Whether you follow a vegan diet or not, this spicy and smoky vegan salami is a perfect thing to try. Initially, I thought this recipe would not live up to my expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The combination of gluten dough, spices, and a special sauce makes this dish the best I’ve ever had as a vegan!
What Is Vegan Salami?
In terms of texture, vegan salami is quite firm, and with a good spice blend, you won’t miss the classic Italian salami.
The vegan cheese even mimics the natural marbling and texture of salami’s fat.
The vegan salami is made from washed dough, which is washed to remove all the starch and then seasoned and steamed until firm.
Do I Need To Wash The Dough?
Salami made with vital wheat gluten can be made without this step if you wish. For the vital wheat gluten salami, you will need:
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Vital wheat gluten, 2 cups
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Vegetable broth, 1 cup
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Spices that are desired
Combine all the ingredients and shape the dough into a log. Wrap it, steam it, and let it cool overnight.
In my opinion, the washed dough method is simpler, but I prefer this method as it is easier.
How To Wash The Dough
You will need a bowl, flour, and water to make your basic dough. Cover the dough with water (room temperature) and let it sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Leaving it longer than 8 hours will result in mushy dough.
Put your dough in a colander and set it under the tap. Your first wash should be with lukewarm water once you’ve completed this first soak.
When the first wash is completed, it is time to strengthen the gluten by doing a second wash under cold water. Lukewarm water will remove the starch and your water will become milky.
Several more rinses of lukewarm and cold water should result in almost clear water. Some people prefer to rinse the dough until the water is completely clear.
Stretch and pull the starchy lumps in the dough during the washing process to remove as much starch as possible.
After completing the process, you will have a ball of pure gluten without starch. Now you can season your dough.
Seasoning Vegan Salami
If you prefer a milder or spicier version of your vegan salami, you can decide whether to season it as you wish. The vegan salami I’ve prepared features a fragrant paste made with vegan red wine.
In addition to red wine, I added garlic, bay leaves, mustard, smoky paprika, and oregano. You can add other spices as well. I love red pepper flakes, chili powder, and sage.
When you want to incorporate spices into your washed dough, the food processor is your best friend. I manually did this once and it took quite a while.
Choosing The Vegan Cheese
You do not have to use cheese, but vegan cheese will give a bit of that characteristic salami fat we usually see. Try vegan firm mozzarella or Gouda. If you like additional flavor, try smoked cheese.
Cooking The Salami
Ideally, you should steam the gluten dough in your Instant Pot or in a steaming basket over simmering water before serving.
A cheesecloth or parchment paper can be used to wrap the gluten dough. I prefer parchment paper, but sometimes removing it is easier.
If your salami gets glued to the cheesecloth, the best time to remove it is right after the cooking is complete, which can be tricky due to the hot salami.
In any case, you can easily remove it if you aren’t sensitive to heat or have heat-resistant gloves.
Vegan Salami
Time required for preparation: 3 hours
Time required for cooking: 1 hour
14 slices of salami, 1 salami
Ingredients
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7 14 cups of bread flour
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Water in 3 cups
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There should be 12 cups of firm vegan cheese, such as “gouda” or “mozzarella”
Wine paste:
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Red vegan wine, 14 cups
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Two bay leaves
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Mustard, 2 tablespoons
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Minced garlic cloves, 4 cloves
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Vegan Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp
Dry spice mix:
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1 12 tablespoons smoked paprika
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Red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon
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White pepper, 12 tablespoons
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Agar-agar powder, 2 tablespoons
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Salt, 2 teaspoons
For rolling:
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Paprika powder, 2 tablespoons
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Red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Combine flour and water in a large bowl.
Stir the dough until it comes together.
Let the dough rest for 15 minutes on a floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
After 15 minutes, place the dough in a bowl and cover it with water (room temperature). Let the dough rest for 1 hour.
5. Drain the dough in a colander and place it in a bowl.
You can wash the dough with lukewarm water by placing it under the tap and in the sink. This will remove sufficient starch from the dough.
