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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 46

Resting Time 45

Total Time 1 46

Servings

Calories 263kcal

Author Marly McMillen

Equipment

Ingredients

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

Cups - Metric

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.

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.

Nutrition