If you follow me on snapchat (@minimalistbaker), you know I’ve been trying to make vegan pepperoni for a while now. It’s been one of those recipes I dreamed up and then struggled to perfect. But, after many failed attempts, I’m happy to report I cracked the code!
Say goodbye to the days of vegetables-only pizza (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Vegan pepperoni to the rescue!
Origins of Pepperoni
It’s thought that the technique of curing meat with salt and spices to preserve it originates as far back as the Roman Empire. Spicy sausages were then curated in Italy and pepperoni is thought to have originated in the US as an adaptation from the Italian versions. Pepperoni began appearing in delis and pizza shops in New York City around 1919 and is now many people’s favorite pizza topping!
The following is our plant-based version made with similar spices and flavor, but without the meat!
Vegan Pepperoni
For the base, I experimented with tofu, tempeh, and chickpeas, trying each individually and mixed to find the right texture.
While tempeh seemed to yield the right texture initially, when baked it gets pretty dry and crumbly. The same goes for chickpeas. Tofu, however, lends itself perfectly to the texture of pepperoni because it bakes up beautifully and holds it shape! Plus, it’s neutral in flavor and does an excellent job at absorbing all of those pepperoni spices.
In total, this recipe requires just 10 ingredients and comes together in less than 1 hour! Some versions I tested required more than 1 full day to prepare, but I knew that wasn’t realistic. I think it’s pretty awesome that you can make this pepperoni from scratch for dinner tonight! (Pats self on back).
What spices will you need? Excellent question!
A blend of sea salt, black pepper, red pepper flake, paprika, garlic powder, ground anise, fennel (this one’s important!), ground mustard, and coconut sugar for a little sweetness. I didn’t have all of these spices on hand, but now that I have them, I can’t wait to experiment with other uses.
In addition to being relatively easy to make, these pepperoni are considerably healthier than their animal-based counterpart. They’re very low in fat – less than 1 gram fat per pepperoni – and relatively high in protein – about 1 gram protein per pepperoni! If you ate all the pepperonis (like I did), that would be 30 g protein. That’s a lot of plant-based fuel!
I hope you all try and love this recipe! It’s:
Spicy
Hearty
Smoky
Salty
Perfectly tender + crisp
& Seriously delicious
This is the perfect topper for vegan and gluten-free pizzas, as well as deep dish, portobello, and butternut! I could also see these tucking beautifully inside of calzones! The options are endless. I just love that the texture is so close to the real thing, and they’re addictively salty and spicy.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know what you think! We love your comments, ratings, and especially your photos tagged #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see how yours turn out. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Pepperoni
Ingredients
- 10 ounces extra-firm tofu (organic when possible)
- 1 – 1 1/2 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
- 2-3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on preferred heat level)
- 2 tsp ground mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (lightly crushed)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground anise
- 1 tsp A1 sauce or liquid smoke (optional)
- Cooking spray or olive oil for baking
Instructions
- Wrap tofu in a clean towel and set something heavy on top – like a cast-iron skillet – to press out liquid for 10-15 minutes. Also preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).
- Once pressed, cube tofu and add to a food processor along with sea salt, black pepper, red pepper flake, ground mustard, fennel seeds, smoked paprika, garlic powder, coconut sugar, ground anise, and A1 sauce/liquid smoke (optional). Mix/pulse to combine, scraping down sides as needed.
- Sample and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, red pepper flake for heat, paprika for smokiness, or coconut sugar for sweetness.
- Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined baking sheet (or more baking sheets, as needed, if increasing batch size). Lay a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper on top and use your hands to spread into a uniformly thin layer about 1/4th – 1/8th inch thick (see photo). The more even the layer is, the more evenly it will bake. Spritz with a little nonstick spray or gently brush with a bit of oil to help it crisp up.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly dried out. Then use a small or medium circular cookie cutter to cut out “pepperonis” (see photo). Feel free to keep the scrap pieces as well! They’re just not as pretty.
- At this point, the pepperonis are ready to add to a pizza, where they should bake at least another 10-15 minutes. Time accordingly based on how long your crust takes to bake. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re deep red in color and slightly crisp to the touch.
