Air Fryer Carrot Bacon
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Air Fryer Carrot Bacon is a delicious and healthy alternative to the classic breakfast meat! Compatible with vegan and vegetarian diets, this nutritious twist is so easy to fry up extra crispy in your air fryer!
Why you will love this carrot bacon recipe
If you’re a fan of bacon, but looking for a way to increase your veggie intake, you’ll love this new take on bacon! This easy recipe is a great way to make healthy carrots taste almost exactly like real bacon.
Thanks to the air fryer, thin strips of seasoned carrots will get nice and crispy. With a little bit of liquid smoke, the flavor is so reminiscent of regular bacon you won’t even miss it!
Pair your crispy carrot bacon with some fried eggs or banana chocolate chip pancakes for a satisfying breakfast with a healthier alternative for traditional bacon with the perfect punch of nutrition.
Ingredients you will need
Liquid smoke: This is the not-so-secret ingredient that turns your delicious carrot bacon recipe into strips of crispy, smoky goodness!
Soy sauce: For some extra umami flavor.
Seasonings: A blend of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and brown sugar provide the perfect savory flavor with a hint of sweetness.
Maple syrup: Balances out the saltiness with some natural sweetness and channels the flavor of maple bacon.
Carrots: Obviously! You’ll want to make sure you are using large, thick carrots and not baby carrots because they are the easiest to make carrot ribbons with.
Olive oil: Ensures the carrot strips get nice and crispy in the air fryer, just like the real thing would.
What can I use instead of liquid smoke?
If you can’t find liquid smoke, use a bit more smoked paprika, smoked salt, or chipotle powder. Anything with that smoky flavor to it will help your carrots taste more like real bacon!
How to make carrot bacon
- Prepare the marinade. Combine the liquid smoke, soy sauce, seasonings, and maple syrup in a mixing bowl.
- Slice the carrots. Prepare the carrots by trimming and peeling them, then use a mandoline, vegetable peeler, or a sharp knife to cut the carrots into thin strips.
- Marinate the carrots. Pour the marinade into a long and flat container and submerge the carrots. Let them sit for 30 minutes to an hour to absorb all the flavors.
- Prepare air fryer. After the air fryer preheats, spritz it with a bit of olive oil (or cooking oil of your choice) to prevent sticking.
- Air fry carrot bacon. Place the carrot strips in a single layer in the air fryer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Flip about halfway through for best results.
- Rest. Once your air fried carrot bacon is done cooking, let it sit on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes before serving.
Since there is maple syrup in this recipe, you’ll want to make sure you spritz the air fryer basket really well with olive oil. You can also line the basket with air fryer parchment paper for added protection!
If you’re making a large batch, you can place the cooked carrot bacon strips on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 F to keep them warm.
What is vegan bacon made of?
All you need for air frying vegan carrot bacon is a couple of carrots, some staple savory seasonings, maple syrup, and soy sauce. I like to add liquid smoke so it resembles that delicious bacon flavor as well.
Does vegan bacon taste like bacon?
Vegan bacon doesn’t taste exactly like bacon but it comes pretty close and can definitely satisfy a craving for it.
As long as you let the carrot strips marinate for long enough, they’ll absorb all of those salty, smoky flavors, and the brown sugar and maple syrup will give them a hint of sweetness as well that channels the familiar, classic bacon flavor.
How to store carrot bacon
Though I recommend eating this air fryer bacon fresh, you can pop leftovers into a ziploc bag, store in an airtight container, or wrap with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 days at least.
Do I need to reheat carrot bacon?
Yes, when this delicious vegan bacon sits in the fridge it can get a little soggy and takes on a less bacon-like texture. Pop leftovers back into the air fryer for a couple minutes to restore that crispy texture and warmth!
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Air Fryer Carrot Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/16 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 large carrots
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Combine liquid smoke, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, brown sugar, and pure maple syrup in a medium bowl.
- Trim the carrot ends, peel them, and slice them with a sharp knife or a mandoline, making long, thin strips.
- Pour the marinade sauce into a flat container and add the carrot strips in layers, making sure the marinade covers both sides. Let the carrot slices marinate for 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350º F and spritz the air fryer basket with olive oil.
- Place the carrot strips in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry the carrots for 8-10 minutes. flipping them halfway through.
- Remove the carrot bacon strips from the air fryer and lay them on a cooling rack in a single layer. Let them cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Notes
- Cut the carrots into thin slices. Use a slicer or a mandolin to get uniform slices.
- Preheating the air fryer helps ensure that the carrot bacon starts cooking immediately when placed inside, leading to a more even and crispy result.
- Arrange the marinated carrot slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Avoid overcrowding to allow for proper air circulation. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Keep a close eye on the carrot bacon as it cooks. Cooking times can vary based on the thickness of the slices and the specific air fryer model. Check for crispiness and flip the slices if needed to ensure even cooking.
- The carrots are soft and wet once you remove them from the air fryer. By placing them over the cooling rack, the cooling process is essential to achieve a crispy consistency. Avoid stacking the carrots because they will stick together while they dry.
- Carrot bacon is best when served immediately after cooking to preserve its crispy texture. If you need to reheat leftovers, use the air fryer for a few minutes.
