Whether you’re a passionate vegan or a just curious omnivore dipping your toes into plant-based cooking, you likely already have some favorite meat substitutes. But instead of buying boxes of prepackaged faux-pork, we’ve got a much easier option, courtesy of chef Fraser Fitzgerald. This plant-based chef and recipe developer has an elegant trick for making quick tofu “bacon” that’s actually crispy.
“As a professional chef for over a decade,” he writes, “I can say that this is the best version of plant bacon I’ve ever had. The first thing you need is a peeler, more specifically, a Y-peeler. This gets the tofu super thin and allows it to get super crispy and crunchy when you bake it in the oven.”
Here, Fitzgerald recommends using the bacon as a topping for a luxurious Cobb salad that’s laden with a creamy tofu dressing. But he also encourages you to think big: “Beyond adding it to a salad like I’ve done here,” he explains, “you can also use it in sandwiches, wraps, baked goods, and anywhere you require ‘bacon.'” If you’re looking for a quick plant-based dinner upgrade, this clever trick might be your new go-to — and a way to transform the ordinary into something surprisingly indulgent.
Cobb Salad with Tofu Bacon
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
Tofu bacon
- 1 package of smoked tofu
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp corn starch
Cobb salad
- 4 cups of salad greens, washed
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Creamy dressing
- 1 brick soft tofu
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
For the tofu bacon:
Preheat your oven to 425F. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha, and corn starch.
Using a peeler, peel your smoked tofu into the marinade. This is key to get really thin strips. I prefer a Y-shaped peeler. Toss the smoked tofu gently to evenly coat it in the marinade.
Place the smoked tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the tofu around and bake for another 5-10 minutes. It should be crispy at this point, not burnt! Remove and set aside.
For the Cobb salad:
Place the chickpeas on a baking sheet and add poultry seasoning, salt, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Toss to combine. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until crispy. Tossing around in the pan every 10 minutes.
For the dressing:
While the bacon and chickpeas bake, prep the dressing by placing all the dressing ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.
To serve:
Build your salad by placing the lettuce in a salad bowl and topping with the raw veggies.
Allow the bacon and chickpeas to cool slightly, and then place on top. Drizzle on that dressing and dig in.
Recipe by Fraser Cooks.
