Large flakes of unsweetened coconut are the perfect canvas to infuse the smoky-sweet flavor associated with bacon. Coconut has natural fat and the flakes absorb seasoning well. After a low-heat bake, the flakes are crunchy, savory, salty, smoky, and just a touch sweet. Try them on your next sandwich and take your lunch to a new level of deliciousness! Recipe from from Plant-Powered Families: Over 100 Kid-Tested, Whole-Foods Vegan Recipes* by Dreena Burton, BenBella Books © 2015, reprinted by permission. Photos by Nicole Axeworthy.
Baconut (Vegan Coconut "Bacon")
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ scant teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 ½ tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos
- ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke see note
- 2 cups large flaked unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut sugar, paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, tamari, vinegar, and liquid smoke. Mix through until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the coconut and stir through until all the marinade is absorbed and the coconut is fully coated.
- Spread on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, tossing once about halfway through baking and checking for doneness at about 27 to 28 minutes. The coconut can turn from just perfectly cooked (a dark pinkish brown color) to burned (dark brown, and with a bitter flavor) in just a few minutes. So, don’t overbake!
- Remove, and let cool. They will continue to dry and crisp once out of the oven. Once completely cool, you can transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate; it will keep for weeks, maybe longer!
Nutrition
Liquid Smoke Note: While this is not an ingredient you may use often, it has a unique and essential flavor. It is worthwhile adding to your pantry (and it stores well in the fridge). You can find it in many grocery stores and also specialty/health food stores. It is not a chemical product; rather, it’s made from condensing vapors from the smoke of smoldering wood chips.
Serving Suggestions: Try sprinkled on soups, in BLTs, on top of baked potatoes, on veggie burgers/cheeseburgers, folded into breakfast scrambles, and as a pizza topping!
Visit Dreena Burton at Plant-Powered Kitchen.
- Here are more tasty Vegan Snacks and Dips.
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Millie says
Made this Baconut last night. I cam't believe how tasty it was. Had to control myself from eating it all at oncd - otherwise I wouldn't havve had enough for my BLT. I shall defo make this again.
Charlene says
I'm not a fan of smoked anything. Will I be disappointed in the recipe if I omit the liquid smoke?
Nava says
Charlene, I don't think you'll be disappointed. These have an amazing texture, and all of Dreena's recipes are generally wonderful.
Aaron says
Do you know what's in the vapors of smoldering wood chips? https://www.thoughtco.com/smoke-chemistry-607309 so I passed on the liquid smoke but made these and they r tasty. Well crafted recipe.
anita Lee says
Can anyone explain how you make the flaked coconut? I have never seen it available like this in big pieces. Since I am in Mexico my availability of specialty products is sort of limited.
Nava says
Anita, Amazon (U.S.) sells all kinds of large flaked coconut (https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Coconut-Chips-Unsweetened-Natural-Shipping/dp/B0143HS7AA/r) — not sure if you can get that in Mexico. Here's a tutorial on how to make it from scratch: https://wholenewmom.com/recipes/homemade-shredded-coconut-homemade-coconut-chips/ I hope one or the other of these will help!
Anita Lee says
Thank you for sending this.The only kind of shredded coconut I can find here is full of sugar. Amazon Mexico has no food products yet.
Anita Lee says
Thank you for sending this explaination. Only sweetened coconut is available here. Amazon has no food products yet.