Vegan Seitan Pastrami

Move over pastrami, we’ve got a vegan version that’s packed with flavor, without the beef.

Growing up, pastrami sandwiches were the ultimate treat. Piled high on rye bread with sauerkraut and thousand island dressing, it was reserved for special occasions only.

Even meat-free, the smell of pastrami brings back memories of deli meals with my family. My solution to looking for a taste of home? This recipe for high protein vegan seitan pastrami.

Rich, tender, and nostalgic, this Vegan Seitan Pastrami recipe is packed with all of the flavors I loved when I was younger, and I’m sure you’ll love this recipe just as much.

So how do you make pastrami without meat? This recipe uses seitan, a vegan meat replacement that’s just as tasty as its counterpart. Seitan is made from

protein found in wheat, so this recipe is unfortunately not gluten-free BUT a wonderful source of protein. You can hit the store or make your own, no judgement here!

Seitan by itself just won’t taste that great though, so we have to put in a little work! I like to add black pepper, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, maple syrup… and a bunch of other stuff that I wrote in the ingredients below, but feel free to add your own favorite spices and experiment.

Vegan Seitan Pastrami is one size fits all- its perfect for sandwiches, grazing boards, cheese plates, and can be shredded or chopped into different shapes for all of your favorite recipes. Little Micah will always vote for sandwiches though.

Save this Vegan Seitan Pastrami recipe for later and let me know how it goes! Feel free to tag me on Instagram, @nutritionxkitchen, and show me how you used your homemade vegan pastrami.

Vegan Seitan Pastrami

Author: Micah Siva
Serves 4-6

Prep: 15 min

Cook time: 120 min

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cup vital wheat gluten (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp coriander, ground
• ½ tbsp coriander seeds, whole
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
• ¾ cup beet juice
• ⅔ cup water

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl combine gluten, nutritional yeast, black pepper, coriander, paprika and garlic powder.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the mustard, maple, soy sauce, olive oil, beet juice and water. Pour into dry mixture to combine.
3. Transfer dough to a sheet of kitchen foil, and roll into a log, twisting both ends.
4. Place in a steamer basket, and steam, with the lid on, for 60-70 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove seitan from foil, and place on a cooling rack ontop of a baking tray. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the outer layer has hardened slightly.
6. Let cool, and thinly slice.
7. Enjoy!