I've been on a seitan roll!!! First with my vegan seitan steaks, then my seitan tenders, followed by sticky garlic & buffalo seitan bites. It took me a while and a whole lot (like a really a whole lot... (like I'm talking years)) of recipe testing before I got the hang of making my own seitan. But now that I've nailed the technique, I just can't stop making vegan meaty deliciousness! Luckily, you guys seem to be loving it too, as my steak recipe has become one of my most popular recipes on the blog, and the tenders are quickly catching up. All hail seitan!
Next up, my Easy Vegan Pepperoni recipe. I had a craving for a classic pepperoni pizza, and normally my go to would be my Smoky Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza in Fuss-Free Vegan cookbook, which is a super easy recipe where the sun-dried tomatoes are soaked in a marinade to make them taste like pepperoni. Perfect for if you are gluten-free or for a quick vegan pepperoni hack. But for a classic pepperoni taste, texture, and look, it was time to make vegan seitan pepperoni.
This recipe is my easiest seitan recipe yet, no food processor involved and no need to marinate. Just mix everything together in a bowl, roll up in foil, steam, cool, and enjoy! This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze them to save for another time.
It's sensational on a pizza, but it's also great to enjoy as a snack on a vegan cheese board or even just with some crackers.
To make easy vegan pepperoni:
Mix together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. This recipe makes 2 vegan pepperoni logs, but feel free to half or multiply the recipe as needed to make however many pepperoni logs you like!
Once the mixture starts to come together, finish mixing by hand, kneading the dough for 2 - 3 minutes to make sure it's combined well. Kneading will also make the seitan have a chewier texture which works well with this pepperoni recipe.
Divide the dough into two pieces then roll the dough pieces into two logs about 6 inches long each. Roll each log up loosely in a piece of aluminum foil then twist the ends closed.
Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Steam for 30 minutes. Oil may release during steaming and appear in the steamer basket and water, and that's ok. After 30 minutes, remove the logs from the steamer and allow to cool completely in the fridge. The logs will have puffed up in the foil and become tight. Once cooled, remove the foil and they are ready to slice and enjoy as you like!
This vegan pepperoni works great on a pizza or served on a snack board.
Common Questions:
- Is Vegan Pepperoni Available Gluten-Free? Vital wheat gluten is essential to this recipe, and there is no substitute. Therefore this recipe cannot be made gluten-free. For a vegan gluten-free chicken inspired recipe try my Baked Tofu Bites recipe.
- How Long Can Vegan Pepperoni Last? Make these pepperoni's ahead and store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for longer.
- What is an alternative method to making Vegan Pepperoni? If you prefer to avoid aluminum foil, roll the pepperoni up in parchment paper, and then roll the parchment paper wrapped pepperoni up in cheesecloth and tie the ends closed.
Easy Vegan Seitan Pepperoni
My Notes:
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil, cooled so that it's solid
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (reduce or omit for less spice)
Instructions
- Add several inches of water to a large pot with a steamer basket and bring to a boil.
- In the meantime, mix together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Once the mixture starts to come together, finish mixing by hand, kneading the dough for 2 - 3 minutes to make sure it's combined well. Kneading the seitan will also give the vegan pepperoni a chewier texture.
- Divide the dough into two pieces then roll the dough pieces into two logs about 6 inches long each. Roll each log up loosely in a piece of aluminum foil then twist the ends closed. Steam for 30 minutes. Oil may release during steaming and appear in the steamer basket and water, and that's ok. After 30 minutes, remove the logs from the steamer and allow to cool completely in the fridge. The logs will have puffed up in the foil and become tight. Once cooled, remove the foil and they are ready to slice and enjoy as you like.
Notes
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Elaine says
This recipe is delicious and so easy. Thank you for the excellent seitan recipes. I'm not a big fan of fennel, so I used 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp oregano, and 1/2 tsp thyme instead.
Guest says
Can you fry it instead of steam it?
Sam Turnbull says
You must steam them first to set the seitan, then you can fry once they are full steamed. 🙂
Debbie Gill says
You could fry pieces after you steam it and cool it I think. Once steamed it’s fairly solid.
Les says
Troubleshooting question... I've made this before and loved it! Recently I made it and the final texture was weird. Kind of "chalky."
Any thoughts on what I might have done wrong (kneaded too much or not enough)?
Thanks for all your great recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Les, is it possible that you forgot to add the oil, or maybe not enough oil? That could make it dry and chalky
Les says
Thanks for the reply!
There was clearly oil in it as well as being a “chalky” consistency.
I don’t know what I did differently this time. ♀️
But I’ve made it before with great success, so I will just move on and try again!
