vegan deli meat

10 minutes prep time, easy to make, freezer-friendly, high in protein, cheaper and healthier than store-bought, and they taste and have a texture just like smoked turkey! These deli slices are juicy, meaty, tender, and seasoned to perfection. ! I love making these deli slices and storing them in my fridge or freezer so that I always have the makings for an epic vegan sandwich! Lightly adapted from my Vegan Turkey Roast recipe.

Homemade Vegan Deli Slices (Smoked Seitan Turkey)

(14 ounces) package firm tofu (drained)

vital wheat gluten

nutritional yeast

water

white miso paste

onion powder

vegetable broth powder

garlic powder

liquid smoke

apple cider vinegar

salt

sage

Food processor method: Add the tofu, vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, water, miso paste, onion powder, vegetable broth powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke, apple cider vinegar, salt, and sage to your food processor. Using the S-blade, blend the mixture until it is mixed well and forms a ball in the food processor. This should happen pretty quickly, but if it doesn&#39;t just ensure the ingredients are mixed well, and then you can form the dough into a ball by hand. *Do not knead the dough, kneading it will just make it tough and rubbery.By hand method: If you do not have a food processor, use a blender or immersion blender to blend together everything but the vital wheat gluten together until smooth. Now in a large bowl, use a strong spatula or wooden spoon to mix in the vital wheat gluten, mixing well, until a ball forms (you may need to use your hands as well). *Do not knead the dough, kneading it will just make it tough and rubbery.

Place your ball of seitan on a sheet of aluminum foil, then use your hands to pat it into a log shape. It doesn&#39;t have to be perfect. Wrap the foil around the seitan log securely but not too tightly. I like to do a double layer of foil to ensure it is wrapped well.

Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the foil-wrapped seitan to the steamer basket and steam for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 160F (71C). The seitan will puff up in the foil and become tight. Once steamed, remove and allow to cool. For the best texture let the seitan cool overnight in the fridge. You can now slice and enjoy your homemade deli slices! Use a sharp knife or deli slicer to cut thin slices. You can store the seitan covered in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for later.

Vegan Turkey Deli Slices

oz Super Firm Tofu*

Vital Wheat Gluten

Tbsp Tapioca Starch

Tbsp Mushroom Seasoning ((or 2 tsp Miso Paste))

Nutritional Yeast

Tbsp Onion Powder

Tbsp Garlic Powder

Black Pepper ((to taste))

tsp MSG ((or more Nutritional Yeast))

tsp Baking Powder

tsp Liquid Smoke

Tbsp Vegan Chicken Bouillon Concentrate ((or Veggie Bouillon))

Tbsp Neutral Oil

Water

Poultry Seasoning

Black Pepper

Combine everything but the vital wheat gluten in a food processor. Blend that up into a paste, taste for seasoning. Then add in the vital wheat gluten and blend and knead until you have a soft but sturdy dough. Depending on the size of your food processor you may need to do it in 2 batches.

If the seitan is too wet and sticky, add 1 Tbsp of vital wheat gluten at a time until it comes together. On the inverse, if it&#x27;s too dry, add 1 Tbsp of water until it comes together as well.

Continue to knead the dough in the food processor until it&#x27;s a firm but still slightly soft ball of dough (This should take about 5 minutes give or take). If it&#x27;s in pieces it should be fine as long as you can mash it into a single ball. You should be able to stretch it out and see visible gluten strands. It should also not be too sticky. Slightly tacky is okay, but not sticky!

Form your Seitan into a ball, then let it rest for 20 – 30 minutes. If using an oven, preheat to 350 F / 176 C.Drizzle and rub a tablespoon or so of cooking oil on the seitan loaf, ensuring even coating. Next rub an even coating of the dry rub as well.  Wrap the seitan in some Heavy Duty foil tightly. I recommend using two layers of foil. Place on a baking sheet, then bake for 1 hour or until the seitan is around 180 – 200 F internally (using a thermometer), flipping halfway through.For more Cooking Options, check the NOTES section!

