This Vegan Salami is chewy yet tender and packed with flavors like peppercorn and mustard seed. To get a texture similar to deli meat, this vegan and vegetarian salami is made with vital wheat gluten. Slice this vegan deli meat up and put it on sandwiches or crackers for a delicious flavor-packed bite!
why we love this vegan salami
At the moment, there’s seriously a lack of vegan deli meats available in stores. Hopefully, that will change in the near future, but right now, I’m not able to easily find storebought pepperoni, salami, pastrami, etc. If you’re craving some vegan-friendly deli meat then this recipe is for you!
While this recipe probably won’t be for everyone (some vegans don’t like eating mock meat), it’s great if you’re transitioning to veganism, or you just want to try and eat less meat. This recipe is tender, chewy, and incredibly hearty. Because this is a seitan recipe, it’s packed with protein that will keep you full and satisfied. This is the best vegan salami recipe that you can make at home. It’s complete with convincing ‘fat’ pockets and a peppercorn crust!
what is seitan?
Okay, but what is seitan? If you’ve never heard of seitan it’s a protein-rich food that is an excellent meat replacement. The main ingredient in seitan is vital wheat gluten. The origins of seitan date back to 6th century China where it was first documented. It’s often used as mock meat in Buddhist, Chinese, and vegetarian cuisines.
the vegan salami ingredients
If the ingredients list for this vegan salami looks intimidating, don’t worry! Most of the ingredients in this recipe are spices or flavorings. Vital wheat gluten is similar to tofu in that it takes on the flavor of anything you chose to mix with it, which is why all of the flavorings in this recipe are necessary.
Meat-based salami is usually cured or air-dried and flavored with white pepper, herbs, vinegar, and sometimes wine. To bring in that smoky, umami flavor, we’re using the following ingredients:
the spices
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Mustard seeds
- Caraway seeds
- Salt
the other main ingredients
- Vital Wheat Gluten
- Red Beets
- Red Wine
- Soy Sauce
- Olive Oil
- Tomato Paste
- Liquid Smoke
adding color to the salami
This recipe has a few key ingredients to help color the seitan and give it a very tender texture. Red beets, tomato paste, and red wine add rich flavor and color to the salami. You can omit the beets if you’d like, but just know the color will be more brown than red.
substitutions for wine
If you don’t want to use red wine, it can be substituted with veggie stock, but some of the rich flavors won’t be present. It’s important to note that not all wines are vegan. To make sure the wine you’re using is vegan, you can visit the website Barnivore. This website lists tons of wines, beer, and alcohol and lets you know whether they’re vegan-friendly or not.
vital wheat gluten
The brand of vital wheat gluten I use in this recipe is Anthony’s. I love that I can buy a huge bag of this online, making it super affordable (plus it lasts a long time). You can also find vital wheat gluten in most grocery stores. Usually Bob’s Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten is the brand I see in stores. It comes in smaller bags and is much more expensive than Anthony’s.
Vital wheat gluten is the ingredient that gives this vegan salami its chewy, sliceable texture. Wheat gluten is the main ingredient in seitan and is close to 80% protein. You know when you’re kneading dough for bread, and the dough becomes super-elastic? That’s because of all the gluten in the flour. Vital Wheat Gluten is made by washing away all the starch of the wheat and leaving behind the gluten. In this recipe, the vital wheat gluten is what gives the salami an irreplaceable texture, similar to real meat.
helpful equipment for this recipe
high speed blender
A high-speed blender is helpful for this recipe. You’ll want to blend up all of the liquid ingredients, including the beets, prior to mixing them into the dry ingredients. If you end up omitting the beets in this recipe, a blender isn’t necessarily required since the other liquid ingredients can be hand mixed.
digital scale
Accurately measuring the ingredients of this recipe will help ensure the ‘meat’ texture is exactly the way it should be. Incorrect measurements of the ingredients can alter the texture of the vegan salami. Using a digital scale is an easy way to measure the ingredients, plus they’re usually pretty inexpensive. This is the scale I’ve been using which I love.
how to make the seitan salami
This recipe is fairly simple, especially if you measure out all of your ingredients prior to starting. You’ll want to blend the beets with the rest of the liquid ingredients in a blender to make sure there are no chunks. Then, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
To make the seitan dough you’ll want to follow these steps:
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the bowl. Mix the wet and dry together to form a soft dough.