- If you don’t want to add them to a pizza right away, simply let them cool, cover, and refrigerate (up to 4 days) or freeze (up to 1 month) for later use. If frozen, let thaw slightly before adding to the pizza to bake.
Notes
* Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Emanuela says
I’ve never had real pepperoni (we have salami in Italy but not pepperoni….I don’t even know the difference with salami?) so I can’t tell if it tastes real or not. But I can tell you it tastes amazing!!! I’m even more impressed considered I’m not a big fan of tofu! The only problem is the color…..it turned out light brown not red at all… ? I don’t know why…I used all the spices except I didn’t use liquid smoke. ?♀️ …..taste is incredible though!! “How to turn tofu upside down and create something surprisingly different”!!!???????? Thanks for sharing❤
Gia says
This would sell if mass produced and sold in grocery stores even pizza chains like PizzaHut would use it.. You could have a milllion dollar idea you should go on Shark Tank with vegan pepperoni. I stopped eating pork over 15 years ago but I still crave pepperoni like alot of people who crave the spicy smokey flavor of bacon and pepperoni.
Ren says
I havd made this several times, much to the liking of everone who has taeted it. I did add 1/3c of nutritional yeast to mine. It gives it a fuller texture, in my opinion.
Melissa says
Just pulled these out of the oven and I’m impresssed!
I had a great love of processed meats until I learned how bad they are for you.
I’m vegan now and I have missed the salty taste of cured meats like salami and pepperoni.
I formed my “dough” into a log and froze it and then sliced. I should have waited longer for it to firm up a bit more but alas patience is not my strong suit.
I sliced and formed them into disc shapes, they are a tad thicker than I would have liked.
The taste is phenomenal! I am bringing a vegan cheese board to my family Christmas and I think I’m going to make some more pepperoni and add that to my spread.
I’d love to achieve a fully cooked log pepperoni. Not sure logistically how that would work.
I sprinkled my discs with paprika before baking.
For those who do not enjoy spice maybe only add 1 tsp of red chilli flakes. I did 2tsp even though my husband and I love spice because we have a toddler and these are pretty spicy.
Thank you so much! I always enjoy your recipes!
Graham says
I have a question. I recently made the transition from avid meat eater to vegetarian (much to the surprise of my Vegan wife). I would say the food I miss more than anything else is really good peperoni and salami. I am making this recipe tonight and am really excited because the spice mixture seems just right, I have one big question though.
One of the things that makes good peperoni really great is the fat content. It adds a lot of complexity and depth of flavor. While I do like the idea of eating a healthier peperoni, is there any way to add some of those saturated fats to a vegan recipe like this? I imagine you might have to change the recipe some to make sure you maintain the right consistency and texture, and I don’t really know much about what kinds of saturated fats are available to vegans.
If you have any advice for a newbie, it would be much appreciated!
Scott says
Hi There. did you experiment with the addition of fat at all? I wondered if adding butter or coconut/olive oil could be helpful. Thoughts?
Stacey E. says
These were surprisingly great. I’m not a particular fan of tofu, having tried making it in a variety of ways, usually pretty disappointing. The only thing is, once the “dough” is cooked, I couldn’t get it to cut out with cookie cutters. I ended up using kitchen scissors to cut it into little tiny squares, similar to the tiny pepperoni bits you’d get on a Totino’s pizza. They’re too hot flavored (at least for me) when you eat them outright, but you don’t notice that heat so much when they’re actually used on a pizza. But they’re still really good to eat outright. I’m thinking about maybe trying to cut them out before they’re cooked, although that would probably make them too dry. These are better than the premade ones I’ve bought in the store.
Margaret says
I just made your recipe, though with more of most of the spices, and a bit of tomato paste for color. I am pretty happy about this. Mine came out a bit brownish – too hot? but they really do the trick.
I’ve tried many vegan ‘bacon’ (tofu, tempeh, eggplant) that just don’t do it for me. I was skeptical but this recipe is the bomb. Take that, cholesterol! Thanks so much.
I have a photo, but instagram may elude me. We will see!
Kisa says
Thank you for a great recipe! My husband is always skeptical of subs. Will definitely make this every time we make pizza. It came out really well. Since I’m a pastry chef I just evenly spread it out with my offset spatula. Quick and easy, and you would never know it’s not the real deal. Thumbs way up!