Jacob says
This recipe was super simple and the results were amazing! I hadn’t had anything close to a pepperoni pizza in 6 years, so I was super happy to have something that got the meaty texture as well as the flavor of pepperoni. Fantastic recipe. Thanks, Sam!
Joana says
Hello! I'm a newbie to veganism so I'm glad to find this amazing recipes. I've never done seitan before but I pretend to start working on it this week. I'll start from scratch by the washing flour method. My question is, can this sausages and steaks be made from the gluten dough I'll obtain from the whole flour? Or is it mandatory to use the gluten flour instead? Thank so much for your share.
Maria says
Hi Sam,
I'm thinking of making this, but need to know if using solid unrefined coconut oil will work? That's what I have on hand. It's the same brand as yours (Nutiva), but not refined.
Thanks a bunch!
Desiree A Roy says
Refined coconut oil is usually deodorized so has not coconut flavour. I you use regular coconut oil you will have the coconut taste.
Hope that helps 🙂
Barb S. says
Oh my gosh! This is my first successful attempt at making anything with vital wheat gluten. What a fool proof recipe and what wonderful results! I made half a batch and used most of it on a home made pizza, and the remainder went on a picnic with crackers and vegan cheese. WOW. I'm about to get in the kitchen and make a full batch, some to eat right away and some for the freezer to have on hand. I was almost ready to give up on making my own seitan but I have been motivated to explore more of the recipes on this site. I'm coming for you, vegan chicken tenders. Uh huh.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Amazing! I hope you love the seitan tenders as well 🙂
Rose says
Hi! Is it possible to sub something for the vital wheat gluten? I'm having a hard time finding it
Sam Turnbull says
No, unfortunately vital wheat gluten doesn't have a good substitute. You should be able to find it any any health food store, bulk food store, or on amazon. 🙂
Jacob says
Rose—if you still haven’t been able to find vital wheat gluten, you can try to make a dough with regular white flour and water and rinse the dough in running water until all the starch is washed off. This will leave you will a similar dough as if you had made it with VWG. Might not work as well, but it’s worth a shot. -Jacob
Damian says
It kinda looks like poop before you slice it
Heather says
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I made one fat pepperoni instead of 2 smaller ones to make pepperoni rolls. These worked perfectly.
Tricia Hein says
I've made this before, but today, I decided to try a trick I learned from the Netflix baking show Nailed it! (not a vegan show) One of the judges said that if you keep getting dough stuck to your hands, you can spray a little non-stick cooking spray on your hands. I tried it, and the seitan was so much easier to work with.
Amy Keraly says
Quick question. I am not a huge fan of fennel. Is there anything that could replace the fennel without compromising the integrity of the recipe too much?
Sam Turnbull says
Fennel is a classic spice in pepperoni, but you could sub it with another spice that you enjoy 🙂
Lisa says
OMG! This is amazing. My omni hubby LOVES it. He said he can't stop eating it. I have to have it in the fridge at all times. We eat it on crackers with cheeze! So good! Your recipes are helping me turn my omni family into vegans! Heeheehee!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Amazing!!
Valerie says
Amazing, thank You sooo much! I made pizza for my husband (who is plant based too) & my dad who eats meat. And they both loved it as much as myself. I appreciate all your recipes.
betty says
hallo! i'm italian (sorry for my english...), don't know how i discovered your blog but i'm getting crazy reading your recipes 🙂 yesterday night i tried this one and i think i'm dreaming: so perfect!!! the first log is already gone at lunch (2 person) simply with home made bread, i think the second will disappear tomorrow 🙂 so happy, thank a lot!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful! So happy you love it so much, Betty 🙂
JULIE PLEDGER says
Oh my gosh! So easy, so good. I made a calzone with this beautiful pepperoni and the melty stretchy gooey mozzarella. Absolutely the best! Thank you so much!
Sam Turnbull says
So thrilled you, loved it!!
Jon says
I didn’t read the part about omitting the water if using olive oil. Steaming for 30 minutes basically did nothing. Can I steam for longer or is this batch ruined?
Lillian B. says
Beyond 5 stars rating! Me being quarantined at home and finding this recipe-your blog is quite possibly the ONLY good thing to come out of the coronavirus pandemic! I made only half of the recipe in case it was not successful and oh boy, it is phenomenal! Thank you! This recipe is a complete game changer!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww so happy you love it, Lillian 🙂
Deanna says
Thank you for this recipe. It's delicious, so much better than any store bought stuff. My family asks me to make it every week. We put it on pizza, in sandwiches, and on top of vegan mac and cheese.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!! Thrilled you love it, Deanna 🙂
Stephanie says
when you say let it cool completely in the fridge, do you mean to put it ik the fridge while its still hot? Is that safe? Or should i let it cool a bit before?
