Vegan Pepperoni

Name: Vegan Pepperoni
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1¼ cups vital wheat gluten (155 g) (see Note 1 for measuring tips); ¼ cup nutritional yeast; 2 Tablespoons flour (such as oat or all-purpose); 1 Tablespoon paprika; 2½ teaspoons fennel seed, lightly crushed (see Note 2); 1½ teaspoons red pepper flakes; 1½ teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (omit for mild pepperoni); ⅛ teaspoon allspice, optional; 2 Tablespoons olive oil (or smooth nut butter); 1½ Tablespoons prepared mustard, yellow or stoneground; 1½ Tablespoons soy sauce; 1½ Tablespoons maple syrup; 2 teaspoons liquid smoke; ½ cup water

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Vegan pepperoni is easy to make at home and tastes SO good you'll find yourself snacking on it straight from the fridge! Perfect for everything from pizza and calzones to sandwiches and baked pasta. Seitan pepperoni can be baked in the oven or cooked in the Instant Pot. Only 20 minutes of hands-on prep time, and the flavor is irresistible!

sliced log of vegan pepperoni on a cutting board showing the inside meaty texture.

Recipe Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Omg! Very very new to being (mostly) vegetarian and first time making seitan anything! These are an amazing dupe for real pepperoni (taste + texture)! Super easy to make, and loved that I could make them in my Instant Pot! Making pizza tonight. - Erin

If you're looking for a meatless pepperoni that tastes WAY better than the store-bought options and is easy to make, you're gonna love this!

Seriously, I put a lot of time and effort into testing this recipe to get the flavors just right, and the result is making us so happy!

With a tender and meaty texture plus paprika, fennel seeds, garlic, cayenne, and black pepper, the only things missing from this vegan pepperoni are cruelty and loads of fat!

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Ingredients
How To Make Vegan Pepperoni
Instant Pot Instructions
Oven Instructions
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
How to Store
Top Tip
More Vegan Meats
Recipe Video
Recipe
💬 Comments

We also love that it's seriously easy to make and can be used in so many different ways. Enjoy your vegan pepperoni:

on pizza
in casseroles like this vegan pizza bake
tucked into vegan sandwiches, wraps, and calzones
alongside your favorite vegan cheeses and crackers on a vegan charcuterie board!
on top of baked potatoes with gooey melted vegan mozzarella
sliced or chopped and added to salads and pasta salad
and layered into vegan quesadillas and taquitos...because why not!

Whether you serve vegan pepperoni hot or cold, the flavors and texture are just so satisfying.

homemade vegetarian pepperoni pizza on a cutting board.

Ingredients

The ingredient list may look long at first glance, but it's mostly just spices. Vegan pepperoni is made with a base of vital wheat gluten, which gives it the perfect texture and allows us to build in lots of flavor.

Vital Wheat Gluten: this is critical to the recipe and can't be substituted; I use Anthony's brand.
Nutritional Yeast: adds umami and flavor and helps tenderize the seitan. I highly recommend this non-fortified nutritional yeast by Sari.
Flour - any type of flour is fine, such as all-purpose, oat, or chickpea. The flour helps "tenderize" seitan by disrupting the formation of gluten strands so that we end up with pepperoni that's just firm enough.
Spices - from paprika and fennel seeds to cayenne and black pepper, this blend of seasonings creates authentic pepperoni flavor and aroma.
Oil - the nature of seitan prevents us from being able to add a lot of fat - definitely not as much fat as there is in traditional pepperoni - but a small amount does boost the flavors, adds moisture, and softens the pepperoni.
Soy Sauce or Tamari - this is important for saltiness and flavor.
Maple Syrup - or substitute agave syrup.
Liquid Smoke - easy to find at most grocery stores; I use the Colgin brand.

See the recipe card below for amounts and full step-by-step instructions.

How To Make Vegan Pepperoni

Of all of my seitan recipes, this one is probably the easiest. You can mix the dough in a food processor or by hand in a mixing bowl.

Also, you can bake the pepperoni in the oven or steam it in the Instant Pot!

2 photos showing crushing fennel seeds, then combining dry ingredients in food processor.

Using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, partially grind the fennel seeds.
In a food processor or large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

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2 photos showing texture of seitan pepperoni dough after blending.

Add the wet ingredients and mix/blend until a dough forms.
Move the dough to a flat work surface and knead until it feels firm. This won't take long if you used a food processor. If you made the dough in a bowl, you'll want to knead it longer, about 2 minutes. Divide the pepperoni dough in half.

wrapping log of seitan pepperoni in parchment and foil, then placing in Instant Pot.

Roll each piece into a log that's about 5 to 5 ½ inches long. Place a square of aluminum foil on the work surface, and place a smaller piece of parchment on top. Wrap each log of pepperoni as tightly as possible, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper. Heavy duty aluminum foil works best since it's less likely to tear; the parchment also helps to reinforce the strength of the foil.
Now you're ready to cook! Choose one of these two cooking methods:

Instant Pot Instructions

Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot, and place the trivet inside. Place the foil packages on the trivet.

Secure the Instant Pot lid and set to sealing. Using the steam function, cook for 30 minutes, followed by a quick release of the pressure.

Oven Instructions

Place the foil packages on a baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 55 minutes, flipping them at the halfway point.

two logs of vegan pepperoni on a board with baking sheet and paprika in background.

Recipe FAQs

Is vegan pepperoni healthy?

Healthy is a fairly subjective term, but I will say this, compared to pepperoni made from a pig's flesh that's loaded with sodium and nitrates? Yeah, this is healthy.

