Before we dive in, let’s get one thing straight. Carrots are not the same as bacon! Buuuut if you’re vegan and miss bacon, this carrot bacon recipe aims to fill that void.

Carrot bacon is much healthier than original bacon and can be made super fast. It’s super good on BLTs, in salads, served with pancake brunch, or crumbled as bacon bits on a baked potato.

What is the best carrot bacon recipe?

You’ve probably seen vegan bacon recipes using rice paper, banana peel, coconut, etc – you name it!

I stand by the opinion that smoked carrot bacon is the easiest to make and most delicious. Chances are you already have the ingredients you need for this amazing maple bacon carrots recipe. Plus, carrots are one of the healthiest (I see you, beta-carotene) and affordable veggies.

Now, vegan bacon will never be an exact replica of real bacon. And you can’t expect this recipe to fool anyone. However, seasoned per the recipe, maple bacon carrots have all the things that make bacon so mouth-watering. They’re smoky, salty, and have that crispy texture.

My tips for air fryer carrot bacon

For my method, I recommend air frying (or baking) your carrot bacon at 400F for 8-10 mins. I found this was the perfect temperature for drying out the moisture in the carrots and making them extra crunchy.

I also recommend flipping your carrot bacon halfway through. Also note that as your carrot bacon cools on the counter, it gets crispier. So give it 5 minutes after cooking to allow for this.

Depending on your oven or airfryer, the crispiness of your smoked carrot bacon will likely vary, so adapt accordingly.

As always, if you make this  carrot bacon be sure to leave a comment, rate this recipe, and tag us on Instagram so we can feature you. We love seeing all your photos of our recipe recreations!

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I am a Registered Dietitian and I offer nutrition consultations across Canada. Click here to book a free discovery call with one of our vegan dietitians!