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.

I’ve been putting off making veggie sausages and mashed potatoes with gravy since we used up the last of my mom’s homemade chutney. Seriously, chutney is the best condiment to have with vegan bangers and mash.

I have also had a bag of frozen cranberries in my freezer for way too long. I was planning to make some cranberry sauce, but then I started to wonder, “can you make chutney with cranberries?” 

The answer should be obvious by now…

All of my food questions undergo extensive (or super lazy) google searching, and the chutney query was no exception. I found a few recipes, but nothing sounded quite like what I was looking for. You know, me, with all of my prior chutney-making experience (fact: I have never made chutney before).

No matter. This is what I do with recipes. I find something that sounds good and customize it for my own taste.

Success! It’s delicious. Bee loves it too. And the best part was that it was really easy to make. Chop a few things, measure some stuff, mix it all together and cook until it’s done. It really is that simple!

I can’t wait to share this with friends and family this winter!

Cranberry Apple Chutney

The ultimate autumn sauce. A sweet-savoury-spicy addition to your fall and winter gatherings. Use in place of cranberry sauce and as a condiment on crackers, sandwiches or savoury dishes.

Ingredients

• 2 apples, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoons celery, chopped fine
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ Tablespoons ginger, freshly grated
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

1. Mix everything in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook at a low simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the lid and cook for a few more minutes to reduce any remaining liquid.
5. Enjoy!

Notes

Chutney can be kept in a sealed jar or container in the refrigerator for at least two weeks. I’ve kept it much longer.

This recipe was adapted from Apple Cranberry Chutney on Simply Recipes.

If you make this, I’d love to know what you think. Did you add or remove anything to suit your taste?