Christian De Leon says
I made this and it was delicious. My pizza could not have tasted any better. Topped with vegan cheese, tomato mushrooms and basil on a wheat crust. Thank you.
Arista says
Curious…what did you use to cut the pepperoni slices?
Hi Arista! We used a cookie cutter!
Sasha says
I’m new to veganism. I was wondering do I absolutely have to use coconut sugar in this recipe or can I use regular sugar and get the same results?
Hi Sasha! Yes you can!
Stacey E. says
I used regular sugar-don’t have, nor am I inclined to buy the “fancy” stuff for a recipe. I am curious to try it in tea, though. I’m so glad to find a vegan recipe that isn’t a disappointment. Potato and carrot cheese, indeed. I was starting to think you all might be crazy.
Lucy Watson says
Hi, could you please tell me exactly what firm tofu you used, was it block or silken? I cooked this last night with block while the taste was quite good the texture was very dry. Thank you Lucy
Carol the Dabbler says
I haven’t made the recipe yet, Lucy, but I have the same question. There may actually be three kinds of tofu — the old-fashioned block type like you find swimming in a big bucket of water at the food co-op, the “silken” kind that comes in an aseptic package (similar to the little boxes of juice), and a sort of intermediate kind that comes in an individual plastic tub, packed in a small amount of water, and sealed with a sheet of plastic over the top. My best guess is that the recipe was developed using that third type, which seems to be the easiest to find these days — but that’s *just* a guess!
Hi Carol, that’s correct!
Ss says
I tried to make this…I actually made a half batch…the dough was so soft that when I cut out a round…it would not hold a shape long enough to move to baking sheet. ..I added flour…the out come was pretty good taste..the color was lighter than your pic…the texture was….DOg biscuit… Help?..I Could use them as coins….
How do I get a more firmer dough?
BH says
Read the directions again. You are supposed to cut them AFTER you’ve baked them for 25 mins.
Ss says
I tried to make this…I actually made a half batch…the dough was so soft that when I cut out a round…I would not hold a snap…I added flour…the out come was pretty good taste..the color was lighter than your pic…the texture was….DOg biscuit… Helped.. Could use them as coins….
How do I get a more firmer dough?
Elisabeth says
Are there any exceptional spices that can be omitted?
Christi says
Hello! Was wondering if these HAVE to be refrigerated after they are baked? Was thinking about taking these backpacking to add to a dehydrated pasta meal to make it more filling.
Justin says
I was so skeptical, I thought every comment was from a vegan who was comparing this to other vegan items where edible=5 stars. I am a rather new vegetarian, wife is vegan, and I would say the taste is 90% as good as real pepperoni, which is awesome. I never leave comments but it was so good I had to. Also, I was in no way coerced to write this by a relationship with the author (I always think some comments have to be fake).
The only note I have is a disagreement with the author’s comment that says anise isn’t important, I smelled it and said “that’s pepperoni” I even added more than 1/4tsp
Hiu says
I made these delicious pepperonis and put them on a pizza with homemade pizza sauce and melty vegan mozzarella. It was so good!!! The texture and flavors when baked onto a pizza is so pepperoni-y. I had a hard time spreading the mixture, so I put another sheet of parchment on top of it and used a rolling pin to roll it out. Love this recipe. Thank you!
Sheran says
I make this all the time since I found your recipe. We love it . I never could make them round so I just tear it in pieces since it’s under lots of veggies anyway. I do not add Any oil, or Anise and most of the time forget the sugar but still great. I make this usually once a week and freeze leftovers and it thaws great too. Thanks for a great recipe.
Colleen Barry says
Hi- love this recipe, how creative! Do you think using regular sugar instead of coconut sugar will mess up the recipe too much?
Bonnie Fortuna says
Mine was absolutely delicious!! It didn’t turn deep red, but stayed brown. Not a big deal, but wondered if there is something I can do to make it turn the deep red color.
Sharon says
Mine was light orange but delicious! Even my meat eating family liked it. How did you get that nice red “pepperoni” color?
Depending on how much paprika or spices you add, this will change the color!
Micha says
I have not tried this recipe yet but it looks divine. I noticed many others commenting about the color of their pepperoni. Would a dash of bijol help with that? Not sure if there are dietary restrictions on bijol, but it adds a good deal of color to latin dishes.
