I can’t count the number of times that friends have told me they can’t go vegetarian/vegan because they would miss bacon. So I decided to solve that problem. Please note that this recipe has two cooking options: oven or air fryer. The oven requires more cooking time, but this “bacon” is worth the wait. It’s crisp and salty and is perfect to pair with a tofu scramble or some pancakes for breakfast. My personal favorite is this vegan version of the classic “blt”.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 1 hrs
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients:
1 Medium Eggplant
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
½ tsp Smoked Paprika
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Black Pepper
1 Small Head of Lettuce
2 Medium Tomatoes
1 Small Red Onion
Vegan Mayonnaise or Avocado
4 Vegan Sub Rolls
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Slice the eggplant into thin slices (approx ⅛ inch thick).
- Mix together olive oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and spices to create a sauce.
- Coat each side of the eggplant strips with the sauce and lay the eggplant flat on the baking sheet. Make sure that the strips do not overlap and are not too crowded.
- Bake the eggplant for approximately 1 hr, flipping halfway through.
- Once the eggplant is a deep brown color and appears crispy on the tray, pull the baking sheet from the oven. The eggplant will continue to crisp as it cools, so it is important not to overcook.
- Slice tomato, onion, and lettuce.
- Spread veganaise (or avocado) on sub rolls and assemble sandwiches with as much veggie bacon as your heart desires!
Note: This recipe also works great in an air fryer! Preheat the air fryer to 300℉ and lay the sauce-covered eggplant on the cooking rack insert. Be sure not to overlap the "bacon strips". Cook in air fryer for 15-20 minutes or until crisp.
Enjoy!
