Vegan Cream of Bacon Substitute
Unlike other Cream of whatever soup substitutes, this one is dairy-free, gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan! It’s also surprisingly healthy! Use this vegan cream of bacon as a 1:1 substitute for any Cream of soup but especially in any recipe calling for Campbell’s Cream of Bacon Soup. It’s especially good for potato casseroles or breakfast casseroles. The methods may seem untraditional, but the final product will surprise you with how close it is to the original!
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Y’all know by now I have a mission to veganize all the classic American comfort food, and a big part of that is casseroles! And what is a major component to all American casseroles? Cream of soups!
This vegan cream of bacon substitute is the 5th recipe in our series that all started with our 5-star rated vegan cream of chicken! And you’ll be shocked that they’re all made with fairly simple ingredients.
Vegan Cream of Bacon is particularly cool because it can be used for breakfast casseroles like our vegan overnight breakfast strata!
It also goes great with any type of potato bake, or you can rehydrate it and make vegan bacon and bean soup with a creamy broth.
Why is this the best vegan cream of bacon?
- It can be used as a 1:1 sub in any recipe that calls for it. A great tool to have in your veganizing toolbox!
- You don’t need to make a messy roux! We use a high-speed blender to do most of the work.
- It might just be the only vegan cream of bacon out there! I did an extensive search and couldn’t find one single recipe, so clearly, the world needs this!
- You get the tastes and texture of traditional cream of bacon without the heavy cream, real bacon, and all purpose flour!
Ingredients in Cream of Bacon Soup Alternative
You’ll need just 4 basic ingredients plus a few common spices to make this vegan bacon soup alternative!
Here, we’ll give a brief overview of the ingredients with some tips to yield the best results, but you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dry red lentils – This is a key ingredient that adds that dead-on cream-of soup texture without having to make a roux!
- Raw cashews – These will be blended with the red lentils for a plant-based fat component (instead of bacon grease and fresh cream)
- Vegan chicken bouillon powder – We use our homemade vegan bouillon powder to add savory chicken broth flavor
- Vegan bacon bits – We used the “accidentally” vegan McCormick bac’n pieces. Check out our post about vegan-friendly bacon bits for a complete list of vegan bacon bits brands!
- Spice Cabinet – onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika (for extra smoky flavor!)
You’ll also need a high-speed blender for the best results in this recipe. An immersion blender will not work.
Substitution Options
Here’s our best substitutes advice and recipe variations for this creamy soup recipe! Please remember substituting an ingredient may not always lead to a positive result.
For the red lentils: I really do not suggest substituting this ingredient. Red lentils create a very unique texture in this recipe that is vastly different from brown or green lentils. Overcooked white beans or chickpeas could work, but we have not tried it.
For the cashews: Sunflower seeds or hulled hemp seeds are a great substitute for the cashews in this recipe. If you do this, I would also recommend adding a Tbsp or two of olive oil to the blender to match the fat content of the cashews. This will ensure the best texture!
For the bouillon powder: You can sub half as much bouillon paste or just use a mix of nutritional yeast, onion powder, dried thyme, celery salt, and a dash of black pepper.
For the bacon bits: You can use any chopped vegan bacon or even leftover seitan ham for this recipe. I’d avoid tempeh bacon and coconut bacon.
For the smoked paprika: Feel free to add a dash of liquid smoke along with some regular paprika
How to Make Vegan Copycat Campbells Cream of Bacon
Now, it’s time to make this easy recipe. This method may seem a little “out there”, but stick with us. If you’ve made any of our other Cream of soup recipes, you know the magic that awaits you!
Step 1: Simmer the ingredients.
Add the water, red lentils, cashews, bouillon, half of the vegan bacon bits, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika to a medium saucepan and stir.
Turn the heat to high, cover the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. When the mixture begins boiling, turn the heat to low and let simmer (covered) for about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Blend the soup base.
Carefully transfer the mixture to your Vitamix or another high-powered and heat-safe blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
Step 3: Add the bacon bits.
Then, stir in the remainder of the vegan bacon bits.
You can transfer this to a bowl to stir if you want, but I prefer to just stir them up in the blender (less dishes). Make sure the blender is off or you take it off the base with the blade turning mechanism though!
Step 4: Let it set.
Immediately pour the mixture into four 8-oz mason jars and cover with the canning lids. Let them cool on the counter completely.
When cooled, gently press down on the center of your canning lid (it should seal when you do this if it hasn’t already) and place in the fridge for future use in all your cozy soups, stews, and casseroles!
How to Use Cream of Bacon Soup Alternative
You can use one 8-oz jar of vegan cream of bacon as a 1:1 sub for Campbell’s Cream of Bacon soup (or any Cream of soup) in any recipe that calls for it! It adds smoky bacon flavor to any dish it touches!
You can also rehydrate this for a delicious soup. Add beans, barley, and your favorite veggies or just enjoy it plain! Serve with a simple side salad or cozy slice of bread with vegan butter.
Our vegan overnight breakfast casserole is one of our favorite ways to use it so far! It would also be delicious in our vegan hash brown casserole or maybe some time of vegan creamy bacon mac situation.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover jars of Vegan Cream of Bacon in the fridge for up to a week.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. However, if you do this, we suggest dividing the soup evenly between four 12-oz jars rather than 8-oz jars. This will ensure you leave at least 1-2 inches of space in the jar for the soup to expand as it freezes without it cracking the glass jar open.
Whatever you do, do not store these vegan cream of bacon jars outside of the fridge or freezer. They are not the same as canned version and must be kept cold to stay fresh and safe to eat.
More Vegan Condensed Soup Recipes:
- Vegan Cream of Chicken Soup
- Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Vegan Cream of Potato Soup
- Vegan Condensed Cheddar Soup Substitute
- We wrote a whole post on our method for veganizing condensed soups: Vegan Condensed Soup Guide
We hope you find this vegan cream of bacon soup recipe helpful! Every time we make another cream soup substitute, it opens up a whole new culinary world for us! We wish the same for you!
We’re already brainstorming more ways to use it and can’t wait to hear your ideas as well!
When you make it, let us know what you thought and how you used it by leaving a star rating and review on the recipe card below!
We love hearing about your experience, and this also helps support our small business by helping our recipes reach more people!
Vegan Cream of Bacon Substitute
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1/3 cup dry red lentils
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 Tbsp vegan chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup vegan bacon bits divided
Instructions
- Simmer the ingredients: Add the water, red lentils, cashews, bouillon, half of the vegan bacon bits, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika to a medium saucepan and stir. Turn the heat to high, cover the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil* (see notes). When the mixture begins boiling, turn the heat to low and let simmer (covered) for about 10 minutes.
- To store: Immediately pour the mixture into four 8-oz mason jars and cover with the canning lids. Let them cool on the counter completely. When cooled, gently press down on the center of your canning lid (it should seal when you do this if it hasn't already) and place in the fridge for future use in all your cozy soups, stews, and casseroles!
