Vegan Bologna

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

5 from 2 votes

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!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 129kcal

Author: Meesha

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

Nutrition