Vegan Ham

Save yourself some money and dress up your family table with this vegan ham. This plant-based ham loaf is perfectly seasoned with smoky sweet flavors and topped with a maple-infused pineapple glaze.

If you’re thinking you have to give up ham for a vegan diet, well, you’re right. Ham comes from pigs and vegans don’t eat meat. However, if you break down the traditional flavors of ham — smoky and sweet — and apply them to a plant-based loaf in just the right ways, you can create an absolutely delicious vegan ham. And it’s pretty amazing, especially when served with vegan scalloped potatoes.

Ingredient Spotlight

What is Vital Wheat Gluten?

Gluten is the main protein of a wheat berry found in the endosperm. When gluten is separated from wheat, you’re left with vital wheat gluten, a flour-like substance that is used in a lot of vegan and vegetarian recipes. It is referred to as “wheat meat” because of it’s similar texture to meat. As a result, it’s often used to make vegetarian meat substitutes. It can also be added to yeast breads to improve the texture and volume of yeast breads.

What You Need

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

• Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
• Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
• Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
• Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
• Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
• Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
• Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
• Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
• Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.

• Tofu — We’ll use extra firm tofu for this recipe. Check out my tofu buying guide for more information on where to find tofu in the grocery store.
• Bouillon — I recommend using Better than Bouillon Vegetarian Base. It’s amazing to have around to make vegetable broth, too.
• Nutritional Yeast Flakes — You’ll need 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes which I usually buy at health food stores. You can sometimes find them in the health food section of grocery stores, but I think it’s pricier there.
• Beets — I used one small fresh beet for this recipe.
• Olive oil — You can substitute any neutral oil, such as melted refined coconut oil or canola oil.
• Seasonings — You’ll need onion powder (or dehydrated onions), garlic powder, smoked paprika. I find all of these in the spices section of my grocery store.
• Liquid Smoke — We’ll add even more smoky flavor with liquid smoke, found near the BBQ sauces in most grocery stores.
• Vital Wheat Gluten — You can buy this powdery flour at health food stores or online. Measure it just like you would any flour, by sifting it first, spooning it into a measuring cup, and then using a knife or flat edge to level it off.
• Pineapple — You’ll need a small can of crushed pineapples. We’ll be using both the juice and some of the pineapples from the can for the glaze. Or learn How To Cut A Pineapple and use a fresh pineapple.
• Brown Sugar — You can use dark, light, or homemade brown sugar.
• Whole Cloves — This is an optional ingredient, but if you like the look of adding them to the crosses in the top of the loaf, having a few whole cloves is all it takes.

How to Make This Recipe

1. Prepare the tofu by pressing it, then crumbling it, and pressing it into a 1 cup measuring cup.
2. Process the broth base by adding the measured tofu to a food processor with the remaining ingredients (except for the vital wheat gluten). Process until mostly smooth.
   
3. Make the batter by transferring the mixture to a bowl and adding the vital wheat gluten. Use a rubber spatula to stir the ingredients together then use your hands to gently “knead” the mixture in the bowl, only until just combined and none of the powdery vital wheat gluten is visible.
   
4. Form the loaf by turning the dough onto a cutting board and shaping it into an oval loaf. Tightly wrap the loaf in foil, being careful to seal the ends.
   
5. Steam the loaf by placing it in a steamer basket over boiling water and steaming for 60 minutes. Check the water occasionally and add more if needed.
6. Once it’s done, use tongs to remove it from the basket. Leave it in the foil and set it aside to cool. Once it’s cool enough to handle, remove the foil and transfer the roast to a baking pan.
7. Prepare the Pineapple Glaze by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Spoon the glaze over the roast.
8. Bake the loaf for 20 to 25 minutes, spooning the basting sauce over the game once or twice as it bakes.
9. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. It will firm up as it cools.

Frequently-Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

I like adding cubes of vegan ham to my Just Egg Quiche. You can also serve it as a main meal dish with your favorite side dishes such as:

Vegan Roasted Vegetables

35 mins total

How to Steam Broccoli

15 mins total

Vegan Cauliflower Gratin

35 mins total

You can also use it to make vegan ham sandwiches. To cut thinner slices, let the loaf come to room temperature and then cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Use a serrated knife to cut thin slices from the chilled loaf.

Vegan Meat Meals

Impossible Meatloaf

60 mins total

Vegan Meatloaf

195 mins total

Vegan Lentil Meatballs

50 mins total

Vegan Beef Stew

35 mins total

I hope you love this vegan ham recipe as much as we do!

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Vegan Ham

This vegan ham recipe makes a delicious, tender roast you can use for holiday dinners or any time of year. Leftover slices can be used to make sandwiches too.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate Save Saved!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 46 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 46 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 263kcal

Author: Marly McMillen

Ingredients

CupsMetric

• ▢ 1 cup extra firm tofu, pressed
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Vegetarian Base (see note)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh beets, washed and peeled
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons water
• ▢ 2 teaspoons onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• ▢ 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups vital wheat gluten

Maple Pineapple Basting Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup pineapple juice from a can of crushed pineapple
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ½ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup maple syrup
• ▢ 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
• ▢ ½ cup crushed pineapple

For Roasting

• ▢ 10 whole cloves

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Instructions

For the Vegan Ham Roast

• Press the tofu, then crumble it and press it into a 1 cup measuring cup. Add this to a food processor with the remaining ingredients (except for the vital wheat gluten). Process until smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add vital wheat gluten. Use a rubber spatula to stir the ingredients together. To make sure it's all equally distributed, use your hands to gently "knead" the mixture in the bowl, only until just combined and none of the powdery vital wheat gluten is visible.
• Turn the dough out onto a cutting board. Shape it into an oval loaf. Tightly wrap the loaf in foil, being careful to seal the ends. Place the loaf in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 60 minutes. Check the water occasionally and add more if it's needed.
• Once it's done, use tongs to remove from the basket. Leave it in the foil and set aside to cool.
• You can eat the roast as is, but it transforms into something amazing after being roasted with basting liquids. To do this, carefully remove the foil and transfer the roast to a baking pan.

For Roasted Vegan Ham

• Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
• Transfer the roast to a baking pan. Use a knife to cut diagonal, thin slices in the top of the roast to create a criss-cross pattern. Add a whole clove in the intersecting points.
• Stir together the basting ingredients. Drizzle this sauce over the roast.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, spooning the basting sauce over the ham once or twice as it bakes. When it's done remove it from the oven and set it aside.
• The loaf will firm up as it cools. Cut the roast into slices to serve for dinners. To cut thinner slices for sandwiches, allow the roast to cool completely, then refrigerate for an hour or so. Use a serrated knife to cut the chilled roast.

Recommended Equipment

Food Processor

Medium Saucepan

Steamer

Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup Set

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Notes

Substituting Steamer Baskets: If you don’t have a steamer basket, you can use a metal strainer, a metal pie pan with holes, 3 balls of foil, or even mason jar lids in the bottom of a saucepan (but realize you’ll need to add more water from time-to-time). 

Substituting Tofu: If you don’t have tofu or prefer not to cook with it, you can substitute a 15-ounce can of chickpeas (drain the can first).

Measuring Vital Wheat Gluten: Measure vital wheat gluten just like every other flour. Sift it first (Use a spoon or whisk to stir it), then spoon sifted flour into a measuring cup. Use a level tool (such as a butter knife) to level it off.

Bouillon:  I used Better than Bouillon Vegetarian Base. You could substitute their No Chicken base.

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Did you make this recipe?

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