- Lightly knead the dough for 1 minute by hand, then flatten the dough into a rectangle about 4” wide and 6” long.
- To make the white “fat” mixture, in a mini food processor or a small bowl, combine the tofu, salt, and vital wheat gluten. If using a food processor, the mixture should come together into a coarse, crumbly texture.
- Take 1 tsp of the white “fat” mixture and roll it into a long strip as wide as the red “meat” (about 4” long). Place the strip onto the red seitan (see pictures above). Repeat with the rest of the white seitan mixture, placing the strips about ¼” inch from each other.
shaping the vegan salami
I prefer to shape the vegan salami into a log that is short and wide. This allows me to get larger slices that look more similar to deli meat. To shape your seitan, follow the steps below:
- Roll the red seitan up tightly, lengthwise, and pinch the edges together to form a log.
- Wrap the salami log tightly with aluminum foil, twisting the ends of the foil.
- If you prefer, you can wrap the salami with parchment paper first, then cover it with aluminum foil.
baking the seitan
The next step is baking the salami! This seitan recipe calls for baking instead of steaming. The seitan dough is wet enough that it doesn’t dry out in the oven, plus I’m using a few tricks to help keep the seitan extra moist!
- Place the wrapped salami into a square baking dish.
- Fill a small ramekin or oven safe bowl with 1-2” of water, and place the ramekin into the baking dish with the salami. This will help create steam in the oven, and will help keep the salami moist while baking.
- Bake the salami at 350F for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- When the salami is done baking, remove it from the oven, and let it cool for 20 minutes in the foil before unwrapping it.
It’s super important that you tightly wrap the salami prior to baking it. Also, be sure to fill a small oven-safe dish with water and place it in the oven with the salami. This helps create steam within the oven cavity while the salami bakes!
the white pepper crust
Salami typically has pepper coating or a crust that is developed during the curing process. To replicate this crust, I recommend rolling the baked salami log in a pepper coating. This coating is made with a little white pepper, black pepper, salt, and rice flour (or a gluten-free flour blend).
To make the pepper crust all you need to do is follow these easy steps!
- In a small baking dish, mix the black pepper, white pepper, salt and rice flour for the pepper crust together.
- After the salami has baked and cooled slightly, roll the log into the crust.
- The salami is now ready to slice and serve!
storing the vegan salami
You can keep this vegan salami in the fridge in an air-tight container for about 5 days. Seitan has a tendency to dry out in the fridge, so if you plan on storing it longer than that I recommend freezing the cooked salami.
To freeze the seitan, wrap the whole salami log, or pre-cut slices tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap with aluminum foil or place in a freezer-proof baggie. The seitan can be reheated by thawing it on 50% power in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
vegan salami tips & tricks
I buy Anthony’s Vital Wheat Gluten online. I usually order the largest bag since it’s the best price. You can find vital wheat gluten in most big box grocery stores as well. My local Kroger sells Bob’s Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten. The bags are much smaller and usually more expensive since you’re not buying in bulk.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a good substitute for beets at the moment. The beets add a tremendous amount of color to the seitan in this recipe. However, because this recipe doesn’t call for a lot of beets they can be omitted. Note, the color of the salami will be closer to brown than red.
A lot of seitan recipes do call for steaming as part of the cooking method. Steaming is often used as a way to create a moist dough. This recipe has enough moisture in the dough from the olive oil, tomato paste, red wine, and liquid seasonings that it stays moist and tender when baked. You’ll also want to tightly wrap the seitan prior to baking it which helps keep it moist.
If you don’t care for the taste of liquid smoke, substitute the same amount listed in the recipe with vegan Worcestershire.