Jay Fogelman says
Made it this morning. So easy, I had everything in the cupboard. I've made all kinds of vegan sausages; this is one of the best.
Sam Turnbull says
So thrilled you think so, Jay! 🙂
Mother says
I have made this recipe so many times. A few things I've learned along the way. I wrap it really tight, comes it more like pepperoni. Cut slices and let them dry out in it fridge. Extra spices! More fennel for me.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love it!
Sophie says
I was surprised that this tasted so good given how little time it took to make! I served mine on a snack board with some crackers, hummus, and apple pear chutney and it was super yummy!
I rarely comment on recipes but I wanted to comment on this one to suggest to others that if you have the time to do so, it's worth refrigerating the pepperoni overnight to improve the texture. When cooled, mine was still a little too bready in texture to be pepperoni-like, but refrigerating overnight made the seitan firm up and get nicely chewy.
My only issue with this recipe was that mine came out a little bit stretchy. I've only made seitan a few times and have never steamed it so I'm not sure how to troubleshoot. Should I just have kneaded it for longer or is there something else I should be doing?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Sophie, glad you enjoyed it! If it was a bit stretchy it was likely undercooked a but. Try steaming it for an extra 10-15 minutes next time. You can't really over steam it so you're safe 🙂
Cindy says
Made this and your melty mozzarella this morning and had pizza tonight. OMG it was so good! I have missed a good pepperoni pizza and this just made me so happy!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! Thrilled you loved it, Cindy 🙂
Alex-Maude says
I was a bit scared since the last (and my second) time I made seitan, I failed. But this recipe is AWESOME. Friends (both vegetarian and meat eaters) ended up putting these on their pizza!!! We also ate all what was left and couldn't stop! I will redo for sure.
Wendy says
What cheese recipe went along with this pizza in the pictures?
Sam Turnbull says
I believe that was store-bought, Follow Your Heart brand.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! So happy you loved it, Alex-Maude 🙂
Jamari says
Hi Sam! This recipe looks absolutely amazing and I can't wait to try!! One question: will it still taste good when eaten without slicing, like a hot dog? Thank you in advance and again, it looks amazing!!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Jamari, it will taste good no matter how you choose to eat it, but it will be too firm to eat as a hot dog. You can try my sausage recipe or my carrot dogs in my cookbook. Enjoy! 🙂
Shilpa Sharma says
This was so delicious! The flavours continued to strengthen after a few days. Quick question- I froze one of the logs. Can I slice it directly from the freezer? How long would it last if I take it out of the freezer and refrigerate?
Has anyone tried slicing this thin in a food processor?
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
You can definitely slice it straight out of the freezer but it might be a bit difficult to do when frozen solid. If it was frozen freshly made, once thawed it should store in the fridge for 1 - 2 weeks
Michala says
This is seriously so good, the taste and texture is so much like real pepperoni I couldn't believe it. Great umami flavor, I didn't love it cold sliced off the log because it had kind of a lingering bready taste to me, but I never liked cold regular pepperoni either. Warmed up in a pan it was AMAZING!
Trying it on some Detroit style pizza with the gratable tofu mozzarella tonight and can't wait.
Sam Turnbull says
Awesosme!!! I'm so thrilled you loved it so much, Michala! I hope you love your pizza 🙂
Mike says
Hi Sam!
I just put this in the fridge to properly cool. Made it to go with your vegan mozzarella, which I have in the freezer to shred tonight for homemade pizza (I use a Lavash bread crust...easy to make crispy). The mozz - btw - also a big hit!
I wanted to let you know that I tasted it (couldn't resist) and it was GREAT! I did substitute for apple cider vinegar for the water - I've found it greatly cuts down the "doughy" flavor from vital wheat gluten.
Now I'm just waiting for your baloney recipe to finish steaming. It smells heavenly in my house!
Sam Turnbull says
That's amazing, Mike! So thrilled you are enjoying so many of my recipes!! Your fridge is going to look like mine! 🙂
Jo Schaefer says
I was using a pepperoni recipe adapted from various other recipes over the years. It was good..no problem there...but it took many more ingredients and a few more steps than yours. I then tried your pepperoni recipe and it was MUCH more simple to make and SO exceptional in flavor! A friend of ours (who is a meat eater) loves this stuff! I share some with him whenever I make it. It's fantastically good, Sam! Thank you! If we ever went back to eating meat, I would still make this recipe! It's THAT good!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, that's so awesome Jo! Thrilled you enjoy it so much 😀
Connie Sawatzky says
Followed everything but had to sub out the coconut oil. I'm allergic. I used Earth Balance - straight exchange. Totally worked. I didn't eliminate the water.