Hi Micha! That might work, though we haven’t tried and can’t say for sure. If you experiment with it, report back on how it goes!
Vee says
I made these the day after MB published the recipe and they taste almost exactly like real pepperoni! My dad kept trying to sneak some of the scraps haha! Will bake them for a little less time, next time I try it. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Adam says
Turned out great!
English Paul says
Hello – I’m not a vegan but do enjoy cooking for my vegan friends. Do you think this would work as a meatloaf or, with different spicing, a doner kebab? I may try it anyway and post my results.
Hi! We haven’t tried it as either of those but if you do, report back on how it goes!
kungaa joseph says
it came out just like yours; didn’t have a small enough cutter; used a top of a medicine bottle. I can’t believe how great this taste and LOW SODIUM; I have high blood pressure and am doing everything to keep the sodium down. This is a keep; will make my zucchini vegan crust pizza with this pepperoni on top.
Lisa Roberton says
This is great and made it a few times, added a little tomato paste to give it a deeper colour and added some onion flakes. Thank you this is fantastic.
Randy Leduc says
I just made this. I’m always disappointed when I make tofu based meat alternatives, but this recipe is FANTASTIC. You nailed the spice blend.
Lots of tofu pepperoni pizza in my future.
Maria says
I tried it, but I couldn’t get any round shapes, because it cracked completely while baking. Any suggestions what I might have done wrong? Maybe the ‘dough’ was to moist? It still tasted amazing though :)
Kerri says
Good lord these are good. I’m about to eat the whole batch plain.
Roxana says
Just making this now! The ‘dough’ is super tasty. I don’t think I will get to the cutting part? I’m planing on puting this peperoni between tortilla wraps, next to some vegan cheese??. Thank you for the recipe. Is super easy to make. And very tasty.
Tiahna says
These are incredible!!! I’ve missed my dad’s homamde pepperoni pizza and now I can finally have it again! They taste spot on to me!!!
April says
Just made these, they turned out really well, but next time I’ll have to add more paprika, mine were duller in color but still delicious. I also didn’t have A1 or the other optional ingredient, but I used worcestershire sauce instead since I eat fish.
Eve says
Brilliant, have made it a couple of times. And having it again tonight on pizza.
Jessica says
These look AMAZING! will definitely give these a go as an alternative to pepperoni, the next time I’m gonna make pizza :-). Thanks!
Debra says
I was visiting my parents over the holidays and they have an outdoor pizza oven. This recipe was a big hit! It is so easy to make, was delicious and everyone loved it. Thanks for putting the work into figuring this out!
Denise says
Wow! This recipe tastes delicious and is relatively easy to make. I used a nutribullet and it was difficult to gets all the tofu around the blade. However, by my second time making these, I was a pro! So good! I like to add these to a cheese quesadilla (I use Daiya provolone cheese).
Nicolle says
I made this recipe tonight and it was a hit with the whole family (vegan and omni)! I left out the ground anise, added the liquid smoke and used cane sugar. I will definitely make again.
Patty says
This is baking in the oven this very moment & I have to say after sneaking a taste of the dough (uncooked, mind you!) that you have got to be some sort of vegan savant!! It tastes AMAZING!! My husband says thank you too… keep up the great work :)
Emily says
I just made this last night and it turned out amazing! I wanted this just to snack on or to put on crackers so I added the extra 10 minutes at the end but I think I could have gone without. I ended up burning the edges a little and I couldn’t cut it with the cookie cutter. Aside from that, these taste fantastic!
I had a few of my non-veg friends try the “pepperonis” as well and they all approved!
andries says
This recipe sounds amazing! I’m soy intolerant so initially a disappointment there but I’m going to try this with wheat gluten. Any experience with this? I’m going to see what happens. Your combination of herbs and spices sounds spot on though. Looking forward to the results…
Monica says
This recipe was so good! I can’t believe how close to pepperoni it is. Before I went vegetarian, I loved pepperoni and I’m so glad I can still enjoy that same taste agian.
Jean Dahlquist says
You are a genius. I made this and it was delicious! It was wonderful to find something to put on a vegan pizza that actually has protein.
Stephanie says
Genius! I am looking forward to trying this.
