This easy Coconut Bacon recipe is smoky, salty, slightly sweet, and irresistibly crispy! A quick vegan bacon alternative perfect for salads, soups, and more.
Coconut Bacon is one of my favorite little tricks for adding smoky, salty crunch to plant-based meals. Toss wide coconut flakes with soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and black pepper, then bake until golden and irresistibly crisp.
Of course, it doesn’t taste exactly like bacon-and it doesn’t need to! What I love is the combination of savory, smoky, salty, and slightly sweet flavors, along with that addictive crunch. My husband Brian loves this as a savory, crunchy snack, and I have to admit, I do too. 🙂
Sprinkle it over salads, soups, avocado toast, baked potatoes, or grain bowls, or simply snack on it straight from the pan. Best of all, it takes just 15 minutes and keeps beautifully, so you can make a batch and have it ready whenever a meal needs a little something extra.
Why you’ll love this Coconut Bacon Recipe!
Smoky, salty, sweet & crispy. Coconut flakes bake up beautifully crisp, with all those savory, smoky flavors you crave from bacon.
A surprisingly addictive snack. It's intended as a topping, but honestly, it's hard not to eat it by the handful straight from the pan!
Quick and easy. It takes just minutes to prep with a handful of simple ingredients, then the oven does the rest.
So many ways to use it. Sprinkle coconut bacon over salads, soups, avocado toast, baked potatoes, breakfast bowls, or anywhere you want a little smoky crunch. It's vegan and gluten-free adaptable, too!
Coconut Bacon Ingredients
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes– use large flake coconut chips here. We tested sweetened coconut flakes, and they don’t work for this recipe.
- Soy Sauce- use smoked soy sauce if you have it for the best smoky flavor, or use coconut aminos, tamari, or soy sauce and add a couple drops of liquid smoke (go easy!). Low sodium soy sauce is fine too!
- Maple Syrup– it helps the flavors stick to the coconut flakes, adds a caramel flavor and balances the spice with light sweetness.
- Smoked Paprika– adds subtle smokiness, color, and depth.
- Black Pepper– adds peppery spice and depth.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Coconut Bacon
Step One– In a medium bowl, gently stir coconut flakes with the soy sauce, maple syrup, and spices. Toss until the coconut is completely coated.
Step Two– Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Step Three– Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F for 6-9 minutes, or until golden. It will crisp up as it cools.
Chef's Tips
- Use large, unsweetened coconut flakes. Wide flakes give you the best bacon-like texture and crunch; shredded coconut is too fine.
- Spread it in a single layer. Give the coconut plenty of room on the baking sheet so it toasts evenly rather than steaming.
- Watch it closely. Coconut can go from beautifully golden to burnt quickly. Start checking around the 6-minute mark and stir if the edges are browning faster than the center.
- Let it cool completely. Don’t worry if the coconut isn’t perfectly crisp when it first comes out of the oven-it crisps considerably as it cools.
Ways to use Coconut Bacon
Sprinkle coconut bacon anywhere you want a little smoky crunch! It’s especially delicious on Cobb or wedge salads, creamy soups, baked potatoes, avocado toast, grain bowls, veggie burgers, and roasted vegetables. Try it on our Wedge Salad or Stovetop Succotash, or simply eat it by the handful-I won’t judge.
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Coconut Bacon Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: "How To", condiments, Side Dish, Snack, Toppings, vegan sides
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
This easy Coconut Bacon recipe is smoky, salty, slightly sweet, and irresistibly crispy! A quick vegan bacon alternative perfect for salads, soups, and more.
Ingredients
- 2 cups wide coconut flakes (unsweetened)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (smoked soy sauce, regular soy sauce or liquid amino acids plus a couple drops of liquid smoke -optional and not too much!)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (use more to taste if you like it more candied)
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Gently mix coconut, smoked soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika and pepper until coconut is completely coated.
- Spread out on a sheet pan, with parchment paper for easy clean up.
- Bake in preheated oven at 325 F. Check in 6 minutes, bake about 5 more minutes more or until golden brown. It will crisp up as it cools.
Notes
Coconut bacon will stay crisp and fresh in a sealed, airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 127
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 88.2 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 10.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.4 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Coconut Bacon FAQS
This version is made with unsweetened wide coconut flakes tossed with smoked soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika and black pepper. Salty, sweet, smoky goodness that adds amazing flavor to your food!
Seasoned coconut bacon is salty, sweet, and smoky crunchy bits of deliciousness. Of course, it doesn’t taste exactly like bacon but it has a lovely crunch enhanced by a subtle smokiness and satisfying saltiness.
Thin flat dried pieces of coconut that are unsweetened with no additives.
Coconut bacon will stay crisp and fresh in a sealed airtight container up to two weeks. Keep in the freezer for 3 months.
As delicious and easy as promised. My new favourite topper!
Yay! Great to hear.
I can’t wait to make this! What a fabulous idea!
Love to hear what you think Melinda!
I love this fakon! I have made this MANY times. I cannot do soy or gluten, so I use the coconut aminos instead. They make this even more delish! It’s a great topper on salad, oatmeal, soups, veggie burgers, and so much more.
So glad to hear you are enjoying Marni! It is addicting!
So simple and delicious and healthy. I used tamari, maple syrup, liquid smoke (hickory flavor) and smoked sweet paprika. I’m about to put some of this coconut bacon on a home grown tomato sandwich. Thank you.
Perfect! So glad you like it.
Oops sorry Tonia
😊👍🏼
Hi Sylvie
Sounds delicious. I roast coconut flakes tossed in an Indian spice mix ( my mother’s recipe) but am intrigued with the smoky flavour of yours. It’s not bacon, though. Why don’t plant based recipes shine for what they are?
I totally hear you Kameela! Sometimes it helps to name it so people searching can find the recipe. We do have tons of plant-based recipes that are just amazing in their own right:) I am going to try the Indian Spice coconut, sounds so good!
Wondering if you would recommend sprinkling the dry ingredients prior to baking or just after it is pulled out of the oven.
Prior to baking. Made that more clear in the recipe card. 🙂