Let the Seitan cool to room temp, then rest in the fridge for 8 hours or OVERNIGHT. This is very important for the final texture to firm up. It will be too soft right out of the oven or instant pot.

The next day the vegan turkey deli slices are ready to eat! Just slice it up by hand or with a mandolin or deli slicer.

This recipe is AMAZING. The flavor and texture is so great. So much better than store bought. 
I tried using the food processor but it just couldn't handle it (even a half back). I ended up switching to my kitchenaid mixer. 
Thank you!!

Easy to make and tastes better than store-bought! Make this bologna ahead of time and then have it ready to slice for a snack or sandwiches. It&#x27;s even great fried! Great for your kids lunch box.

Vegan Baloney (Bologna)

block (350 grams) extra-firm tofu (drained)

ketchup

yeast

soy sauce

smoked paprika

mustard powder

nutmeg

Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil.

In a food processor add the tofu, ketchup, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, mustard powder, and nutmeg. Mix until smooth as possible, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.

Add the vital wheat gluten and pulse several times to incorporate, scraping the sides as needed. It will form a crumbly dough.

Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface and knead together to form a dough. Shape into a large log that will fit in your steamer basket.

Roll the log up in foil twisting the ends closed so it looks like a large candy. Place in the steamer basket and cover.

Steam for 1 hour, or until the seitan&#39;s internal temperature reaches at least 160°F (71°C) when tested with an instant-read thermometer. If the temperature goes higher, that&#39;s perfectly fine—you can&#39;t really oversteam seitan The vegan baloney will have expanded in the foil making a tight log.

Remove from the steamer basket and allow it to cool (the foil will loosen a bit as it cools). Move to the fridge and chill completely before serving. When ready to serve just slice an enjoy! Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week

This is great my husband loves it, but it makes more than we eat in a week if we don't eat it everyday. what is the maximum time it will stay good in the fridge? Google says 5-7 days. but ours has been done for 8 days now, and we still have half of it left. Next time I will have to freeze half of it for sure.

Hi Sam,

Nice recipe, thanks for all you share! I am curious why there is not much gluten development done in this recipe. I am trying to figure out the secrets to achieving texture match if possible (can only get so close!) and I sense that kneading versus not kneading will have an impact. Kneading seems to make the loaf harder, is that correct in your mind?

Have you found a recipe you feel does mimic bologna more closely? Please share the difference! I think Sam does a great job coming close in flavor on all her recipes, but we all have different tastes. I read that nutmeg is one seasoning that makes real bologna unique. Perhaps try that?

Absolutely delicious! I couldn't even wait for it to cool. Game changer and I swear I will only 1 more slice...... This will save me so much $$$ to not have to buy tiny packages of vegan bologna any more. AND... it's so much better!

Hi Sam,
I made this today and it reminded me of when I made playdough with my children, except it tasted way better! I can't wait to make toasted bologna and cheese sandwiches with tomato soup for dinner!! My vegan daughter is loving it!
thanks again

Soooo excited about this recipe! I am wondering about if it's a typo on the way of the block of tofu. One package is $396 g. So I had to cut off a little bit of it. I'm making your Deli lunch meat at the same time. And the weight on that recipe shows the full block amount of 396. Just wondering if I was supposed to cut a little piece of this black off to weigh 350?

This definitely tastes like fake vegan bologna. I really like the other seitan recipes but this one lacks the similarity to actual bologna.

Make homemade vegan bologna sausage with simple, wholesome ingredients and no seitan, gluten, or oil. It’s a tasty vegan deli meat for sandwiches, charcuterie boards, and more!