Jenny says
Love the basic idea of this recipe , especially being vegan AND Gluten free , Thankyou :D Do you know of something that you could suggest , that will work inplace of the tofu please ? Needs to be g/f and nut / sunflower / pepitas free also :/ Fingers crossed ;) … Jenjen
Jenny says
I also forgot to mention pinenut free too :/
Try it with chickpeas!
Julie says
I made them to include on the Spaghetti Squash Pasta Bake. They tasted great. Seriously just like pepperonis. Mine were slightly embarrassing looking though. I ended up using a glass to cut them so they looked like GIANT pepperonis. My two year old said he “loved the spicy cookies”. Haha next time I’ll have to invest in a small cookie cutter :)
Jackie says
I didn’t have a cookie cutter, so I just used a shot glass, and they came out perfect!
Gina says
This is a Great Recipe. I somehow made it too thin and it would not cut. I didn’t want to waste them so I took my pizza cutter and made squares. They were Great.
Thank You Dana
Amy says
What a great idea. Thank you for the recipe. Great pictures!!!
Urban Blond says
Oh my god that looks (and sounds) amazing! Cannot wait to try to make it :) thanks for sharing x
Ria says
I feel really bad not leaving a glowing review of this recipe, because everyone else seems to have loved it, but it just didn’t work for me. The process of making it went very well– I stuck with the ratios involved with just one or two adjustments (added about half a teaspoon of minced garlic, used unrefined palm sugar instead of coconut sugar, and opted to include the liquid smoke), and it looked pretty much like the pictures. I lined the baking sheet with parchment paper and sprayed that with cooking spray, spread the mixture out a little bit with a flexible spatula, and then sprayed some more oil on a sheet of plastic wrap and used that to get it completely flat and even, no troubles there.
The final product out of the oven, however, was disappointing. The tastes of the sugar and liquid smoke completely overpowered everything else, and the generous amount of liquid smoke left the pepperoni with a funny aftertaste that lingered. The texture was kind of spongy, and it didn’t have the savory punch or the guilty-pleasure greasy mouthfeel of real pepperoni. It tasted a little better on an actual pizza, where the overpowering flavors were diluted by the other toppings and ingredients, but it was still lacking. I’ll probably try to tweak this one, because I really love the idea of having pepperoni pizza again after almost 15 years without, but this recipe just wasn’t my cup of tea. I hope that with adjustments this can become a 5-star recipe for me, but I’m afraid that as written it’s very firmly in the three-star category. I’ve definitely enjoyed other recipes from this blog, though, so thank you for doing what you do!
Amy says
Ria, I’m glad you left this comment because I’ll be making this soon and thought that 1 teaspoon of Liquid Smoke sounded like a lot. I’ve used a fraction of that in an entire pot of chili and found it overpowering. Maybe I’ll give the A1 a go instead!
Nathan says
It’s not GF (at all), but this is my go to recipe:
http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/03/homemade-vegan-pepperoni.html
Plus you can change up the spices and get different kinds of sausage. I just got a deep freezer and have been making two batches of 18 sausages every weekend, and dumping them in the freezer in gallon bags for later use. So far I’ve got Italian, Andouille, Bratwurst, and Ukrainian Kielbasa. Breakfast and Frankfurter coming up for labor day.
Abigail says
If I wanted these just to munch on, rather than add to a pizza, should I cook for an additional amount of time, as they’d get additional cooking on a pizza?
Mae says
Abigail, After 25 mins of cooking them, I thought they were great. I brought them into work and people tried them and I definitely snacked on a few. Not sure it is needed to cook much more but if you wanted it crispier, then yes, add a few more minutes.
Tash says
I never comment on blogs but WOW! This tastes SO similar to pepperoni to me! I’m impressed! Thanks!
Mae says
Are you kidding…..I said are you kidding??? This is by FAR the best vegan recipe I have made. OMG, it blew me away. My non-vegan husband said “tell your vegan friends, it’s highly non-vegan approved”. So simple and so delicious!!! I used my French baker thing (sorry I can’t remember the name) vs parchment paper and I put a little oil on top as you suggested. Cooked for 25 mins exactly and I used a small cookie cutter I have to cut out the pepperoni. It worked perfectly and they were the exact size that a pepperoni usually is. Minamalist Baker, I can not WAIT to try your other recipes!!! I tagged you with my photo on instagram!
