The best plant based bacon.
Our qualms with our favourite vegan bacon products really stem from the fact that their producers are also major players in the animal meat game. We know we vote with our dollar, so we believe that showing plant based meat some love even with the big meat companies should make clear where our demand lies. However, we understand there’s an argument to be made for not putting more money in the pockets of Big Meat. So a few of the following have been docked in the Feel-Good Factor.
This is a list of the best plant based bacon we’ve been able to get our hands on. We have ranked them, as always, on taste, texture, value for money, packaging and our PBFG Feel-Good Factor!
1.) THIS, Isn’t bacon rashers
This is a fantastic tasting and very realistic bacon substitute. It is one of the flagship products from THIS, which is one of our favourite brands. Overall - we love it.
However, it does have its down sides. The packaging is quite plastic-y, and we think the branding might put some people off. White just doesn’t scream ‘nice bacon’ to us, and there is a certain modern-pretentiousness to their tone of voice. The main problem though is its shape and size. We just don't get it. What's it trying to be? They are best suited to a pasta dish when sliced up, but they also sell lardons which fill that niche. We like them best in a soft bap for a delicious bacon sandwich. I just wish they made them in a bigger, flatter shape for breakfast.
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Taste: 10
Texture: 9
Value for money: 5
Packaging: 2
Feel Good Factor: 8
2.) Richmond, Meat-free streaky bacon rashers
This was one of the first meat substitutes that really knocked our socks off. Pretty disappointing that it took a massive meaty company to crack the code on veggie bacon, but wow, it is tasty. Its flavouring is incredible, it's way more affordable than other veggie bacon (by a country mile), and it's got a great texture. Be careful - overcooking can lead to it being way too crunchy and a bit burn-y. Despite this, it really blows other bacons out of the water in many ways. We have to give it to Richmond here!
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Taste: 9
Texture: 10
Value for money: 10
Packaging: 2
Feel Good Factor: 2
3.) THIS, Isn’t bacon lardons
We love THIS lardons. They are the perfect bacon for a creamy bacon pasta, and they have a wonderful crunch if you fry them crispy to top your salad. It's a shame they're so expensive, but they are nice as a special treat.
Of course, they’re not particularly versatile, but they are purpose-built to make a quick-and-easy dinner without the faff of having to slice finicky veggie bacon slices.
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Taste: 10
Texture: 10
Value for money: 4
Packaging: 1
Feel Good Factor: 7
4.) THIS, Isn’t streaky bacon
This is one of the few products that really splits us down the middle. One side of our team thinks the bacon itself - while tasting good - is far too tough. It doesn't feel like real bacon at all, and it makes it very difficult to cut. It works wonderfully in pasta (like all THIS bacon products) but for breakfast it's no good. Plus, the fatty bits that THIS thinks make the product more realistic, are actually just stringy and annoying. While bigger than their regular bacon rashers, they are still not big enough to really feel like actual bacon. Their regular bacon rashers, while they are a weird shape, are much better.
Not all of us agree, however. The other half of the team thinks THIS has really nailed the flavour profile of bacon. The fat (while yes, a bit annoying) gives it character, and if you’re really careful taking it out of the package and flipping it gently as it fries, you get a big pay out. So so tasty - a wonderful accompaniment to a tofu scramble.
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Taste: 9
Texture: 6
Value for money: 5
Packaging: 2
Feel Good Factor: 8
5.) La Vie, Plant-based bacon
This is a cool brand and their products taste good. However, they are expensive and a little bit... what's the word? Inaccesible. I think this branding (and price point) will only appeal to a certain type of East London vegan. Personally, we like brands like Quorn that focus on good quality for a reasonable price, and feel like they could convince a carnivore to cut down. The texture of these rashers could all be better too - it falls apart a bit and gets quite tough.
However, we love to see them partnering with bigger brands to normalise bacon without the pig, so if that’s what they have to do until they can bring down that price, so be it. La Vie, like other vegan bacon brands, is fighting the good fight, and we can’t wait to see how else they attempt to disrupt the meat industry.
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Taste: 9
Texture: 7
Value for money: 4
Packaging: 2
Feel Good Factor: 7
6.) Plant Powered, Bcn deli rashers
Not too much to say with this one. It looks realistic, it tasted good, the texture is decent, but it is expensive. We don’t tend to come across it in the high street supermarkets. The plastic packaging is not ideal, but it's a lovely dedicated plant based brand. You certainly won't be disappointed, but some of the more typical brands you find in supermarkets offer better value.
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Taste: 7
Texture: 7
Value for money: 4
Packaging: 2
Feel Good Factor: 7
7.) Plant Pioneers, Smoky vacon rashers
Similar to Richmond, but with a much worse texture. They fall apart all too often, and when they do stay together, they are quite rubbery. While we love the extent to which Sainsbury’s is expanding its own brand plant based offering, I’m afraid we can’t recommend this one in its current form.
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Taste: 7
Texture: 4
Value for money: 5
Packaging: 2
Feel Good Factor: 4