As the dough is washed until the water is milky, drain it and wash it under cold water to firm up the gluten. Press and stretch the lumps of starch as you wash the dough.
Then repeat the process a few times with lukewarm water followed by cold water until the water is almost clear.
Let the dough drain in a colander for 20 minutes. Squeeze the dough to remove any remaining liquid.
All the wine paste ingredients should be combined in a sauce pot.
You will have a nice paste after simmering for a while.
Mix all the spices together in a small bowl.
Put the dough into a food processor or a powerful blender and add the wine paste and spices.
Mix the spices into the dough until it is well combined.
Using a food processor, grind the vegan cheese to a coarse consistency.
Make sure the cheese is well incorporated into the salami dough by folding it with your hands.
Wrap the dough log in a cheesecloth and tie one end. Gently narrow the salami with your hand, while it is wrapped in a cheesecloth. This will help to elongate the salami and make it a bit thinner. Tie the second knot.
As soon as the salami has rested for 30 minutes, wrap it tightly in another piece of cheesecloth, set it on a rack, and place it over a baking sheet. Pour 1 cup of water onto the baking sheet and tightly cover it with aluminum foil.
The oven should be preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Steam your salami for one hour without peeking.
After an hour, remove the salami from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes before removing the aluminum foil.
Let the salami sit overnight in the fridge after unwrapping it and coating it evenly in your spice mix.
The salami should be sliced in the morning and served as desired.
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Vegan Salami
1 SALAMI ROLL is yielded
Preparation time: 3 hours
Cooking time: 1 hour
Time: 4 hours
You’ll never miss the real thing with this vegan salami packed with flavorful spices!
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Ingredients
The dough:
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7 14 cups of bread flour
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Water in 3 cups
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Gouda, mozzarella, or firm vegan cheese, 12 cups
The wine paste:
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Red vegan wine, 14 cups
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Two bay leaves
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Mustard, 2 tablespoons
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Minced garlic cloves, 4 cloves
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Vegan Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp
The dry spice mix:
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1 12 tablespoons smoked paprika
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Red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon
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White pepper, 12 tablespoons
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Agar-agar powder, 2 tablespoons
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Salt, 2 teaspoons
The coating:
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Paprika powder, 2 tablespoons
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Red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon
Instructions
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Combine flour and water in a large bowl.
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Mix the dough until it comes together.
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Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
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The dough should rest for at least one hour after being placed in a bowl and covered with water (room temperature).
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Mix all the ingredients for the wine paste together in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until smooth.
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In a small bowl, combine all the spices.
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Place the dough in a colander and place the colander in a bowl after removing it from the water.
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Place the dough in a sink and start gently washing it with lukewarm water. This temperature of water will remove quite a bit of starch.
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It is important to wash the dough until the water is milky. Drain the dough and start washing it under cold water. The cold water will firm up the gluten. During washing, press and stretch the starch lumps in the dough.
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Repeat the process a few times, lukewarm water and cold water, until your water is almost clear.
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Drain the dough in a colander for 20 minutes, then squeeze it to remove any remaining liquid.
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Put the dough in a food processor or powerful blender. Add the wine paste and spices. Process until well combined.
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In a food processor, grind the cheese into coarse crumbs.
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With your hands, fold the cheese into the salami dough.
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Roll the dough into a log. Wrap the log in a cheesecloth and tie one end. Next, widen the salami with your hand, while wrapped in a cheesecloth. This will elongate it and make it thinner. Tie the second knot.
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Cover the salami tightly with aluminum foil, set it on a rack, and place it over a baking sheet. Let the salami rest for 30 minutes. Pour a cup of water on the baking sheet.
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The oven should be preheated to 400 degrees.
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For one hour, steam your salami without peeking.
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Remove the salami from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes before removing the aluminum foil.
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Put the salami in the fridge overnight after unwrapping it and coating it with your spice mixture.
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In the morning, slice the salami and serve.