Sam........my 19 year old son (both of us are vegan), gave me a slow clap and said "congrats Mother".
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Love that!!!! Thanks so much, Connie 🙂
Veeps says
Great site, great book. great recipes, Sam! Only problem I'm having with seitan is it always seems to have a strong gluten smell and flavor in the finished product, no matter HOW much I increase the spices.
Wondering if you (or any others who wanna chime in!) have experienced this and found a solution? Maybe a particular blend of herbs and spices?? Any help much appreciated!
PS I'm using Red Mill VWG
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks, Veeps! Have you tried making my seitan recipes? Or is this just with other recipes you have tried?
JP says
Sam, you are a genius! I love your recipes and this one is no exception. Even knowing your recipes are fab, I was still amazed by this pepperoni: it turned out even better than expected. We had some on pizza last night, and I even added some to my toasted lettuce and tomato sandwich today. I had to put it away as I kept nibbling little slices of it. It's GREAT! Thank you so much for all your inspiring recipes (and your infectious enthusiasm). I have your book and use it a lot too.
From a Canadian living in the UK.
(p.s. I threw everything in my food processor for a couple of minutes instead of mixing and kneading by hand and the pepperoni turned out perfect - so easy!)
Sam Turnbull says
Aww shucks, thank you so much, JP! Thrilled you love the pepperoni so very much!! So happy you are enjoying so many of my recipes 🙂
Christina says
Any chance of a seitan turkey recipe on the horizon? It would be great to have a good vegan roast as a center piece for Thanksgiving!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes I love that idea!!! I will work on it 🙂
Kate says
666 - NUMBER OF THE BEAST(less pepperoni)
I'm sorry.. I had to
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha, love it!
Joe says
Hi Sam, I was surprised at how quickly this came together and that I didn’t screw it up LOL. Most of the first half went to a vegan pizza but the rest, I’m surprised to say I ate by itself. It’s kinda addicting! I’m very impressed how well the texture matches ‘real’ pepperoni. And the taste was awesome too. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
That's so awesome, Joe! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much 🙂
Ginny says
Hi Sam. I am whole food plant based no oil. I have made your recipes before and I love them! I always just substituted something else for the oil. Do you suggest leaving out the oil or maybe using some mashed avocado to replace it in this recipe?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Ginny! So happy you are enjoying my recipes. Pepperoni is traditionally very fatty which is why I use oil in this recipe. I haven't tried replacing it so I am not sure what to recommend. Seitan is pretty finicky stuff so I wouldn't want to recommend anything without testing it first. Sorry I can't be more help! You could try my seitan steak recipe which is oil free tho. 🙂
Katie says
Did you find a substitute for the oil?
Jenn says
Hey Sam,
I tried this, came out awful. Not sure where I messed up 🙁 🙁
Was not edible at all. Followed the recipe, only change was less soy sauce. I wasn't able to roll it like the picture either. So sad
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Jenn, it's difficult to know what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you. Making seitan is like science so small changes like less soy sauce could reduce the liquid ratio and change the consistency of seitan which could make it difficult to roll. In future, I would always recommend following seitan recipes exactly as written before making changes. Hope that helps!
Jenn says
Hey Sam
Thanks! I’m a new seitan maker and was concerned on the salt with the amount of soy sauce. I will take your advice and follow the recipe exactly until I perfect it which might take forever..LOL. BTW, your tofu marinades are on point! I love them
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoy them Jenn! I was very careful about how I wrote all the seitan recipes, so make sure you read and follow them exactly and that should yield you great results 🙂
Jenn says
Hey Sam!
Great recipes here. I’m about to try the pepperoni. Any ideas on how to make crumbles? Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Try my Tofu taco Crumbles 🙂
Srivani says
Made this pepperoni yesterday and it’s by far the best pepperoni - I was never a big pepperoni fan when I ate meat... just kinda tolerated it on pizza. This recipe, however, is super easy and so tasty.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! That's amazing! Who knew I could convert a non-pepperoni fan! 🙂
Lovethescents says
Made this today and absolutely loved it, as did my family. Have also made your seitan bites and steaks along with your sauces, all fantastic <3 Thank you <3
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!! Thrilled you are loving all my seitan recipes so much 🙂
Sharon Vega says
Is there any way to skip or sub the oil?
Sam Turnbull says
Not for this recipe, I'm afraid. But you could make my seitan steaks instead and slice them up for something similar. 🙂
Kimberly says
Will the seitan stay in a log if I just use parchment paper or is there another alternative that you would suggest?
Sam Turnbull says
I would suggest wrapping it in parchment paper and then wrapping in cheesecloth to hold the shape. The seitan will expand and you want something strong to hold it in shape. Enjoy!
Samantha Brooks says
Just made this! The taste & texture is phenomenal! Thanks for the recipe Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! Thrilled you love it so much, Samantha (great name by the way) 😉
Jane Toomajanian says
Just finished making Seitan Pepperoni. The recipe was very easy. It's in the fridge cooling and I can't wait to slice some up for my pizza that I'm making tomorrow night. I've also made your Seitan Steak and Seitan Tenders and they were fantastic. I was wondering if you had any thoughts or plans to put together a recipe for vegan chorizo. If so, I'd love to try it!
Sam Turnbull says
So thrilled you are loving all of my seitan recipes, Jane! Vegan chorizo, love that idea! I will add it to my list 🙂
Becky Mighton says
This is brilliant!!! I really enjoy your posts and recipes. My husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary of eating vegan in mid-December! Your recipes make it so easy and your enthusiasm is infectious. Thank you for all your hard work.
Sam Turnbull says
That's wonderful, Becky! Happy Veganniversary 🙂 I am so thrilled I have been able to help you enjoy your transition 🙂
Coreen says
Hi Sam! I'm really not a fennel fan, but I'd love to be able to make my own vegan sausage. Is there a different herb you would recommend instead? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
You could just omit it. Enjoy!
Yulca says
I used dried basil instead, about 1 tsp I'd say. I really liked it!
Laura says
Any gluten free version? Looks really good! I hope you have a GF substitute:-)
Sam Turnbull says
Unfortunately, there is no good substitute for vital wheat gluten. 🙁
Cal says
I loved loose meat or maid rite(c) sandwiches and I loved pepperoni sausage as a snack and on pizza. So seeing your recipe I thought why not combine them for a pepperoni loose meat sandwich. I combined your spices in a cup of boiling water and added a cup of TVP. After mixing thoroughly I added a half cup of ground walnuts (for texture) and behold--a delicious pepperoni loose meat sandwich. Next I will have one with your delightful vegan mozzarella cheese for a pepperoni pizza sandwich. As soon as I get some vital wheat gluten I'll make the vegan pepperoni sausage for snacking. You share great recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome, glad you had fun playing around in the kitchen, Cal 🙂
Kristy says
I searched the web for Vital Wheat Gluten substitutes. I found some, but not many that have good results. I also searched the images to see what it looks like. Can you describe the texture and if it is a flour or more of a sticky substance? I need a substitute for it - Gluten intolerant... Thanks!
Cal says
It's like a fine flour.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Kristy, unfortunately, as vital wheat gluten is literally just gluten there is no good substitute. Gluten is what makes bread stretchy and elastic, which is why gluten-free bread can lack those qualities. Vital wheat gluten provides that stretchy elastic texture to make a very convincing meat texture.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Jo, actually no oil is considered healthy as they are a processed food with zero nutrients. Calories would be the same with olive oil. My recipes are not health focus, they are delicious and vegan, those are my only requirements.
Bob says
I do want to try this?
Sam Turnbull says
Great!
Andrea says
Hi Sam
I am excited by these recipes, can you post one for a Vegan Pizza dough and all
Thanks so much
Sam Turnbull says
Happy to hear that, Andrea! I have my vegan pizza dough recipe in my cookbook Fuss-Free Vegan 🙂
Srivani says
The pizza dough in Fuss Free Vegan (Sam’s book) is so incredibly easy! One of 101 great reasons to get the book!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks Srivani 🙂
Maureen Cram says
Definitely going to make this for my American husband! I have a recipe that works well but is a lot more time consuming than this one (from a well known recipe book). Thanks again for such great recipes xxx.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Maureen! I hope you love my easier version 🙂
Lili says
You are a brilliant and innovative girl and I always enjoy reading your posts. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much, Lili! Thrilled you enjoy my posts so much 🙂
Meg says
So thankful for all you do on the web. Lost all your lovely well used cookbooks in wild fire. So thank you for posting these to keep me going. Lost vitamin also and miss my morning smoothies.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh no, sorry to hear that, Meg. Glad you are enjoying my recipes, best of luck 🙂
Christine says
Seitan and 666 calories. haha. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! I didn't even notice that. The 666 calories is a total coincidence! Haha 🙂
Susana says
Hi Sam
I am so excited to try this recipe. I love the ingredients you are using.
More seitan recipes please
I'll let you know how it turns out
Have a great day
Susana
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled you are enjoying my seitan recipes so much, Susana. I hope you love it 🙂