What Are Bacon bits and How Can I Use Them?
Here's everything worth knowing about bacon bits and how to pick them, what they are, how to store them, and what to use instead, plus 35 recipes to cook tonight.
Key Points
- Bacon bits are crumbled cooked bacon used as a crunchy, salty topping, added at the last minute.
- Real bits are fried bacon; imitation bits are flavored soy flour with no pork.
- Soy bits stay crunchy longer and suit vegetarians; real bits win on flavor.
- Cook strips until brittle and cool them before crumbling, or they tear greasy.
- Homemade bits keep about a week in the fridge and freeze for months.
What are bacon bits?
Bacon bits are small pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled or chopped fine, scattered over a dish for crunch and salty, smoky punch. They are a topping, not a cooking ingredient, added at the end so they stay crisp.
There are two very different things sold under the name. Real bacon bits are exactly what they sound like: actual bacon, fried hard and broken up. Imitation bacon bits are textured soy protein dyed and flavored to taste bacon-ish, with no pork in them at all.
The two are not the same, and which one you grab changes the dish more than people expect.
Real Bits Versus Imitation
Real bacon bits taste like bacon because they are bacon. They bring real fat and smoke along with that brittle snap. They also soften once they hit anything wet, so they are best added at the last minute.
Imitation bits, usually sold as bacon flavored bits, are made from soy flour. They are crunchy, vegetarian, and cheaper, and they hold their crunch in a dressing far longer than real bacon does. What they lack is the actual bacon flavor and any real fat.
For a salad you toss right before serving, real bits win on taste. For a dish that sits, or for a vegetarian table, the soy version earns its place. Read the label, because the supermarket shelf mixes both right next to each other.
How to Use Bacon Bits
Think of them as a finishing crunch. A baked potato piled with sour cream and cheese is the textbook home, the bits going on last so they stay crisp against the soft potato.
Salads are the other big one. They top a wedge or a spinach salad, and they are the savory hit in Cold Pea Salad, where they cut the sweetness of the peas and dressing.
They fold into baked and breakfast dishes too. Stirred into the batter, they flavor Bisquick Mini Veggie Quiches, and they turn up in sweet-savory bakes like Bacon & Maple Scones. They also carry the smoky load in Crack Potatoes, the cheesy potato casserole that leans on bacon and ranch.
The thing to watch is salt. Bacon bits are concentrated salt and fat, so taste before you add more seasoning, especially in a creamy dressing that is already salted.
Making and Storing Your Own
Homemade bits beat the jar easily. Cook a few strips until very crisp, drain them on paper towels, and chop or crumble once cool. Let them cool first, because warm bacon tears instead of breaking clean.
Cook them harder than you would for eating straight; a strip that is still a little chewy makes soft, greasy bits. You want them brittle so they crumble into even pieces and stay crunchy on the plate.
Store homemade bits in a sealed container in the fridge and use them within about a week. They freeze well for a couple of months, which makes a big batch worth the effort.
The shelf-stable jarred imitation bits keep for months in the pantry. Real bacon bits sold in a jar are usually shelf-stable too, thanks to preservatives, but once opened they go in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 tbsp (7g)Quick facts
Food group: Bacon bits are a member of the Legumes and Legume Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 培根
- British (UK) term
- Bacon bits
- en français
- lardons
- en español
- trocitos de tocino
How much do bacon bits weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 7 grams |
Related
Legumes and Legume Products
Recipes using bacon bits
There are 35 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Tortilla Wrap-Ups
Easy breakfast tortilla wrap-ups stuffed with scrambled eggs, melted cheddar cheese, crispy bacon bits, salsa, and fresh tomato. A quick, kid-friendly morning meal ready in under 20 minutes.
Easy Microwave Bacon Potato Soup
Microwave bacon potato soup combines diced potatoes, bacon bits, onion, celery, and carrots in a casserole, ready in 30 minutes flat. No stovetop, no skillet, just one dish.
Bacon Bacon Deviled Eggs
Bacon deviled eggs with a tangy Dijon and mayo filling, loaded with smoky bacon bits and topped with a slice of cherry tomato. A make-ahead party classic that vanishes off the platter.
Bacon & Maple Scones
This is one of Jamie Oliver's recipes from his FOODTUBE. These scones are so buttery. Bacon and maple syrup add a bit smokiness and sweetness. Great for breakfast or snack.
Bisquick Mini Veggie Quiches
One of my variations of the Bisquick "Impossible Pie" type recipe. Quick and easy...great for breakfast, brunch or a light lunch.
Chicken Florentine Casserole
I loved this recipe. I made this for my mom after her surgery and she loved it. I only used 1 box of spinach instead of 2 and I used real bacon and not bacon bits, other than that it was great!
