"Bacon! I Want Bacon!"

We were camping one Memorial Day weekend, and at 6 a.m. we heard this guy shouting from across the campground: "Bacon! I want bacon!" I should have been mad that he woke me up, but instead I just laughed. And like every campground across America, by 9 AM, you smell bacon. That’s how much people love bacon. So let's smoke some tomatoes and make tofu bacon!

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." — Doug Larson

Well, this is one way to not only make your vegetables smell of bacon, but taste like bacon as well.

This is my go-to for deeply savory, smoky tofu slices. I call it Facon, and it hits all the salty umami notes you want in a bacon replacement—without trying too hard to mimic the original. It’s just damn good. This recipe can absolutely hold its own. It's not going to give you the exact same crunch and snap as traditional bacon, but it's deeply flavorful, smoky, and satisfying. You can use it like you would bacon— in a BLT, pan-fried into a Just Egg omelet, crisped and crumbled on a salad, or layered in a sandwich or wrap for that rich, smoky hit.

Want more on that concept of replacing meat that goes in stuff? Check out my Substack post: Start with the Meat That Goes In Stuff.

What makes this recipe different than the other vegan tofu recipes is the smoked tomatoes. Most of the others recipes I saw don’t include tomatoes at all and rely solely on liquid smoke for the smoky element. I think tomatoes add such a beautiful layer to this recipe—sweetness, umami, depth. If you don’t have a smoker like I do, the smoker box on a gas or charcoal grill is a great alternative for smaller batches.

The better quality the tomato, the better your marinade will taste. Garden-fresh slicers, cherry tomatoes, or juicy heirlooms all work beautifully.

THE best way to infuse smoke into tomatoes is with a smoker. More on that HERE.

No smoker? No problem.

Smoking Tomatoes with a Smoker Box and a Gas Grill

I got my smoker box from Lowes for $11 along with a bag of Hickory wood chips.

Instructions:

1. Soak enough wood chips to fit in the box, in water for 30 minutes.
2. Light only the front burner on high; leave the others off.
3. Place the smoker box, with the soaked chips, directly over the flame guard of that burner.
4. Close the lid and give it about 20–25 minutes until the box starts to smoke.
5. Arrange about 3 lbs of quartered tomatoes, cut side up, on the raised rack over the unlit burners.
6. Optional: Add a drip pan underneath if you want to catch any juices (mine didn’t leak—the tomatoes sealed up while smoking).
7. Adjust heat to maintain around 200°F and smoke for about 45 minutes.
8. Tomatoes should dry slightly and absorb a rich, smoky flavor without turning to mush.

No grill? No problem. You can roast your tomatoes in the oven instead:

• Quarter about 3 lbs of tomatoes and place them cut-side up on a baking sheet.
• Drizzle with oil and season with smoked salt and smoked paprika.
• Roast at 400°F for 45–60 minutes until charred and slightly dried.

The result won’t be quite as smoky as the grill or smoker versions, but it still makes an incredibly tasty base. Both smoked versions make enough smoked tomatoes for two pounds of tofu bacon, however the recipe below is for one pound. But I always double it and freeze the extra slices for future sandwiches and salads.

From here, you’re ready to make the tofu bacon with a smoky umami marinade.

Facon (Tofu “Bacon”) with Smoky Umami Marinade

Smoky, savory, and slightly crisp tofu slices that work beautifully in sandwiches, salads, or breakfast plates. This marinade also works on mushrooms.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Condiment, Main

Cuisine Smoky, Vegan

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 Baking sheet lined with parchment
• 1 8x8 glass baking dish for marinating
• 1 Immersion blender
• 1 Sharp knife or mandoline for slicing tofu
• 1 Tofu press or heavy pan
• 1 Oven

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups smoked tomatoes See above post for details
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon smoked salt
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon Chicago seasoning or any smoky spice blend
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 extra-firm tofu sliced ⅛" thick

Instructions

 

• Press tofu to remove excess water. Slice into ⅛-inch thick slices using a sharp knife or mandoline.
• In a bowl or mixing container, use an immersion blender to blend all ingredients—except the tofu—into a smooth, thick sauce.
• In an 8x8 glass dish, spread a thin layer of marinade. Add a layer of tofu, then spoon more marinade over the top. Repeat in layers until all tofu is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Lay marinated tofu slices in a single layer and brush with extra marinade.
• Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through and rotating the pan. Brush again if you have more marinade. Bake until edges are browned and lightly crisped.
• Let cool. Stack leftovers in a zip-top bag and freeze. Parchment between layers is optional. The slices separate easily after freezing. Reheat in toaster oven or air fryer at 325 for 5 min.

Notes

This smoky umami marinade is extremely versatile—use it on tofu, tempeh, mushrooms, beans, lentil meatballs, or anything that could use a bold, savory kick. It makes enough for two blocks of tofu, so freeze any extra if only using one. Try it with marinated shiitake or portobello mushrooms for a juicy, meaty result.

Instead of Penzeys Chicago seasoning, you can also try:
- Kinder's Seasoning 'Wood-Fired Garlic' (vegan, with hardwood smoked flavors)
- McCormick Grill Mates Barbecue Rub (vegan, smoky)
Look for vegan-friendly spice rubs designed for grilling meats—they can work beautifully here.

Keyword facon, smoky tofu, tofu bacon, vegan bacon

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ready for the Payoff?

Now that you’ve put in the work, it’s time to enjoy the reward: your first vegan BLT.

Whether you like your bread soft or toasted, pile it high with crisp lettuce, a juicy homegrown tomato (or a perfect one from the farmers market), a generous swipe of Hellman’s Vegan Mayo (yes, it’s good—I wrote about it here), and a few slices of that smoky, umami-packed tofu bacon you just made.

Take a bite.
You’ve earned this.