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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Spicy Vegan Salami

    Published: Mar 10, 2021 by Rosa · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

    3.0K shares
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    Spicy vegan salami that’s meaty, smoky, packed with flavour and truly irresistible. It’s easy to make, with a perfectly chewy texture, you may have a hard time believing it’s vegan!

    vegan salami on cutting board with slices cut.

    The Italian in me couldn’t help myself and I had to try a vegan cured meat, AKA vegan deli and boy oh boy does this ever impress!

    I’ve fed this to skeptics and they were completely blown away, and I know you will be too.

    This is my first recipe on the blog using vital wheat gluten, but I promise, there will be more to come! 🙂

    EDITED Jun 2021 to add: And more to come there was. Try my seitan hot dogs too!

    How to make it

    (This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

    Firstly, don’t be alarmed by the ingredient list. As you can see, most of the ingredients are spices and seasoning which provide the absolute best flavour to your vegan salami.

    Ingredients to make vegan salami scattered in small bowls.

    Combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together in a bowl. (photos 1-2)

    Then combine the wet ingredients in another bowl and whisk to combine. (photo 3)

    Now pour the wet into the dry. (photo 4)

    Dry ingredients being whisked together and wet ingredients being added to the bowl.

    Mix with a spoon until mostly combined and then transfer your mixture to a clean surface or cutting board. (photos 5-6)

    Then knead the dough for 1-2 minutes to get everything fully combined. (photo 7)

    Hands kneading dough on cutting board.

    Divide your dough into two equal pieces and roll each one into a 6 inch log. (photo 8)

    Now wrap each of your vegan salami in parchment paper and then foil, twisting the ends to keep the foil sealed. (photos 9-10)

    NOTES: Don’t fuss over making your vegan salami perfectly shaped. They will get smooth as they cook. The parchment paper is not necessary, but useful if you prefer not to have foil directly touching your food.

    Hands rolling dough into log shape and wrapping in foil.

    Bake for 45-55 minutes and then carefully unwrap and let your vegan salami cool completely before slicing and serving.

    Two vegan salami on cutting board with a few slices cut.

    How to use it?

    Slice it up and use it as a vegan pepperoni for your pizza.

    Or use your vegan deli in a sandwich with your favourite vegan cheese.

    You can also serve it up on charcuterie board with olives, grapes, crackers and so much more!

    Common Questions

    Where can I buy vital wheat gluten?

    You will find this ingredient in the health food section of your grocery store, health food stores, or on Amazon (affiliate link).

    Can I substitute the vital wheat gluten for another ingredient?

    No. There is no sub for vital wheat gluten and this ingredient is VITAL to the outcome of this vegan salami recipe.

    Is vital wheat gluten healthy?

    Although it’s a processed ingredient, it’s quite nutritious too. Plus it’s relatively low in calories and fat, but high in protein, so fits well as part of a healthy diet.

    How long do these vegan salami keep?

    Keep refrigerated in a sealed container or zip top bag for up to 1 week. Or you may freeze for up to 3 months.

    Expert Tips

    • Make sure to knead and mix your dough very well for even flavour and best texture.
    • Don’t spend too much time fussing over perfectly shaped salami. It will appear bumpy before baking, but gets nice and smooth while it cooks.
    • If you don’t like having foil touch your food, use parchment paper between your salami and aluminum foil layer.
    • For mild vegan salami, simply omit the chili flakes, but keep in the black pepper for best flavour.

    More vegan Italian recipes

    • Vegan Pasta e Fagioli
    • Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
    • Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
    • Pasta Aglio e Olio (Pasta w/ Garlic & Oil)
    • Vegan Zuppa Toscana
    • Polenta Pizza Crust

    If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.

    Buon appetito

    Rosa

    📖 Recipe

    vegan salami on cutting board with slices cut.

    Spicy Vegan Salami

    Spicy vegan salami that's meaty, smoky, packed with flavour and truly irresistible. It's easy to make, with a perfectly chewy texture, you may have a hard time believing it's vegan!
    5 from 49 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 6 Servings
    Calories: 111kcal
    Author: Rosa

    Ingredients

    Dry Ingredients

    • 1 cup vital wheat gluten
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon chili flakes

    Wet Ingredients

    • ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or your choice of neutral flavoured oil
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Oven Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
    • Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Then combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.
    • Pour the wet into the dry and start mixing until mostly combined and you have what resembles dough. Then transfer to a clean surface or cutting board and use your hands to knead and press the dough for 1-2 minutes. It should feel soft and look well combined.
    • Now cut your dough into two equally sized pieces and roll them out into salami shapes that will be about 6 inches long. It doesn't have to be perfect, it will get smooth as it cooks. Then wrap each salami with parchment paper and then aluminum foil, making sure the foil is long enough to overlap and then twist the ends. (See process shots above for a visual.)
    • Place the wrapped salami on a baking sheet and bake for 45-55 minutes, flipping them over at the halfway point.
    • Remove from the oven and gently peel the foil to see if the salami appear smooth and poke with your finger to test its firmness. They should feel firm, but still give a little to pressure. They will firm up more as they cool.
    • Let cool completely, then slice and enjoy with pizza, in sandwiches, on a charcuterie board, or as a snack.

    Steaming Instructions

    • Follow steps 2-4 above to prepare your salami. Then add 1-2" of water to a large pot that will fit your steamer basket, WITHOUT the water touching your basket. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to maintain a low boil and place the salami inside your basket.
    • Cover and steam for 45-60 minutes, keeping an eye on your water to make sure it doesn't completely evaporate. Start checking on them around the 45 minute mark. Gently remove the foil, the salami should appear smooth. You may give it a poke with your finger or tongs to test firmness. They should feel firm but still give a little to pressure. They'll firm up more as they cool.
    • Let cool completely, then slice and enjoy with pizza, in sandwiches, on a charcuterie board, or as a snack.

