Coconut Bacon Recipe
Crispy Coconut Bacon is incredibly delicious, featuring coconut flakes with a smoky-sweet flavor. It’s an amazing treat to add to sandwiches, salads, or any recipe where you need a bacon substitute.
What is Coconut Bacon?
For years, I have been hearing about coconut bacon recipe. I was never interested in testing a recipe,
I have even seen it sold in health food stores and I just moved along.
It is unsweetened coconut flakes that have seasonings added to taste like real bacon.
Coconut flakes are seasoned and baked until crispy.
Seasonings like soy sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, maple syrup, liquid smoke, and smoked salt.
However, since moving to Florida, I have been motivated to create more Southern-style cuisine.
It is amazing how many of the dishes have bacon, ham, smoked turkey neck, etc added to them for a smoky flavor.
I have had great results using smoked paprika, liquid smoke, and bacon made from coconut to achieve that smoky flavor. Like my Southern Fried Cabbage and my Southern Collard Greens.
It is my motivation to recreate the Southern dishes without meat but having a similar taste and texture. You can even sprinkle them bits over your salads.
Some great recipes are online for vegan bacon, check them here. and Southern Fried Cabbage and I plan to add it to my potato salad.
Coconut Bacon Ingredients
- Coconut Flakes (Unsweetened): These are the base of the recipe, providing a crunchy texture that mimics the crispness of bacon when toasted. Unsweetened flakes ensure that the other flavorings stand out without added sweetness.
- Olive Oil: Adds richness and helps the coconut flakes crisp up during baking, while also helping the seasoning to stick to the flakes.
- Bragg’s Liquid Aminos: A soy sauce alternative that imparts a deep umami flavor, this ingredient adds a salty, savory taste that enhances the bacon-like profile of the coconut.
- Maple Syrup: Contributes a subtle sweetness, balancing the savory notes of the aminos and the smokiness of the other ingredients. It also helps the flakes achieve a caramelized texture.
- Liquid Smoke: Provides the essential smoky flavor that is characteristic of traditional bacon, making the coconut flakes taste richly smoked.
- Smoked Paprika: Adds a layer of smoky, slightly spicy flavor that complements the liquid smoke, enhancing the overall complexity and depth of the bacon flavor.
How to Make Coconut Bacon?
Use the large coconut flakes that are unsweetened, you can find them at the health food store or online here. You can find liquid smoke and paprika online as well.
Combine olive oil, Bragg’s liquid aminos, maple syrup, paprika, and liquid smoke in a bowl.
Toss with the coconut flakes.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway.
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Coconut Bacon Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut flakes (unsweetened)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Mix olive oil, Bragg’s liquid aminos, maple syrup, liquid smoke and paprika in a bowl. Toss with coconut flakes, making sure to coat the flakes evenly
- Spread evenly on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes turning every 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, the coconut bacon will get crispy when cooled
- Store in an airtight container.
Amazing, well prepared
I made this coconut bacon to top your Southern Fried Cabbage recipe. The cabbage was probably great on its own, but this bacon was my favorite part and now I’m excited to use it in place of bacon-bits on other recipes!
This looks amazing and excellent
Thank you.
Super interesting recipe! I wouldn’t have thought to make bacon from coconut, but it’s really great! I did want to ask if the coconut bacon needs to be refrigerated or not. Thanks for the neat recipe! :)
Cori, yes it is best to refrigerate in a ziplock bag or container with a tight-fitting lid.
Oh boy, sending before I complete the cooking, on my second 5 min turn…I ‘m sold!! I ‘m 5 months into vegetarian lifestyles and I prepare a few of your recipes
Thank you
Breea, congrats on your decision to be a vegetarian, I’m so happy you are enjoying my recipes. Thank you very much for sharing your feedback.
I am about to make the coconut bacon but I am about 90% Whole Foods Plant Based. Is the oil absolutely needed for this since coconut naturally has oil?
Dawne, you can leave the oil for sure. I need to go oil-free but honestly, I love the flavor and caramelization of oil, so I’m a work in progress. The struggle is real!
Thanks! (: )I am going to use today to put into a vegan haluski: thats Polish cabbage and pasta. I will cook the cabbage in a crockpot and add the coconut bacon once that is cooked.
Michelle sounds yummy, I’m going to have to prepare that recipe since I love cabbage so much.