kitchen later, I realized he had gobbled up the leftovers. Rude, right? I could’ve — and did!– have big plans for leftover bacon. Mainly that I was going to wolf it down myself.
I get that it’s a little time intensive, but it’s worth it. Make it on a lazy day when you’re parked on the couch watching Netflix. It’s a good excuse to get up and stretch every now and then, and it ends in bacon. Good day, right?
1 tbsp maple syrup + 1 tbsp brown sugar (or 2 tbsp of either)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Drain tofu and press for at least 30 minutes.
Slice tofu into strips about ⅛ inch thick (I got 20 strips).
Arrange strips on a towel and press again for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and whisk together the soy sauce, smoke, syrup/sugar, and nutritional yeast.
Spritz a pan with nonstick spray and arrange tofu strips on the pan.
Brush the tofu with the soy sauce mixture then bake for 10 minutes.
Flip tofu and brush with more mixture. Bake another 10 minutes. Repeat (baking a total of 30 minutes). This should use all of the marinade.
Once tofu is done baking, heat a skillet over medium heat.
Line pan with a little oil and fry the tofu on each side for 1 – 2 minutes, until crisp.
If making ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze after baking. Thaw if frozen and fry in pan before serving.
Notes
Nutritional estimate uses 1 tsp oil and regular tofu. To make it more worth the time, you can double or triple the recipe. Tofu is best refrigerated or frozen prior to frying.
I love you for this!!! I am a big-time fan of tempeh “bacon,” so I obviously would LOVE tofu “bacon.” Pinning for later. I feel a “TLT” coming on soon!
What! I’ve never seen tofu bacon before. Brilliant idea! And yes, a day that ends in bacon is always a good one. 🙂
I’m not much of a tofu eater, but this bacon looks great and is really inspiring me!
Girl, I TOTALLY have tofu dreams…I didn’t know tofu bacon was one of them, but it really is. This sounds so good! I see a gazillion BLTs in my future.
I love you for this!!! I am a big-time fan of tempeh “bacon,” so I obviously would LOVE tofu “bacon.” Pinning for later. I feel a “TLT” coming on soon!
How clever is this?! I love creative dishes like this! It looks great!