Crack Potatoes
Crack potatoes, a loaded hash brown casserole baked with sour cream, sharp cheddar, real bacon, and ranch seasoning until bubbly and golden. The cheesy, addictive potluck side everyone fights over.
Summertime Salad
Build-your-own summer salad with fresh veggies, marinated artichokes, avocado, sprouts, shrimp, bacon bits, and cheese. A flexible no-cook recipe you can customize with whatever is in season.
Cheesy Macaroni & Broccoli
Cheesy macaroni and broccoli baked with cheddar, mozzarella, bacon bits, red pepper, and evaporated milk. A one-dish mac and cheese with vegetables, ready in 30 minutes.
Holden House Southwestern Eggs Fiesta
Baked eggs with tortillas and cheddar cheese. An easy and delicious breakfast dish.
Hoppin' John Salad Vegan
Vegan Hoppin' John salad with black-eyed peas, brown rice, spinach, and a simple vinegar dressing. A cold, plant-based twist on the Southern New Year's classic.
Confetti Cheese Bread
Cheesy pull-apart bread made with refrigerator biscuits, cheddar, bacon bits, peppers, and pimentos. A 20-minute crowd-pleasing appetizer or side.
Pasta with Asparagus & Shrimp
Linguine with asparagus, jumbo shrimp, and bacon in a white wine cream sauce. Shell-on shrimp are seared, then simmered in wine to build a rich, layered sauce from scratch.
Cheddar Cheese Soup
This creamy cheddar cheese soup recipe is easy to prepare and creates a satisfying light lunch or dinner nearly any day of the week.
Dublin Coddle (Irish)
Dublin coddle is Ireland's beloved one-pot supper of sausages, bacon, potatoes, and onions simmered low and slow until everything melts together. Serve with soda bread and a bottle of stout for the full Dublin experience.
Perogie Puffs
Perogie puffs are deep-fried dumplings with cottage cheese dough stuffed with mashed potato, cheddar cheese spread, and optional bacon. A crispy Prairie twist on traditional pierogies.
Basic Chowder
Basic chowder base with bacon, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and bay leaf. A flexible starting point you can build into any chowder you want.
Bacon Breakfast Cookies
Bacon breakfast cookies pack a savory-sweet punch: whole wheat dough studded with crispy bacon bits, sharp cheddar, and crunchy corn flakes. A grab-and-go breakfast cookie that lands between sweet and salty.
Grandma's Seven Layer Salad
Seven layer salad with crisp iceberg, water chestnuts, peas, and a sweet parmesan-mayo dressing, finished with bacon and hard-boiled egg. A make-ahead potluck classic that chills overnight.
Corn-Cheddar Cheese-Oat Bran Bread
Savory bread machine loaf packed with cheddar, creamed corn, oat bran, bacon bits, and crispy fried onions. Whole wheat and cornmeal give it hearty texture and golden color.
High-Fiber Bread Quiche
High-fiber bread quiche uses stale multigrain bread as the crust, filled with low-fat cottage cheese, eggs, and evaporated skim milk. A lighter take on classic quiche with no pastry dough required.
Honey Bacon Bread
Honey bacon bread made in a bread machine with whole wheat flour, honey, butter, and bacon bits. A savory-sweet loaf with smoky flavor in every slice.
Mini Rice Quiche
Mini quiches with a crispy rice crust, Swiss cheese, bacon, green chiles, and pimentos. Bite-sized, gluten-free appetizers baked in miniature muffin tins.
Bacon Onion Quiche Bites
Crispy phyllo shells hold savory bacon-cheddar custard in these bite-sized quiches where eggs, cream, and real bacon bits bake into golden, puffed appetizers that disappear fast at any gathering.
Jackie's Spinach Quiche
Jackie's spinach quiche: blended egg custard with cheddar, bacon bits, spinach, and evaporated milk baked in a quick Bisquick crust. A potluck-famous shortcut quiche.
Roasted Red Potatoes w/ Bacon & Cheese
Crispy bacon bits and melted cheddar coat tender red potatoes roasted until fork-tender. Ranch dressing adds creamy tang to this crowd-pleasing side that feeds a group.
New Hampshire Stew
Slow cooker New Hampshire stew with beef, potatoes, and carrots in a maple syrup and tomato paste broth. Bacon bits, dry mustard, and Worcestershire add New England character.
Chicken Alfredo
Quick shortcut Chicken Alfredo with jarred sauce, peas, bacon bits, and crispy French-fried onions over pasta. A weeknight crowd-pleaser ready in under 45 minutes.
Baked Potato Bread
Soft bread machine loaf made with potato flakes, sour cream, bacon bits, and chives. All the flavors of a loaded baked potato in every slice.