Vegan Bologna From Red Lentils

red lentils

cashews

water ((divided))

1- inch piece beetroot

tomato paste

tsp salt

paprika

tsp smoked paprika

tsp white pepper

tsp coriander

tsp ground ginger

Tbsp balsamic vinegar ((or lemon juice))

Tbsp soy sauce ((or tamari/coconut aminos))

Tbsp olive brine

tsp agar agar powder

You can watch the video for visual instructions.Thoroughly rinse (and remove debris), then soak the lentils and cashews for at least 2 hours. Drain well. If you forget to soak the cashews, simply boil them for a few minutes to soften them.

Blend the lentils, cashews, beetroot, and 1 cup (240 ml) water until silky smooth. Pause to scrape down the sides as needed.

Transfer to a saucepan, add another 1 cup (240 ml) water and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Meanwhile, stir in the spices, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, tomato paste, and olive brine, whisking well.

Add 2 tsp agar-agar powder and 1/3 cup (80 ml) water to the blender (no need to rinse it first) and blend for a few seconds.

Transfer it to the saucepan, increase the heat, and cook for 5 minutes until thickened.

Transfer to a wide-rimmed glass jar or measuring cup (empty cans, yogurt containers, or empty milk carton -for a square shape- work, too).To help it release easily, optionally oil the mold first (it&#39;s not necessary though).

Refrigerate the vegan bologna sausage for 2 hours to fully set. Then remove from the mold, slice with a sharp knife or mandoline, and enjoy!

Ela, this is absolutely delicious! I'm on the second day in a row that I eat some of your wonderful BOLOGNA! I have missed eating beef bologna for a long time, but just can't anymore bcuz of what it is and how it's made.  I am so happy that this is so close to it in both flavor and texture ~ but actually healthy. Tastes so good! THANK YOU!!!

dear Sabina,that's a,good point , how many WG do you add?

I am blown away !!!  I cannot wait to try this recipe and I KNOW it will be awesome !  A guilty pleasure that is completely non-guilty !  I would like to add olives into the bologna as well.  I also want to use beetroot powder instead of the beet, as it is easier to keep.  I am certain that it will blow carnivore's minds !!!  Thank you sooo much for this recipe and for all you do for our community !

I don't often comment on a recipe but when I saw this I knew I had to give it a try.  I was absolutely blown away how well this came out.  It looks like, smells like and has the same texture as the bologna I remember as a kid.  It was easy to make with ingredients I always have on hand (used corn starch in place of agar agar).  will definitely make again and experiment with different add ins.  Thanks for the recipe.

I tried it and the aroma is really like the original Extra Wurst or very similar to Mortadella. 
I also added 2 1/2 tablespoons of gluten flour, because I like a more elastic texture. However, I do not know if it really changed so much. 
With bread it is really good. I do not think that someone would think it is vegan.

We surely will. Yesterday, we ate it with your gluten-free seed bread, which is our all-time favorite. Tonight, I will bake it in some ghee and see how this tastes :) I will definitely serve this as a little snack when guests come, and I am wondering what they will say. I always have beetroot in my freezer.

I made this today, and oh my goodness, this is a "delicatesse".! It's so easy to make and I had all the ingredients available and wanted to go for it. I used fresh garlic as I never use garlic powder and that was not a problem at all. Again, in a keeper. Thank you for all this delicious alternatives.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/tppfHZW9.mp4

Oooh, hadn’t thought of olives; loved olive loaf back in the 70’s! Over time, I’ve been making this with all kinds of variations because it’s such a terrific recipe diving board that allows one to plunge into endless possibilities!

This was good!  Couldn't wait for the final cool down, but it had a nice bologna flavor.  I could see this being a base for customization as well (maybe a little cayenne, extra vinegar, or olives).  It's really easy as well.  Put everything in the food processor.  With the pressure cooker, I didn't even have to hang out while it steamed.

Great consistency-looks so much like bologna. Just doesn't really taste like bologna-don't like the tomato taste. Why no salt?

this recipe is wonderful. made this as vegan bologna is hard to find and my daughter loves it. This smelled awesome just mixing it,. next time I will make two smaller loaves that will fit my mandolin! Thanks for sharing!

