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Seitan Pepperoni

Pepperoni is one of those iconic pizza toppings. So much so that it's even on the pizza emoji. This recipe is combines a variety of earthy, smoky, and salty flavors to create little discs of deliciousness that are perfect for a vegan pizza! What makes this recipe different than others? It combines both tofu, which helps lock in moisture, and seitan, which gives a chewy texture.

Ingredients

  • 12.3 ounces firm silken tofu (I use Morinu brand)
  • 1 tablespoon red miso paste (I use Miso Master)
  • tablespoon soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (Hickory is best for this recipe)
  • 1 tablespoon tahini or peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (Can use 2 tsp if you want more acid flavor)
  • 1 1/2 cups wheat gluten flour
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon paprika (Not a mistake, more paprika is always better)
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper (Can sub with equal amounts of more black pepper)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

  • Add tofu, miso, ketchup, liquid smoke, tahini to a blender or use an immersion blender. Blend until smooth.
  • Whisk together the remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Mix the liquid mixture with the dry mix using a heavy spoon or a stand mixer. Mix until no dry spots are visible. There is no need to knead.
  • Bring 8-12 cups of water to a boil in a 8 quart pot. While the water is coming to a boil start shaping the pepperoni.
  • Divide the pepperoni mixture into 3 equal pieces. Roll the pieces out to about 2" in diameter, length doesn't matter. Place the rolled seitan on a sheet of aluminum foil that is roughly 2' in length. Roll it tight and twist the ends to create a firm seal.
  • Place the wrapped seitan in the boiling water, turn heat to half for a simmer, and cook in the covered pot for 1 hour. Remove the cooked seitan and place on a wire rack to cool while still wrapped in foil. Allow to cool completely before freezing or refrigerating. Keep the cooked seitain pepperoni in the foil for freezing or refrigeration.
  • When ready to use, slice thin, about 1/8" thick, using a sharp knife and place on your pizza! See notes for an optional step. A mandolin cutter doesn't really work. Trust me, I've tried.

Notes

It seems like there's a lot of salt and a lot of spice in this recipe. Well. There is. But, don't fret, because you really aren't eating that much if you think about it. You want each slice of pepperoni to have as much flavor as possible because you aren't really eating that much of it. It's like each slice is its own little flavor bomb. At most you'll have maybe 9 thin slices of pepperoni which is maybe 1" of the seitan. 
Because this recipe is oil free the seitan pepperoni won't cup like meat-based pepperoni. What I like to do is slice the pepperoni and place it in a small bowl with olive oil and additional paprika. This will help the slices to essentially fry while baking on top of the pizza, hence the cupping action, and the added paprika gives it even more color and flavor.