Is there a gluten-free option?

Since this is a seitan recipe it can't be made gluten-free, but you can always use these spices and seasonings on tofu, tempeh, or soy curls for a gluten-free treat with similar flavors.

Is it greasy like regular pepperoni?

No, mainly because the amount of fat you can add to seitan is limited. It interrupts the formation of gluten, so adding a lot of oil to seitan dough can cause it to be too soft and fall apart. That means this vegan pepperoni is lower in fat but also more dry. See the next question for an important tip!

Can I use it for pepperoni pizza?

Absolutely! The trick to preventing seitan pepperoni from drying out in the oven is to coat the pepperoni slices in oil. Alternatively, you can simply spritz the pepperoni with oil once it's on the pizza. Another option is to layer the pepperoni underneath the sauce and cheese.

a photo of sliced homemade vegan pepperoni pizza.

Serving Suggestions

As I mentioned above, the delicious ways to use vegan pepperoni are limited only by your imagination! Slice it, chop it, or pulse it in a food processor.

Enjoy vegan pepperoni straight from the fridge or in hot recipes like my popular crockpot lasagna!

We also really love it chopped up and added to salads. Thinly slice it for snack boards and to layer in sandwiches and wraps.

How to Store

Once completely cool, store vegan pepperoni in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. It also freezes well. Just make sure it is wrapped well to protect it from air and freezer burn. Then thaw the pepperoni in the fridge overnight before using.

Top Tip

The key to perfectly dense vegan pepperoni is to wrap the foil tightly. Seitan expands during cooking, so if the foil is somewhat loose you can end up with a few bread-y looking holes in your pepperoni. But don't worry, it will still taste amazing!

This is why I recommend using heavy-duty aluminum foil. Also, the layer of parchment paper between the foil and pepperoni helps reinforce the strength of the foil. This allows you to wrap it snugly and really twist the ends tight.

More Vegan Meats

Recipe Video

Tap to play the video and see how easily the pepperoni comes together.

If you try the recipe I would love to hear from you! Comment below to let us know your favorite ways to use vegan pepperoni.

Recipe

close up sliced log of seitan pepperoni showing inside texture

Vegan Pepperoni

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

This easy vegan pepperoni is irresistible for snacking and perfect for everything from pizza and calzones to sandwiches and baked pasta! Seitan pepperoni can be baked OR cooked in the Instant Pot. Only 20 minutes of hands-on prep time, and the flavor is amazing!

Recipe adapted from Miyoko Schinner's peppy unpepperoni in The Homemade Vegan Pantry.

4.9 from 33 votes

Servings: servings

Prep:20

Cook:40

Total Time:1

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Equipment

food processor - optional
6-quart instant pot - optional

Ingredients

Dry ingredients:

1¼ cups vital wheat gluten (155 g) - see Note 1 for measuring tips
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons flour - such as oat or all-purpose
1 Tablespoon paprika
2½ teaspoons fennel seed, lightly crushed - see Note 2
1½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne - omit for mild pepperoni
⅛ teaspoon allspice, optional

Wet ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil - or smooth nut butter
1½ Tablespoons prepared mustard, yellow or stoneground
1½ Tablespoons soy sauce
1½ Tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
½ cup water

Instructions

Tear off two pieces of aluminum foil (preferably heavy duty), each about 12 inches long. Also cut two smaller pieces of parchment paper just large enough to wrap around each log of pepperoni. If you plan to bake the seitan pepperoni, preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C).
In a food processor or large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and pulse or stir to combine. If using a food processor, let it run for about 30 seconds or until the seitan dough comes together in a ball. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until smooth and firm, about 30 seconds for dough made in a food processor or 2 minutes for dough mixed in a bowl.
Cut the dough in half, and shape each piece into a log about 5½ inches long. It's okay if they don't look perfect. It will snap into place inside the foil. Place a piece of foil on the work surface, and place a piece of parchment on top near the edge closest to you. Wrap the pepperoni up tightly, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper (but try not to catch much of the dough inside the twisted foil).

Instant Pot Instructions:

Add 1 cup water to the insert and place the trivet inside. Place the two foil packages on the trivet. Secure the lid and set the vent knob to sealing. Press the "steam" button, and make sure the display reads "high" (if applicable for your IP). Set the time for 30 minutes. Some pressure will build but not as much as during pressure cooking.
When the Instant Pot beeps and the time is done, carefully quick release the pressure, remove the lid, and use tongs or an oven mitt to move the pepperoni to a plate or cutting board to cool. Unwrap and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing, or cool completely then store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Oven Instructions:

Place the two foil packages on a baking sheet. Bake in a 325°F preheated oven for 55 minutes, flipping at the halfway point. Remove from oven, unwrap, and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Or cool completely before storing vegan pepperoni in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

Notes

Note 1: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh vital wheat gluten (as the recipe is written, you want 155 grams). Otherwise it's easy to scoop up too much. *If you don't have a scale, whisk the VWG first to fluff it up, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level off the top.

Note 2: The fennel seeds don't need to be powdered, just broken up a bit. You can do this with a mortar and pestle or in a coffee/spice grinder.

Top Tip for Vegan Pepperoni Pizza:

Before using the pepperoni on pizza, toss the slices in oil to prevent them from drying out during baking. Alternatively you can spritz them with oil after adding to the pizza. Or if you avoid oil, layer the pepperoni underneath the pizza sauce.

Store vegan pepperoni in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. It's also freezer friendly. Wrap well to protect from freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.