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Home » Recipes » Vegan Meat Substitutes

Published: Jul 25, 2022 by Jim Mee Sha · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Vegan Bologna

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Meaty, chewy, and well-seasoned, this vegan bologna is the perfect vegan lunch meat substitute. It is extremely versatile and can be used in wraps, sandwiches, and salads. Even meat-eaters will be impressed by this seitan bologna! 

A partially sliced loaf of vegan bologna on a wooden board with a knife, tomato paste, and nutritional yeast beside.

Here is yet another fantastic meat substitute recipe! Like my vegan BBQ ribs, vegan Italian sausages, and roast beef, this meatless version of bologna is made from seitan, giving it a chewy, meat-like texture. Even my non-vegan family loves this recipe! 

Jump to:
  • 💚Why you will love this recipe 
  • 🧂What you will need 
  • 📃Ingredient notes and substitutions 
  • 🔪How to make 
  • ✔Helpful tips 
  • 🥗How to serve 
  • ❄Storing suggestions 
  • ❔Commonly asked questions
  • 🍽More vegan meat substitutes
  • 📖 Recipe

💚Why you will love this recipe 

  • Perfectly seasoned, flavorful, and has a great meaty texture 
  • Versatile and can be added to many dishes 
  • Super high in protein - contains about 23g per serve! 
  • Reasonably easy to make and requires simple ingredients 

🧂What you will need 

Ingredients needed like wheat gluten, tofu, nutritional yeast, tomato paste and seasonings on a grey background.

📃Ingredient notes and substitutions 

  • Vital wheat gluten - Also known as wheat gluten or gluten flour, is basically flour with an extremely high proportion of wheat protein - gluten.
    • Unfortunately, there is no substitute for this flour; hence it is impossible to make this recipe gluten-free. 
    • You can find it in most groceries or health food stores, usually in the baking aisle. Alternatively, you can get your wheat gluten from Amazon. 
    • For more information regarding this amazing flour, I recommend checking out my post ‘What is vital wheat gluten?’. 
  • Tofu - Use extra-firm or firm tofu that has been drained and pressed, either using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top. If you are unsure about how to press tofu, I recommend checking out this post ‘how to press tofu’ by Food With Feelings. 
  • Nutmeg - This addition might sound weird, but this is what gives bologna its distinctive flavor! You can omit it if you do not have any on hand. 

🔪How to make 

Here is a quick rundown of the steps involved in making vegan bologna. The full detailed recipe will be in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

In a food processor, blend all ingredients except vital wheat gluten until a smooth batter forms. Then, add wheat gluten and pulse until a dough forms. 

Wet ingredients in a food processor on a grey background.
Dough of vegan bologna in a food processor on a grey background.

Knead the dough for 60-90 seconds, then wrap the dough with foil, twisting the ends to seal. 

Kneading vegan bologna dough in a white bowl on a grey background.
Dough of vegan bologna wrapped in foil on a grey background.

Steam using a steamer basket for an hour, then carefully remove it from the pot. Let it cool down completely for an hour before slicing into it. Your seitan bologna is ready to be served! 

A partially sliced log of vegan bologna on a wooden chopping board.

✔Helpful tips 

  • You can knead your dough for up to 2 minutes if you prefer your vegan bologna to be chewier. However, be careful not to over-knead as it will result in tough, rubbery seitan. 
  • If you are uncomfortable with aluminum foil touching your food, wrap the dough with a layer of parchment paper before wrapping the foil on.
  • You can also cook your seitan bologna in an Instant pot.
    • Place 1 cup of water into the inner pot, then fit in a suitable steamer basket.
    • Cook seitan at high pressure for 40 minutes. Let the steam release naturally for 15 minutes before quickly releasing the remaining pressure. 
  • You can take an extra step and pan-fry your bologna slices to give them crispier edges. 

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🥗How to serve 

  • In sandwiches or wraps, along with chopped veggies, vegan cheese, and any sauces or condiments you like! 
  • Mix seitan bologna into salads, like this avocado lettuce salad, protein pasta salad, or Indian red quinoa salad. 
  • As a high-protein topping for soups, especially this creamy pumpkin potato soup 
  • Use it to make a vegan charcuterie board 
  • This seitan bologna is also great as a filling for vegan omelettes or scrambled eggs 
Slices of vegan bologna on a parchment paper with a knife and nutritional yeast beside.