Brett Christoffel says
Made them this weekend and although not as red in color they were tasty! Even better the next day on cold pizza! Thank you for this recipe!
Kathy says
Do you use silken tofu or sprouted?
M @plantbasedkw says
The ingredients for this recipe are spot on. I just tried it earlier today and it tasted just like good ol’ pepperoni. I had to leave it in the oven for longer though. I also had to flip it as the bottom part was not drying up. Will be posting about it soon! Thanks for this great recipe!
Steve says
Omg can’t wait to try these! It’s so hard to find pepperoni without sodium nitrates in it, so definitely making this soon and keeping my fingers crossed that this could be my unlimited healthy supply of pepperoni!
Krista says
I can’t wait to try this one! I was thinking about finding a good vegan pepperoni recipe the other day and here it is! :)
Illana says
This turned out great! Thank you for coming up with this. Just for sharing, I omitted the garlic because I don’t tolerate it well and it still tasted great. I also cut mine into small squares and used it as an alternative lunch protein in my sandwich.
Athena says
Not only am I super excited to try this for pizza but for making my own “lunch meat” / cold cuts, it’s always nice to have something different to make sandwiches with.
52x52 says
Thank you! I can’t wait to cook this!! Another way to add ‘oomph’ to a vegan pizza is to use capers – squeeze them out to dry them then fry (use a lid to prevent splatters at the start) or sandwich press them until crispy. yum!! they are a good substitute in recipes calling for anchovies/bacon/pancetta.
To make vegan pizzas I make the dough in my food processor then leave it in a lunchbox to rise. When it has risen, I roll it out onto my COLD flat bed four slice sandwich press, add toppings, roll* them into the dough (so they stick without the help of cheese) and then hover the press just above it then turn on. Yum!! nobody even notices the cheese is missing…especially with the garlic and capers on there!
* I use a wine bottle rather than a rolling pin to roll as the flat end allows you to get it rolled right up to the edges and back for a huge rectangle pizza.
Thank you!
Tracy says
I made these last night and they were a huge hit. Mine did not come out as red, though, not sure why. But that did not affect the taste one bit. Put them on a pizza with this vegan cheese recipe from avocados and ales.
I sprinkled a little paprika on top for more color, but not necessary! Glad you enjoyed them!
Nicole says
WOW! How creative! I can’t wait to try these.
Jane says
Ooooh Dana! Before going vegan, pepperoni pizza was my FAVOURITE and seeing this recipe makes me remember how delish it was!!! Though I refuse to eat animal again, your recipe gives me hope to relive the pepperoni experience in a humane way! Whooo hoo! I’m off the buy me those spices and stock up on some firm tofu! Thank you!
Thanks Jane!
Carol says
Ok, this is seriously good! Just took out after the firming up bake, and cut out into two sizes of rounds. Crisping up the leftover bits right now. The flavor is spot on! Brushed before baking with my favorite Arlotta olive oil with chili pepper, as well as adding one T to the tofu mixture. So, so good! Can’t wait to try it on some pizza, but would a cauliflower crust be pushing the envelope?
Thank you for all the time and effort it must have taken to create this recipe!
jessica says
eagerly tried this today to taste-test before making pizzas for my vegetarian and vegan buddies! the taste and texture is excellent, thank you so much! one question– i followed the recipe but mine turned out sort of brown-ish after the first bake and then veered towards a gray-ish color once baked on my pizza. any thoughts about the discoloration?
Hmm, perhaps add more paprika or spices? That is probably why the color as off…
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat says
Are you kidding me???? I have missed pepperoni pizza so much since going vegetarian!!! I’m so excited to try this! I’ve played with vegan bacon recipes, but THIS is just over the top exciting! Thanks!!
Wendy says
I made these for our pizza dinner tonight and it was amazing! A perfect replica, wouldn’t change a thing. Fast and easy! Thanks for the recipe.
Ida says
Really good! Gave the pizza that extra something! Amazed at how easy it was too and that I could use spices I already have.