Annie’s makes a great vegan Worcestershire sauce. I also use Simple Truth’s (Kroger’s in-house brand) vegan Worcestershire.
Looking for more vegan ‘Meat’ recipes?
- Vegan Steak
- The Best Vegan “Beef” Stew
- How to Make the Best Vegan Beef
- Air Fried Vegan Buttermilk Chicken
- Seitan Bourguignon
- Vegan Blackened Chicken
Did you make this Vegan Salami? I’d love to know! Leave a rating and comment below!
Vegan Salami
This Vegan Salami is chewy yet tender and packed with flavors like peppercorn and mustard seed. To get a texture similar to deli meat, this vegan and vegetarian salami is made with vital wheat gluten.
Slice this vegan deli meat up and put it on sandwiches or crackers for a delicious flavor-packed bite!
Ingredients
White “Fat”: (optional)
- 2 tbsp firm tofu (40g), drained and lightly pressed
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten (20g)
Wet:
- ½ cup red wine, (100g) vegan-friendly (see notes for substitutions)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (30g)
- 1/2 tbsp liquid smoke (10g)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (10g)
- ¼ cup tomato paste (60g)
- 1 tbsp diced raw & peeled red beets, (12g) optional but recommended
- 2 tbsp water
Dry:
- 1 cup vital wheat gluten (125g, spoon & leveled - don’t scoop directly from the bag)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp salt
Pepper Crust: (optional)
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp white pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp rice flour, or gluten free flour blend
Instructions
To Make the White “Fat”:
- In a mini food processor or a small bowl, combine the 2 tbsp of tofu, salt, and 2 tbsp of vital wheat gluten. If using a food processor, the mixture should come together into a coarse, crumbly texture.
- Set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
To Make the Red “Meat”:
- In a high-speed blender, add all the wet ingredients. Blend on high for 1 minute until the beet is completely incorporated and there are no large chunks.
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
- Make a well in the center, and pour the wet ingredients into the bowl. Mix the wet and dry together to form a soft dough.
- Sprinkle some extra vital wheat gluten onto a clean, dry surface and transfer the dough to the surface. Lightly knead the dough for 1 minute by hand, then flatten the dough into a rectangle about 4” wide and 6” long.
To Make the Salami:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Take 1 tsp of the white “fat” mixture and roll it into a long strip as wide as the red “meat” (about 4” long). Place the strip onto the red seitan. Repeat with the rest of the white seitan mixture, placing the strips about ¼” inch from each other. (see the photos in the post above!)
- Roll the seitan rectangle up tightly, lengthwise, and pinch the edges together to form a log.
- Wrap the salami log tightly with aluminum foil, twisting the ends of the foil. If you prefer, you can wrap the salami with parchment paper first, then cover it with aluminum foil.
- Place the wrapped salami into a square baking dish.
- Fill a small ramekin or oven-safe bowl with 1-2” of water, and place the ramekin into the baking dish with the salami. This will help create steam in the oven and will help keep the salami moist while baking.
- Bake the salami at 350F for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- When the salami is done baking, remove it from the oven, and let it cool for 20 minutes in the foil before unwrapping it.
To Make the Pepper Crust:
- In a small baking dish, mix all the ingredients for the pepper crust together.
- After the salami has baked and cooled slightly, roll the log into the crust.
- The salami is now ready to slice and serve!
- If you prefer a harder “meat”, wrap the salami in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place it in the fridge overnight to set up further.
Notes
Substitutions:
- Red Wine: substitute veggie stock
- Liquid Smoke: substitute vegan Worcestershire sauce
Other Notes:
- Not all wines are vegan. You can use Barnivore.com to check and see if your wine is vegan-friendly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 77Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 4g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
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Not sure about aluminum foil use even though it is over parchmant. I have put my mix in a stocking and tied the ends. Works well when steaming or in boiling water.
Hi Maple! That sounds like it should work. I’ve also seen people wrap seitan in a cheesecloth instead of foil.