    Notes

    Make sure to knead and mix your dough very well for even flavour and best texture.
    Don’t spend too much time fussing over perfectly shaped salami. It will appear bumpy before baking, but gets nice and smooth while it cooks.
    If you don’t like having foil touch your food, use parchment paper between your salami and aluminum foil layer.
    For mild vegan salami, simply omit the chili flakes, but keep in the black pepper for best flavour.
    Keep refrigerated in a sealed container or zip top bag for up to 1 week. Or you may freeze for up to 3 months.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 631mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 468IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
      DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?Mention @this.healthy.kitchen on IG and tag #thishealthykitchen!
      *Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.
      3.0K shares

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      1. Carol

        July 26, 2023 at 2:17 pm

        5 stars
        Wow this is good! Great flavor and texture. Off to make another batch for vacation. Hopefully it freezes as well as other seitan recipes?

        Reply
        • Rosa

          July 27, 2023 at 9:30 am

          So glad you like it Carol, and yes it freezes very well. 🙂

          Reply
      2. Rebekah

        March 28, 2023 at 1:36 pm

        5 stars
        Thank you for sharing this recipe Not only did it come together in less time than it took me to dig out all the spices, it’s really, really good. I tried it right after i came out of the oven and it reminded me of Tofurky Italian sausages. After it cooled, it was way better than that even. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Rosa

          March 29, 2023 at 9:02 am

          My pleasure Rebekah! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂

          Reply
      3. Bernadette

        March 09, 2023 at 5:49 pm

        5 stars
        I have tried a number of seitan salami recipes, and this is by far the best! I monkeyed with a few of the details – don’t like too much smoke flavour, so I cut it to 3/4 tsp liquid smoke, and used regular paprika instead of smoked. The recipe is delicious, texture is perfect. I steamed it for 45 minutes- rubbed the outside with olive oil before I wrapped it. Wonderful salami, quick, easy, and better than anything you can buy! Thanks, B.

        Reply
      4. Bernadette Pleszczynska

        March 09, 2023 at 5:43 pm

        5 stars
        I have tried a number of seitan salami recipes, and this is by far the best! I monkeyed with a few of the details – don’t like too much smoke flavour, so I cut it to 3/4 tsp liquid smoke, and used regular paprika instead of smoked. The recipe is delicious, texture is perfect. I steamed it for 45 minutes- rubbed the outside with olive oil before I wrapped it. Wonderful salami, quick, easy, and better than anything you can buy! Thanks, B.

        Reply
        • Rosa

          March 10, 2023 at 8:42 am

          Yay! Thrilled you enjoyed it, Bernadette. Thanks very much for the review. 🙂

          Reply
      5. Maren

        February 11, 2023 at 7:58 pm

        5 stars
        I tried this last night and I’m blown away. It was so easy to make and the texture is amazing. Easy to slice, no crumbling like with some other meat alternatives. Can’t wait to play around with variations of flavour! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
        • Rosa

          February 12, 2023 at 8:50 am

          Thanks for the review, Maren. Thrilled you enjoyed it! 🙂

          Reply
      6. Krissy

        January 08, 2023 at 3:08 pm

        5 stars
        So yummy! I used these in antipasto skewers, in a vegan Italian sandwich, and on its own as a snack! My three year old loves it and asks for it all the time. Going to make on a regular basis!

        Reply
        • Rosa

          January 09, 2023 at 9:49 am

          Thrilled you enjoyed it, Krissy! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂

          Reply
      7. LaVon

        January 05, 2023 at 9:13 pm

        I can’t wait to try this. Sounds so good. I made your Seitan Vegan roast with mushrooms for the holidays. I was wondering if this could be steamed in the instant pot as well. If so for how long?
        love your recipes,LaVon

        Reply
        • Rosa

          January 06, 2023 at 9:51 am

          Hi LaVon 🙂 I haven’t tried this one in the Instant Pot yet so I can’t provide an exact time. I would try around 45 minutes, but I can’t guarantee without testing it this way.

          Reply
      8. Deanne

        December 31, 2022 at 8:51 pm

        5 stars
        This recipe was terrific! I put it on a charcuterie board for our NYE party, and everyone loved it! I will be tripling the recipe next time–it is so fast and easy!

        Reply
        • Rosa

          January 03, 2023 at 9:54 am

          Thrilled you enjoyed it, Deanne. Thanks very much for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂

          Reply
      9. Dominique

        December 27, 2022 at 7:22 pm

        5 stars
        This recipe is absolutely amazing and so fun and easy ! 10/10 !

        Reply
        • Rosa

          January 03, 2023 at 9:08 am

          Thrilled you enjoyed it, Dominique!

          Reply
      10. Dominique

        December 21, 2022 at 11:30 pm

        5 stars
        Holy moly this is good ! I made this to show my carnivore-pig-headed (sorry for the animal comparison…) father that everything can be veganized !!! So I am giving him this salami along with tofu feta and cashew cheeseball as a Xmas gift. But I am keeping the other salami for moi !!! Thank you so much for this recipe. It is going in my favorites ! So easy and fun with simple ingredients! Yum !

        Reply
        • Rosa

          December 22, 2022 at 8:24 am

          Absolutely thrilled you love it so much, Dominique. Thanks very much for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂

          Reply
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      Hi, I'm Rosa! Welcome to This Healthy Kitchen where you'll find tasty and nutritious, plant-based recipes. I'm an avid home cook who believes food is medicine. Each recipe is made using wholesome ingredients and under 400 calories per serving with many gluten-free and oil-free options. Occasional cheat days included. 😉

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