Mary says
The commercial vegan pepperoni I once used was made with wheat gluten. I’m very happy to see a gluten-free, homemade version! On my gluten-free pizza, I can now use this pepperoni and vegan cheese – besides the good tomato sauce and vegetables.
Cassie says
I’ve NEVER seen vegan pepperoni that doesn’t have wheat gluten in it, EVER. This is revolutionary! Do you think the coconut sugar can be omitted, and if not, what is the best substitution for it? I don’t happen to have the co-su in my house today! XD
Nadia says
I left it out and it was super tasty.
Jakob says
Amazing! I have been looking for a vegan pepperoni recipe for some time now. I will try it as I like you have dream of it for a while!
Jess @Nourished by Nutrition says
Woah, I’m blown away! I am definitely giving this a go. Leave it to you to create something amazing, vegan, and delicious with real food!
Stacey says
Made these for pizzas tonight as we are often looking for ways to add protein to our pizzas. Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have liquid smoke but added a little smoky bbq sauce instead. Thanks for the great recipe!
Lovey! Thanks for sharing, Stacey!
Michelle R. says
These were delicious! And so easy! I made them tonight, and my husband and I loved them! I save the scraps to make BLTs for lunch tomorrow because there’s definitely no pizza left. I will be making this often. Thanks so much.
Yay!!
Brittany says
You are genius. That is all.
You’re the one who thought of HEARTS OF PALM BBQ sandwich! Brilliant! Still reeling over that one…xoxo
Abby says
What size food processor do you usually use? I’m in the process of looking for one and don’t want to get one that’s too big/small for normal recipes.
7 cup! Find it in our shop – https://minimalistbaker.com/shop
Stacey says
Hi Dana! When you smooth out the pepperoni layer with parchment paper, should I bake it with the parchment paper or remove it? I made this and removed the parchment paper on top but half the mixture came with it. I then baked but the pepperoni layer was too thin so it cracked and I could not form circles. I simply crumbled the topping into “sausage” and it was still tasty. Let me know! Thanks!
Michelle R. says
maybe sprinkle some flour on top before placing the parchment paper to prevent sticking? A small piece came off with mine too, but I should pressed it back down.
Hmm, I baked mine on the parchment paper. Maybe try that next time!
Carol says
I sprayed the parchment with no stick spray before rolling it thin, then took it right off before popping in the oven. NO sticking!
SMART!
Allison says
Hi: This recipe looks awesome. I wonder if you change ingredients, could you do bacun?
Meg says
Oh, I so need to to pick up these spices and give this recipe a go. I would to have pepperoni with cheese and crackers again!!
Jean says
Yes, please a faux bacon recipe! Yup, It’s Vegan and The Edgy Veg have a recipe using rice paper that I can’t wait to try! It’s supposed to come closest to the real deal:)
Teresa Thompson says
Briefly saw a recipe for vegetarian bacon on Facebook, but they did not give the measurements for the liquid mixture.
Peel and slice a zucchini lengthwise. Place slices on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.
In a bowl, mix olive oil, soy sauce, paprika, liquid smoke, and maple syrup.
Brush mixture on both sides of the slices and add salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes, turning slices at the halfway point. Try on a BLT!
Christina @ The Blissful Balance says
Wowza seriously my mind is blown! I’m not a vegan or vegetarian so I feel like I lack that need/gene to be creative with cooking in that way. This is so out of the box and I would love to try it!!
M @plantbasedkw says
Will definitely have to try this! Big fan of your website and your recipes as a whole!
Aleksandra says
I’d be definitely fooled if I didn’t know what these are made out of :)
Akino says
Whoa, these are so creative and they look really tasty! Thanks so much for sharing :)
Natalia says
Your recipes and especially your cookbook are lifesavers! So excited to try this and your pulled pork recipe!!!!!
Thanks Natalia! Hope you love it!
Kate says
Ok, you’re incredible! I would have never known where to start in creating vegan pepperoni and these look so good! The spices sound like such a good blend. Thanks for experimenting until you figured it out for us Dana!
Stefani says
Oh, brilliant, I have all the ingredients at home right now! Plus, just this week I made the perfect macarella (it even melts, I’m so excited!!), so naturally, pizza is in the very near future on the menu
Let me know how it goes!!
genevieve says
wooww a must-try!!!
