Vegan Smoked Deli Slices

The other day, out of curiosity, I went to the meat section of my supermarket to check the price difference between the vegan deli slices I occasionally buy with real meat. Guess what? The vegan slices were twice the cost of the real thing! Seriously, how is that even possible?

So, after getting tired of paying around $4 for just 100g of those vegan deli slices, I decided enough was enough! I went back into the kitchen with a mission: create my own version that would taste better without breaking the bank.

I took my vegan bologna recipe as a base, carefully adjusted the seasonings, tweaked the texture to make it sliceable and bendable, and voilà: extra meaty deli slices infused with bold, smoky flavors that you can use in hundreds of different ways.

Use thin slices on top of pizza, in sandwiches, or toast, or incorporate it diced into chunks to salads, pasta, stir-fries, and so much more.

⭐️ Here’s Why You Will Love It!

On-point texture.

These deli slices strike the perfect balance of texture – not too chewy and definitely not bready, they have a texture similar to ham!

The problem with seitan, which is the base of this recipe, is that if you use it alone, it yields an overly chewy, almost rubbery texture that I’m not the biggest fan of. To prevent that, I combine it with tofu. Actually, I use about twice the weight of tofu as vital wheat gluten. This magical combo reduces that elastic texture while still providing enough meatiness and chewiness. Add to that a warming smokiness, plenty of umami, and you have some seriously deli-cious slices!

Simple, even for beginners.

The whole process is not even that complicated as it involves three simple steps. To make it short, you blend the tofu with the seasonings and then knead it with the gluten. Divide the dough into two loaves and wrap them in foil. The final step consists of steaming it for an hour and a half. That’s it!

🧂 Ingredient Notes

Tofu & vital wheat gluten

Just like in my vegan chicken and bologna, I use a base of tofu and vital wheat gluten. When it comes to which type of tofu to use, I recommend picking firm tofu and only slightly patting it dry using kitchen paper towels. You don’t need to press it.

Seasonings

Now let’s talk about the seasonings, which I tried to keep minimal. I went with a simple blend of aromatics and condiments to flavor the seitan. Shallot and black pepper add some piquant, soy sauce and onion powder provide umami, and liquid smoke gives it smoked bacon vibes.

Note: My deli slices are a bit saltier than your regular seitan since I tried to reproduce the saltiness level of real deli meat.

Vinegar

If you have made seitan before, you may know that it tends to have an acquired taste. Although this recipe only uses a small amount of gluten, I still add a tablespoon of vinegar to reduce slightly the wheat gluten flavor. On top of that, it adds to the taste, balancing the saltiness and giving it a cured meat-like flavor.

Note: Any vinegar will work. I use white vinegar but apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar will also work.

Red coloring

I rely on red food coloring to give the seitan a pink hue. To be frank, I really wanted to use a natural coloring, but unfortunately, all of my tests failed.

I tried using cooked beetroots, beetroot juice, tomato paste, and even annatto oil, but none yielded a nice color. The beetroot version would look pink/red before cooking but would completely lose its color after that. The tomato paste was not intense enough, and neither was the annatto oil, which gave it just a hint of yellow.

Note: Be careful when picking a red food coloring, as not all are vegan. Some may contain carmine, which is derived from crushed insects. This red food coloring from Amazon, for example, is vegan.

🥣 How to Make It

1. Blend the tofu

1. Blend into a cream. Add the tofu and all of the other ingredients, except the vital wheat gluten, to a blender. Blend on high speed for 30-50 seconds or until smooth. It should look like a thick cream.

2. Knead

1. Combine with the gluten. Next, transfer the blended tofu cream to a stand mixer and add the vital wheat gluten.
2. Knead. Knead using the dough hook for 5-7 minutes on medium speed. At first, the mixture will appear very wet. This is normal – after a few minutes, it will start to form a dough.

3. Divide it. Divide the dough into two balls of the same size.

3. Wrap

1. First wrap. Shape one ball into a log of about 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) long. Wrap it in a layer of parchment paper.

2. Second wrap. Then, wrap the log very tightly in one layer of aluminum wrap. Wrap it one more time with another layer of aluminum wrap. This will prevent the seitan from expanding.
3. Repeat. Finally, repeat with the other ball of dough to have two logs.

4. Steam

The final step consists of steaming the seitan. For this step, you can use either a bamboo steamer basket or a regular stainless steel steamer pot.

1. Arrange a steamer. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place a steamer basket on top.
2. Steam. Place the loaves into the steamer and cover with the lid. Steam for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check the water level after 30-40 minutes and add more if needed.

3. Let cool completely. Remove the loaves from the steamer and let them cool for at least 1 hour before unwrapping them and transferring them to the refrigerator.
4. Slice. After resting for a minimum of 6 hours in the refrigerator, you can slice it into thin slices or dice it into chunks!

🌿 Variations

Play with the seasonings.

Feel free to add dried or fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, or even basil. You can also add spices such as paprika, nutmeg, or even chili powder for a kick of heat!

Skip the liquid smoke and give it the real smoking treatment!

That’s right, if you own either a stovetop smoker or a regular smoker, you can just omit the liquid smoke and naturally smoke your seitan, resulting in an even smokier, more natural flavor.

For those who own a Camerons Gourmet Mini Stovetop Smoker, you can smoke the seitan for about 25 minutes over low-medium heat. The process is similar to what I did with my smoked tofu recipe (just skip the marinade!). Alternatively, you can smoke it in a cold smoker for 45-60 minutes.

🍕 How to Use It

The possibilities are endless! Here are a few ideas on where you can use these deli slices:

• Pizza: Use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the seitan and use it to garnish homemade pizza. It’s my favorite way to use it, and trust me: your pizza game will reach another level!
• Pasta: Slice it into small pieces and incorporate it into onion pasta, leek pasta, carbonara, mac and cheese, or even pasta salads!
• Tacos, burgers, wraps, and more: Pair it with vegan mayo, lettuce, crunchy cucumber, and juicy tomato slices to make delicious burgers, wraps, or banh mi! Oh, and how about using it to make a BLT?!
• Salads: Toss it diced into your favorite salads for extra meatiness and a hint of smoke.
• Stir-fries: Serve it with scrambled tofu, easy pasta stir-fry, or simply clay pot rice.
• Fondue and grilled cheese: You can also serve it with vegan fondue or combine it with vegan cheese to make a smoky grilled cheese sandwich.
• And more! Think savory pancakes, waffles, buckwheat crêpes, etc!

💬 FAQ

I hope you will love these smoked deli slices as much as I do. I have been using them over and over lately! By the way, this recipe is not just for vegans – it’s also a great alternative for anyone looking to reduce their meat consumption!

🍔 More Vegan Meat Substitutes

High-Protein Vegan Burgers

Vegan Tuna

The Best Vegan Meatballs

The Best Vegan Foie Gras

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!