Amazing Vegan "Bacon Bits" With Sun-Dried Tomato

How ingenious are these? Sun-dried tomatoes create the perfect vegan "bacon bits" for topping salads, baked potatoes, and more!

Ready In Seconds
Thriftier Than Real Bacon Bits
And Packed with Flavour!

Ingredients For Vegan Bacon Bits

Dry packed sun-dried tomatoes are my pick. You could certainly use tomatoes that have been packed in oil and are sold in jars, they will just have a softer texture.

Typically, dry packed sun-dried tomatoes are rehydrated before using, but in order to get that "bacon bit" chew, I skip the rehydrating. That means all you have to do is:

1. Open up your dry packed sun-dried tomatoes
2. Chop into mini pieces
3. Splash on some tamari or soy sauce
4. A dash of liquid smoke
5. And serve!

Using Oil Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes

In the photo below I used oil packed sun-dried tomatoes. They have a softer texture but they certainly work!

• Remove them from the oil and let some of the excess drip off.
• Place them in the oven to crisp up a bit if desired (just watch them carefully so they don't burn)!
• And season as you would the dry packed tomatoes.

Recipe Cost

I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered these flavourful bits actually pack some savings as well!

This recipe makes ½ cup sun-dried tomato vegan "bacon bits" and costs us: CAD $1.01

• A 100g package of real bacon bits would cost us roughly: CAD $5.49 - $6.49.
• Our recipe using 100g sun-dried tomatoes and upping the amount of tamari and liquid smoke for flavour, would cost approximately: CAD $3.68

That's a savings of at least CAD $1.81/100g. Tasty, Thrifty, And Timely Indeed!

Tamari And Liquid Smoke

Tamari is a gluten-free soy sauce

For some reason that we have yet to fully understand, regular soy sauce doesn't sit well with Bryan's sensitive stomach... I have the allergies... he has a delicate tummy. What a pair!

So we gave tamari a try and lo and behold... it doesn't upset his stomach! For this reason, and some other differences to soy sauce, it's become our preferred go-to.

Tamari is:

Less Salty Than Other Soy Sauces
Darker In Colour
And Has A Deeper "Savoury" Flavour

You can find tamari in most large grocery stores. Since it's gluten-free it may be in the "natural foods" section instead of with the rest of the sauces in your regular aisle. We find the best price is at a wholesale store. If you don't have access to a wholesale store, tamari will likely cost $2-$3 more than other soy sauce varieties so try to get it on sale or feel free to sub with your regular soy sauce.

And liquid smoke?

Have you ever tried this wonder condiment? I had been coming across liquid smoke in recipes for awhile before I noticed it at the grocery store and decided to give it a try.

And wow! Smokiness in a jar! After doing some research, I've discovered that liquid smoke is not new and I've been consuming it all my life.

Liquid smoke is: Smoke and Water
Made from condensing and filtering smoke from burning wood.

If you've ever had a hickory smoked barbecue sauce, smoked ham, or smoked salmon... you've had liquid smoke. So, buying the condiment on its own means you can add it to any of your homemade sauces for that same "smoky", "meaty" flavour.

Is it safe? Through my own research, the short answer to me, is yes. Especially since the amount consumed is usually very little and any carcinogenic properties are far below the amount consumed in a smoked meat or fish product. But for a more in-depth analysis of the various studies conducted, take a look at Dr. Michael Greger's article on Nutrition.Org. And for a lighter read, The Spruce Eats has a nice overview of liquid smoke.

Using Vegan Bacon Bits

Caesar Salad is a perfect starting place! Take a look at our Caesar Salad From Scratch recipe and pair these with a tasty dressing and crunchy croutons!

Other ideas would be to add them to the top of these simple baked potatoes, pizzas, pesto pastas, or even our Creamy "Hearty" Chowder! Any time you want a little chewy, smoky, flavourful topping... make these vegan "bacon bits" and sprinkle away!

Let us know in the comments below if you give these a try and how you use them!

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