Move Over Bacon!
This vegan rice paper bacon has a smokey, savory flavor with a crispy chewy texture. It is sure to satisfy your cravings for the real deal with a fraction of the calories! I snagged this recipe from yupitsvegan.com and just HAD to try this! You can find the original link here Rice Paper Bacon
What Is Rice Paper
Rice paper can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores. It is made with white rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, and water. Rice paper is a translucent edible paper that is typically used to make spring rolls. It resembles a plastic sheet when dry but turns soft and sticky when wet. Who knew it could make bacon?!
Is Rice Paper Bacon Healthy?
While I would not necessarily categorize vegan rice paper bacon as a health food, it does have some perks. It is high in potassium and 4 slices contains 7 grams of protein with only 177 calories, no saturated fat, and no cholesterol. Serve this as a side next to some buckwheat pancakes. You could also cook up a tofu scramble with fresh fruit and you have an awesome breakfast. My favorite? Spread some vegan mayo on toast and top with some crisp iceberg lettuce and fresh tomato for a satisfying guilt free plant BLT!
An Easy Alternative
This recipe may seem complicated at first, especially if you have never worked with rice paper. But it is actually very easy! Don’t be too concerned if a few pieces of dry rice paper crack when you are cutting them. You should get enough to use in the marinade anyway.
Soak in the water for about 5 seconds, then submerge in the marinade and that is it! I used a small bit of balsamic vinegar and pepper to create some darker areas to make it appear to look more like real bacon, but feel free to skip that step if you wish. Watch my video below if you’d like to see how it’s done!
How’d this recipe go for you? Let me know in the comments!
Vegan Rice Paper Bacon
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen Scissors
- 1 Wide dish for marinade
- 1 Wide dish for water
- 1 baking sheet pan
Ingredients
- 6 Sheets rice paper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp liquid smoke
- ½ tbso maple syrup
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Whisk all of the ingredients together for the marinade in a WIDE bowl until nutritional yeast is dissolved. Prepare a second wide bowl and fill partly with water.
- Using a kitchen scissors, cut rice paper into thick strips.
- Take two even sized strips and submerge them in the water for a few seconds. Using your fingers, gently squeegee off any excess water.
- Dip strips into marinade and coat. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining pairs of strips. *
- Bake in a 400° oven for 8-10 minutes. Watch carefully as they can easily burn. Pieces should feel and look crisp around the edges.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- To create a marbling effect, stir in a splash of balsamic vinegar and a dash of pepper to remaining marinade. Spoon on to edges of strips just before baking.
