Homemade Vegan Pepperoni

by | Jan 28, 2019

It’s time for the first instalment of what I’m making for dinner: Vegan Pepperoni Pizza!

We love homemade pizza and I make it almost every week. And when I say homemade, I’m not kidding around. I make my own (sourdough) pizza crust, my own pizza sauce and my own vegan cheese!

But that’s three different recipes, way too much for a single post, so we’re sticking with a topping today: vegan pepperoni!

This recipe makes four pepperoni logs, which is enough for at least four pizzas. Fortunately, the pepperoni freezes well, so one session in the kitchen will provide you with delicious pepperoni for tonight’s pizza and three future pizza nights! I love leftovers and freezables.

Technically, this is seitan pepperoni, because the base is vital wheat gluten (the main protein of wheat). It provides the texture and protein of meat, without animal products.

Seitan (pronounced say-tan, or Satan, if you’re cheeky), is also known as “wheat meat”

Vegan Pepperoni Recipe

This spicy seitan pepperoni has great flavour and texture. Perfect for pizza, sandwiches or snack plates! Vegan charcuterie, anyone?

Ingredients:

WET

  • ½ cup red wine
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ onion roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons miso
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke
  • 3 cloves garlic

DRY

  • 1 ¾ cups vital wheat gluten (~212 g)
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 ½ tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons powdered mustard
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground fennel seeds
  • 1 ½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Place all of the wet ingredients in a blender and puree until completely liquefied.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients, then add the wet blended mixture and mix well.
  3. Portion the dough into four equal pieces, then form each piece into a log approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter.
  4. Wrap each log in a piece of parchment paper, then a layer of aluminum foil. Seal the ends well!
  5. Place pepperoni logs on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Let cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from Miyoko Shinner’s “Un-Pepperoni” recipe in her book The Homemade Vegan Pantry.