Zimri says
These look delicious! Love that the ingredients are all things I have on hand (substituting coconut sugar w/ cane). I might trying playing around with the spices to see if I can make a vegan version of linguiça :)
Amanda says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I made vegan pepperoni last night with beans and oats as the base and let’s just say it was a fail! This has inspired me to give vegan pepperoni another go!
Judith says
OMG! this is fantastic! I love pepperoni, but I stopped eating with the vegetarian diet. Assured me that taste the same? I have to wait to have all the spices, there will be some of which you can do without? I can replace coconut sugar for normal sugar?
I think most of the spices are necessary. The anise, for instance, isn’t. You can totally replace the coconut sugar with sugar. And the taste is very similar! It’s not a 100% replicate, but very close!
Jessica says
Just making sure: you’re saying I can leave the anise out? I have fennel seed, but not ground anise. If so, should I add more fennel?
Vegan Heaven says
Wow! These look awesome! Can’t wait give them a try on my next pizza! :-)
Brenda says
I’m definitely going to try this!! How about faux facon(Modern Family reference!) next? But seriously, your recipes are amazing. We’ve loved everything we’ve made.
Thanks! I’ll think about it and add it to the list!
Celeste | The Whole Serving says
I’m so excited, I made pizza for dinner last night, this would have been a nice addition. Well my next pizza will have it.
You rock!
Conni says
Curse you soy allergy……
Shucks! You could try it with chickpeas!
Sharon B says
Hi Dana!
Your site and recipes have been a blessing! Do you know if anyone has actually tried it with chickpeas? And would you substitute the same amount for the tofu?
Thank You!!!
Same amount, yes!
Joni says
See comments – someone made “hemp tofu”.
Hmmm….how many things can you make “tofu” out of?
James says
You can pretty much make tofu out of any Bean or seed. Including but not limited to peanuts and chickpeas.
Westley Moore says
Someone in a previous comment said they made this same recipe with hemp tofu. Hope that helps :)
Crystal says
Hey! These look great! Is there any reason why one couldn’t roll it into a sausage shape and slice it and then bake it? Or bake it in sausage shape and then slice it? Wondering if that would work or if it is a texture thing.
I tried that! Because the mixture is so soft it doesn’t work. I tried the log with the tempeh and it was too crumbly. But feel free to experiment!
JOUBERT says
Hi. Thanks for the recipe! Have you tried to add a bit of wheat gluten ? Could help to roll it into a sausage shape which is firm enough.
Mary says
This recipe is so similar to my seitan pepperoni recipe! I’m going to use your recipe and baking method and my way of cooking it. Should be fun! I’ll tell you how it turns out!
Peter says
did you try it? i actually had the same thought.
Teresa says
Oooo, I didn’t think of that! Regarding the replies below, I wonder if you could A) shape it into a log or use a mold, then freeze and slice it, or B) use a little coconut flour to firm up the mixture? I made this recipe and absolutely love it, but I do really like the idea of being able to slice it from a roll. I’m definitely going to experiment in the future!
Hi! I tried shaping it into a log but that didn’t work as well for me. But it’s worth a shot!
SliceofSunshine says
Did you ever experiment? how’d it end up?
Alexa B. says
Is the mixture thin/soft enough to pipe discs onto parchment using a wide circle tip on a piping bag? Might take a bit more time, but it could be worth it to have lots of perfect circles & no scrappy leftover bits.
Perhaps! I didn’t try that but it is definitely thick enough.
straycat says
Absolutely brilliant! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Now I don’t have to make a special trip to an upscale grocer to spend a stupid amount of money on fake pepperoni. Your version can be made with ingredients I have on hand……any time I have a craving for homemade pizza. Thanks, Dana!!!
Lovely! Hope you enjoy it!
Maryea {Happy Healthy Mama} says
Wow! You nailed it. These look fantastic. Can’t wait to give them a try!
Giselle says
I cannot wait to try this. I’ve been making veggie only pizzas for a while and like you said, they’re good, but having some vegan pepperoni on it every so often would be amazing.
Amelia says
I made this with hemp tofu because I am allergic to soy, and it came out delicious. The only problem was I made it too thick, so I turned it into a pizza crust. It was so yummy, I can’t even tell you. Thanks, Minimalist Baker!
-Amelia