❄Storing suggestions 

Fridge - Seitan bologna can be refrigerated for up to a week, either whole or sliced. Store it in a zip-top bag or sealed container to prevent it from drying out. 

Freezer - This vegan bologna is freezable too! I recommend slicing and portioning it out into individual portions before freezing, so you will only be taking out what you need. Seitan can be frozen for up to 3 months.

❔Commonly asked questions

Can I make it gluten-free?

Unfortunately, this vegan bologna cannot be made gluten-free. Vital wheat gluten is the main ingredient in this recipe, and there is no substitute for it.

Partially sliced log of bologna on a chopping board with glass of water, paprika, and nutritional yeast in the background.

🍽More vegan meat substitutes

  • Partially sliced chorizo sausage on a chopping board with dish of mustard and ketchup beside.
    Flavorful Seitan Vegan Chorizo Sausages
  • A few pieces of chicken breast on a chopping board with lemon slices, chili flakes, glasses of water, and forks beside.
    Vegan Chicken Breast (seitan chicken)
  • A stack of 4 patties on a wooden board with buns, red onion and lettuce in the background.
    Juicy Vegan Chicken Burger Patties
  • 5 tacos arranged on a white oval plate.
    TVP Tacos

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📖 Recipe

Partially sliced log of seitan bologna on a chopping board with a knife, nutritonal yeast, and paprika beside.

Vegan Bologna

Meesha
Meaty, chewy, and well-seasoned, this vegan bologna is the perfect vegan lunch meat substitute. It is extremely versatile and can be used in wraps, sandwiches, and salads. Even meat-eaters will be impressed by this seitan bologna! 
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 129 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ block extra-firm tofu drained and pressed (about 7oz/200g)
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
  • 1 ¼ cup vital wheat gluten
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • In your food processor, add all ingredients except vital wheat gluten. Blend until smooth.
  • Slowly add in vital wheat gluten, and pulse until a dough forms.
  • Knead the dough for 60-90 seconds, then shape it into a log. Wrap it with aluminium foil, twisting the ends to seal.
  • Steaming on stove - Bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil in a pot with steamer basket fitted. Once water starts to boil, place in seitan, and steam for an hour.
  • Instant pot - Place 1 cup of water into the inner pot, then fit in a suitable steamer basket. Cook seitan at high pressure for 40 minutes. Let the steam release naturally for 15 minutes before quickly releasing the remaining pressure.
  • Let it cool down slightly, then remove the foil. Allow vegan bologna to cool down to room temperature before slicing, around an hour. It is ready to be enjoyed!

Notes

*Vital wheat gluten - Also known as wheat gluten or gluten flour, is basically flour with an extremely high proportion of wheat protein - gluten. 
  • Unfortunately, there is no substitute for this flour; hence it is impossible to make this recipe gluten-free. 
  • You can find it in most groceries or health food stores, usually in the baking aisle. Alternatively, you can get your wheat gluten from Amazon. 
 
Helpful tips 
  • You can knead your dough for up to 2 minutes if you prefer your vegan bologna to be chewier. However, be careful not to over-knead as it will result in tough, rubbery seitan. 
  • If you are uncomfortable with aluminum foil touching your food, wrap the dough with a layer of parchment paper before wrapping the foil on.
  • You can take an extra step and pan-fry your bologna slices to give them crispier edges. 
 
Storing - It can be refrigerated for up to a week, either whole or sliced. Store it in a zip-top bag or sealed container to prevent it from drying out. 
This vegan bologna is freezable too! I recommend slicing and portioning it out into individual portions before freezing, so you will only be taking out what you need. Seitan can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheating - Let frozen ones thaw completely, and you can proceed on with pan-frying them or heating them in the microwave if you prefer your seitan bologna to be warm. 

Save this recipe!

Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.

Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.

Nutrition

Calories: 129kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 23gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 433mgPotassium: 196mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 81IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

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More Vegan Meat Substitutes

  • 4 vegan sausages on a plate with stalks of cilantro beside on a blue folded teacloth.
    Vegan Italian Seitan Sausages
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    Meaty Vegan BBQ Ribs (seitan ribs)
5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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A headshot of Mee Sha leaning on a handrail.

Hi, nice to meet you! I am Mee Sha, a final-year dietetic student passionate about nutrition, cooking, and food. This blog was created to share my favorite plant-powered recipe!

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