When I’m looking for a quick and tasty meal, I like making a vegan tomato avocado bacon bagel. Tofu bacon is quick to prepare, and tastes great on these bagels and with any dish requiring bacon. Tofu bacon provides a smoky, crunchy flavour even meat eaters will like.
For a different flavour you can modify the bagels by adding different ingredients. Lettuce, sliced onions, red peppers or carrots are tasty and colourful additions.
Various spreads taste great on these bagels. Mustard and vegan mayo nicely compliment the tomatoes. You don’t have to add a spread. The avocado creates a creamy texture, so there is no need for a spread unless you want to add it for extra flavour.
You can toast the bagels for a nice crunch. I like to broil them so they are crunchy on the inside and soft on the outside, and then add vegan margarine.
Season the bagels to taste with pepper, oregano, basil, or other spices.
As an alternative, you can make sandwiches rather than bagels. Tomato avocado bacon bagels and sandwiches are equally good! Experiment with different kinds of bread for interesting and unique sandwiches.
Tofu Bacon Instructions
If you have a tofu press, use it to remove excess water from half a block of firm or extra firm tofu. If you do not have a tofu press, you can squeeze the tofu gently to remove excess water. Another option is to wrap the tofu in a clean towel, place it on a dish, and place a heavy dish on top.
Once excess water is removed, slice the tofu thinly – as thin and even as you can.
Pre-heat a frying pan at medium heat. Add a bit of olive oil or canola oil. When the oil is hot, add thin strips of firm or extra firm tofu. Do not crowd the strips in the pan; cook in batches if necessary.
Fry the tofu for a minute or two, until it starts to brown. Flip each strip over to brown the other side. Cook until the tofu bacon reaches the desired level of crunchiness. If cooking another batch of the tofu bacon strips, move the finished ones to a plate. When all the tofu strips are crispy, remove any excess oil from the pan and return all the tofu bacon strips to the pan. Heat them for about 20 seconds until all the strips are hot.
Turn off the heat, but keep the pan on the hot element. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast evenly over all the tofu bacon strips. Pour 1.5 tbsp of soy sauce and 5 drops of liquid smoke over all the strips, and stir as the liquid evaporates. Coat all sides of the tofu bacon strips with the mixture of soy sauce, liquid smoke, and nutritional yeast. The finished tofu bacon strips will be dark brown and crispy. Remove the pan from the heat, and the bacon is ready to add to sandwiches or bagels (or any other dish requiring vegan bacon).
Soy-Free Vegan Bacon Option
For a soy-free version, you can use another type of vegan bacon. Rice paper bacon works well. Soak strips of rice paper in water for a few seconds to soften, then dip in a mixture of soy sauce, liquid smoke, and maple syrup.
Spread the strips in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 3 – 5 minutes at 350F. Watch carefully so the rice paper bacon does not burn. The result is a crispy bacon that tastes good on bagels, sandwiches, and in other dishes.
Vegan Tomato Avocado Bacon Bagel Instructions
Now you are ready to assemble the bagels. I like to broil the bagels first so the inside is crunchy. You can use toasted or untoasted bagels according to your preference. Add a spread, and then layer 2 -3 strips of tofu bacon, a few slices of avocado, and a few slices of tomato. Add onions, lettuce, or other toppings as desired. Sprinkle with pepper, oregano, or other spices, and the vegan tomato avocado bacon bagel is ready to serve!
Vegan Tomato Avocado Bacon Bagel
Ingredients
Tofu Bacon
- 1/2 block Firm or extra firm tofu
- 1.5 tbsp Soy sauce
- 5 drops Liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Ingredients for Each Bagel
- 2 -3 strips strips of tofu bacon
- 1/4 Avocado sliced
- 1/4 Tomato sliced
- Spreads, spices and other toppings as desired
Instructions
Tofu Bacon
- Slice pressed, drained tofu into thin, even slices. Pre-heat a frying pan at medium heat. Add a bit of olive oil or canola oil. When the oil is hot, add thin strips of firm or extra firm tofu. Do not crowd the strips in the pan; cook in batches if necessary.
- Fry the tofu for a minute or two, until it starts to brown. Flip each strip over to brown the other side. Cook until the tofu bacon reaches the desired level of crunchiness. If cooking another batch of the tofu bacon strips, move the finished ones to a plate.
- When all the tofu strips are crispy, remove any excess oil from the pan and return all the tofu bacon strips to the pan. Heat them for about 20 seconds until all the strips are hot.
- Turn off the heat, but keep the pan on the hot element. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast evenly over all the tofu bacon strips. Pour 1.5 tbsp of soy sauce and 5 drops of liquid smoke over all the strips, and stir as the liquid evaporates. Coat all sides of the tofu bacon strips with the mixture of soy sauce, liquid smoke, and nutritional yeast. The finished tofu bacon strips will be dark brown and crispy. Remove the pan from the heat, and the bacon is ready to add to sandwiches or bagels (or any other dish requiring vegan bacon).
Bagels
- Broil or toast the bagels so the inside is crunchy, if desired.
- Add a spread, and then layer 2 -3 strips of tofu bacon, a few slices of avocado, and a few slices of tomato. Add onions, lettuce, or other toppings as desired.
- Sprinkle with pepper, oregano, or other spices, and the vegan tomato avocado bacon bagel is ready to serve!
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