Learn how to make your own vegan deli meat with this easy recipe using tofu, vegetable broth, and basic seasonings.

Why We Love This Homemade Vegan Deli Meat

Easy to Make: Unlike seitan-based deli meats, this recipe simply requires simmering tofu in a seasoned broth for about 20 minutes. No kneading or steaming necessary.
Simple Ingredients: Just 4 basic ingredients required – and one of them is water!
Versatile: This tofu deli meat is a delicious and nutritious addition to sandwiches, wraps, avocado toast, and salads.
High Protein: 12 grams of plant-based protein per serving!

Key Ingredients

Extra Firm Tofu ⟶ You can also use super firm tofu for more protein and a firmer texture. I opted for extra firm tofu since it’s more common in stores (near me at least).
Water + Vegetable Bouillon ⟶ The bouillon adds most of the flavor, so use a good one! I like Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base*. I prefer to use water and bouillon instead of vegetable broth since we need a very concentrated broth for optimal flavor.
Thyme/Spices ⟶ I highly recommend at least using thyme since it adds a nice savory flavor. You can also add various spices/seasonings depending on the flavor profile you want. See the optional seasonings in the recipe card, but also feel free to play around with other spices!

Tips for Success

Gently simmer the tofu ⟶ Don’t boil or the tofu will break! Some pieces will probably break while you simmer, and they’ll still be tasty. It’s just harder to stuff them into sandwiches if they’re in small pieces.

Cook until all (or most) of the liquid is gone ⟶ There will likely still be a little bit of liquid in the pot (since tofu contains lots of water). You can just drain off the liquid so you don’t introduce excess moisture to your sandwiches.

Add seasonings/spices as desired ⟶ You can keep this tofu deli meat super simple with just bouillon and thyme (technically you can omit the thyme, but I do think it adds nice savory flavor). This makes it great for pairing with flavorful sauces/spreads. If you’re not going to add a flavorful sauce, I recommend adding some of the optional seasonings to up the flavor.

Homemade Vegan Deli Meat FAQ

This tofu deli meat is a perfect high protein filling for sandwiches and wraps. Add a tasty sauce/spread like hummus, tahini, guacamole, BBQ sauce, avocado, pesto, or my gochujang miso sauce!

This vegan deli meat is gluten-free since it’s made from tofu, not seitan like many other vegan deli meats.

This tofu deli meat will last about 5 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. Be sure to use a clean utensil each time you take some out to reduce the risk of contamination.

More Meal Prep Vegan Lunches

If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:20

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb extra firm tofu thinly sliced
250 ml warm water
2 tsp vegetable bouillon (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base*) or 2 cubes
½ tsp dried thyme

Optional Seasonings

1 tbsp nutritional yeast or 1 tsp msg
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder 1 clove grated
¼ tsp onion powder
1 bay leaf
dash of nutmeg
dash of pepper

Instructions

Add bouillon and seasonings to a pot. Pour warm water over and stir to dissolve the bouillon.
Add tofu to the pot and heat on medium low. Gently simmer until most of the liquid is gone, about 20 minutes.
Tip: Don't boil the tofu. Tofu is delicate so it will break if you boil it.
Taste and add salt/pepper if desired. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Recipe inspired by Plantifully Based.

Nutrition Facts

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