Excellent! Thanks! Can’t wait to try this:)

Hi! Just wondering what the cooking time would be in an Instapot? Thanks!

Thank you for sharing your recipe! It was surprisingly quick and easy, which is rare in my household. I did not bother weighing the tofu and instead used the whole block which was a bit more and I used homemade sugarless ketchup, but otherwise followed your recipe. I think my family would like all the spices doubled, so I’ll go for that the next time. I steamed for an hour, which gave me an internal temperature of 189º, but it was still perfect after a night resting in the refrigerator. An absolute winner!

Taste is good, just like bologna, but perhaps I made a mistake. Mine came out a little doughy. Any idea what could have affected the texture?

We can't believe how great this is! We've been having regular bologna sandwiches and Katie Lee's fried bologna sandwiches for a week now. Can't get enough of them. It makes a lot and I came back online to find out if I can freeze the rest. Lo and behold I can! Looking forward to you other recipes! Thanks a bunch!

Skip the expensive meat alternatives from the store and learn how to make your own vegan smoked deli slices! Extra meaty, a bit chewy, and infused with a warming smokiness, these slices are perfect to use in sandwiches, pizza, salads, or grilled cheeses!

Vegan Smoked Deli Slices

firm tofu

tbsp oil

tbsp white vinegar

tsp liquid smoke

tsp red food coloring

shallot (roughly chopped)

tbsp sugar

tsp black pepper

Blend into a cream. Add the tofu and all of the other ingredients, except the vital wheat gluten, to a blender. Blend on high speed for 30-50 seconds or until smooth. It should look like a thick cream.

Combine with the gluten. Next, transfer the blended tofu cream to a stand mixer and add the vital wheat gluten.

Knead. Knead using the paddle attachment for 5-7 minutes on medium speed. At first, the mixture will appear very wet. This is normal – after a few minutes, it will start to form a dough. Note: You can also knead by hand if you do not own a stand mixer.

Wrap it. Divide the dough into two balls of the same size. Shape one ball into a log of about 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) long. Wrap it in a layer of parchment paper. Then, wrap the log very tightly in one layer of aluminum wrap. Wrap it one more time with another layer of aluminum wrap. This will prevent the seitan from expanding. Do the same with the other ball of dough.

Arrange a steamer. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place a steamer basket on top. You can use a bamboo or stainless steel steamer basket.

Steam. Place the loaves into the steamer and cover with the lid. Steam for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check the water level after 30-40 minutes and add more if needed. There should never be less than 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) of water in the pot.

Let cool completely. After steaming, remove the loaves from the steamer and let them cool for at least 1 hour before unwrapping them. Then, wrap each loaf with plastic wrap and transfer them to the refrigerator.

Slice. After resting for a minimum of 6 hours in the refrigerator, you can slice it into thin slices or dice it into chunks!

You can store these deli slices for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Fantastic! I was VERY impressed with this recipe and am so grateful for it.  Thank you!

Can you make a smoky-flavor vegan sausage with this? I’ve been very frustrated to not find ANY recipes online for vegan SMOKED sausages made with VWG. This comes closest, though the texture is smoother than a sausage might be. Any advice?
This is a lovely recipe, BTW! 
I’ve not made the deli slices yet, but it’s on my “try soon” list!

Top 6 vegan deli meat recipes from across the web

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Homemade Vegan Deli Slices (Smoked ...

Vegan Turkey Deli Slices

Vegan Baloney (Bologna)

Vegan Bologna From Red Lentils

Vegan Baloney (Bologna)

Vegan Smoked Deli Slices

Top 6 vegan deli meat recipes from across the web

The most viewed vegan deli meat recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Homemade Vegan Deli Slices (Smoked ...

Vegan Turkey Deli Slices

Vegan Baloney (Bologna)

Vegan Bologna From Red Lentils

Vegan Baloney (Bologna)

Vegan Smoked Deli Slices

The most viewed vegan deli meat recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine