Author: Today I'm bringing you a homemade vegan baloney recipe! Do you say baloney or do you call it bologna? Either way, these vegan deli slices are so easy to make, and so tasty too! Perfect as a snack, to layer in sandwiches, and it even fries up beautifully just like the traditional version!
I think I may be turning into a vegan butcher these days. I've gotten into this streak of posting one meaty vegan recipe after another... and I'm loving it! Vegan steak, chicken, chicken wings, chicken nuggets, Italian sausages, chorizo, pepperoni, fried fish, and now vegan baloney!
It's such a fun challenge for me try and remember what animal products used to taste like (it's been almost 7 years since I've eaten meat) and then to try and recreate those flavours and textures. And some people say vegan cooking is boring... nuh uh!
It's probably been even more than 7 years since I've eaten bologna as I really enjoyed it more as a kid, but let me tell you, making a fried vegan baloney sandwich with vegan mayonnaise, some yellow mustard and a bit of lettuce brought me right back to those childhood sandwiches! The kid in me was overjoyed, and so was the adult in me. Tas-tee! These slices are fantastic for your lunch box no matter what your age.
To make vegan baloney:
In a food processor add the tofu, ketchup, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, mustard powder, and nutmeg.
*Nutmeg may sound like an odd addition and it is totally optional if you want, but nutmeg is traditionally one of the ingredients in baloney that gives it its classic taste.
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. The vegan baloney will have expanded in the foil making a tight log. Remove from the steamer basket and allow it to cool. Chill in the fridge until completely cold. Now it is ready to slice an enjoy! Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
This vegan bologna is great as a snack, but it's also fantastic fried or layered in a sandwich.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
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Vegan Baloney (Bologna)
Servings: large vegan baloney log
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Ingredients
- 1 block (350g) extra-firm tofu, drained
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons onion powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ¾ cups vital wheat gluten
Instructions
- 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's internal temperature reaches at least 160°F (71°C) when tested with an instant-read thermometer. If the temperature goes higher, that's perfectly fine—you can'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
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
Laura says
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?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Laura, so happy you enjoyed it! It sounds like you may have under steamed it or not let it chill in the fridge overnight (or both). Next time ensure you are steaming until the seitan's internal temperature reaches at least 160°F (71°C). And make sure to let cool in the fridge overnight before slicing for the best texture. I hope that helps!
Laura says
I did let it cool and put it in the fridge overnight, but was wondering if maybe there were issues with the steaming process. I will try it again. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Laura, yes it sounds like it might not have cooked through during the steaming process, which is crucial for getting the right texture. If you have an instant read thermometor, that is the best way to test it. Enjoy!
karla s potts says
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!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Awesome, what a great review! Thanks for sharing!
hal says
Can I add some miso like in the turkey deli recipe?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yes! Adding 1 tablespoon of miso would add a bit of umami funk. Enjoy!
hal says
thanks. I tried using tomato paste instead of ketchup but it wasn't as tasty. I think it needed a little sugar and vinegar from the ketchup.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi hal, yes tomato paste is often quite bitter (unlike ketchup which is usually quite sweet) so the flavor won't be quite the same. Glad you enjoyed it!
SerialMom says
On the hunt for the perfect phony baloney? I know I was. I've read this recipe so many times that I lost count. For some reason, it took a big fail before I got around to making it. I even shelled out the cash for a vegan cookbook from another author, solely for their pirzed baloney recipe. What a waste. Theirs was a total disappointment. So, if you're torn, just take the plunge. Don't waste your time and money on other cookbooks or internet searches. This one's the winner. And, as an added bonus, It Doesn't taste like Chicken instructions are crystal clear, easy peasy. The measurements are simple, and the ingredients are dirt cheap and easy to find. You probably already have them stashed away in your pantry. The other recipe, a total disaster. Their instructions were as clear as mud, pricey ingredients like Agar Agar powder, and a flavor that left a dry taste in your mouth, drier than the Mojave Desert.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wow, thank you so much! This seriously made my day. I'm so glad my recipe came through for you. And I’m with you, no one needs overpriced ingredients and confusing instructions. Phony baloney for the win!
Darcy says
Hi Sam,
I love this vegan bologna recipe and my husband eats it too! We enjoy Hatch New Mexico Green Chile with our bologna sandwiches 🙂
My husband wants to know if there is a way to change the recipe to make something similar to beef sticks?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Darcy 😊 Do you mean pepperettes? I haven't experimented with this, but he could try making the bologna as written, then slice into sticks, marinate, and dehydrate for a fun experiment! I also have a recipe for steak that could be more in line with what you're looking for. So happy you love the bologna!
Gabi says
Delicious! Mild and yummy flavor. I steamed in the instapot for 55 minutes under "steam" setting and it turned out perfect. Will def make again
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So happy you loved it Gabi! Thank you for the review 🙂
Cindy Grogan says
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.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy your husband loves it, Cindy! It should last about 5–7 days in the fridge, but freezing half next time is a great idea to keep it fresh longer! Seitan freezes super well ❄️
Stan says
I use a pressure cooker for the steaming and let it steam at full pressure for an hour. The internal temperature came to 190F. Should I not have used the pressure cooker or could this be done in less time?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Stan, 190F is totally fine! It should work out perfectly. Enjoy!
MrFiberup says
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?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi! Great question. The more you knead the gluten, the tougher and chewier (bubblegum) the end result will be. So this can be handy if you want something really tough, but in general, I prefer a lighter hand so that the end result is more on the juicy and tender side. If you want to learn more about this and all my best tricks in making seitan I highly recommend signing up for my free seitan masterclass. I hope that helps!
Agathe says
si je peux avoir la traduction en français je suis intéressée pour l'atelier. Merci
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Sorry we aren't able to provide translation services but please feel free to use google translate (or similar).
SARAH says
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!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So thrilled you love it so much Sarah!!
Susan says
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?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Susan, Thank you for paying such close attention to the measurements—this will definitely help you get the best results! The recipe is correct as written. Different brands and countries do sell tofu in various sizes, so yours was just a bit bigger. You did exactly the right thing by adjusting it. I hope you enjoy the baloney!
Amy says
I was so excited until I saw the seitan in the recipe.
Is there a way to make this gluten free?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Amy, no unfortunately this is a recipe to make homemade seitan, there is no gluten-free alternative for this recipe.
Nancy says
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
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Haha! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Stephanie says
This definitely tastes like fake vegan bologna. I really like the other seitan recipes but this one lacks the similarity to actual bologna.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Sorry you didn't enjoy it!
MrFiberup says
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?
Ronda says
This was super good, and much easier to make than I was anticipating. It makes a lot too. We had bologna sandwiches all week for less than the cost of one package of store-bought lunch meat. This will be going into regular rotation.
Sara says
I make this vegan baloney a lot for my son who needs protein and likes the packaged vegan lunch meats. They are so expensive and have not great ingredients so I was absolutely thrilled to find such a delicious, cheap and simple recipe to make it at home. We like to fry it up in a pan too.
Jodie says
This recipe is my go to for sandwiches. It is perfect with a nice vegan cheese and dijon mustard and vegan mayo.
Great cold or grilled for a warm yummy taste of comfort food.
Anna says
I usually don't leave comments but this was outstanding, we ate the whole thing in three days as sandwich meat, I also added some in a pasta dish, absolutely delicious!!!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Fantastic! Thanks for your review!
Henry says
What if you have a gluten allergy?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Then seitan is not for you as it is gluten. Try my tofu deli meat recipe instead. Enjoy!
Jane says
Thanks for another fabulous recipe. I served this for lunch today. Tastes very similar to Frys baloney which no longer seems to be available. My son loved it and said that he would have believed me if I said that I had bought it, at which point my ( omni) husband looked shocked as he hadn't realised that it was homemade!
Only gripe is that it was too big for my normal large pan but luckily I own a sizeable pressure cooker.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
We are so happy to hear! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Kim says
I made this today in the instant pot (50/20) and I think I over cooked it. Its very firm and a little dry. Great taste though. And looks just like bologna. I cooked it in my deli meat press instead of foil. Maybe that’s why it overcooked. I’ll definitely try again.
Kerry says
I took the Seitan class and made this recipe. Cold, it tasted like tofu with ketchup in it; definitely fry it up in some olive oil, elevates the taste and texture 100%!