This Tofu Lunch Meat couldn’t be easier to make! Shaved tofu slices are simmered in a savory sauce until they’re tender, chewy, and packed with flavor, just like real deli slices. Perfect for quick meals and sandwiches!
If you’re looking for even more easy vegan lunch ideas, you’ll also love these Chickpea Salad Sandwiches, these Tofu Lettuce Wraps, and this Vegan Egg Salad!
This easy, 7-ingredient Vegan Lunch Meat made from tofu has been such a game-changer for our lunches. When my husband and kids are hungry, I can quickly throw together a sandwich loaded with the vegan deli meat, tomatoes, mustard, and vegan cheese. It’s one of those perfect vegan meat substitutes that’s incredibly simple to make with 7 everyday ingredients and stays fresh in the fridge for days!
Why you’ll love these vegan deli slices
- Tastes like deli meat! Simmering shaved tofu slices in an umami-rich, savory cooking liquid fills them with flavor.
- Only 7 ingredients – I made this recipe with ingredients I almost always have on hand, like tofu, soy sauce, miso, vegetable broth, and spices, to make it as simple and accessible as possible.
- Lasts all week – I always make this tofu sandwich meat on Sundays so I have some ready to go for sandwiches throughout the week!
How to make tofu lunch meat
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Use a vegetable peeler to shave the tofu into thin slices.
Stir the vegetable broth, soy sauce, mellow white miso, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika together in a large pan.
Add the shaved tofu pieces to the pan and try to submerge them in the liquid. Heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid is gone.
Serve the tofu deli slices right away in a sandwich or let them cool first. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Personally, I like vacuum-sealed super firm tofu best. It’s the meatiest kind and doesn’t need to be pressed in advance. Extra firm tofu also works really well, but I would press it first to remove any excess water.
Only if you’re using extra firm tofu. Wrap the brick of tofu in paper towels, place something heavy on top (like a cookbook or skillet), and set it aside to drain for 30 minutes.
My favorite way to use vegan deli slices is on sandwiches! I like to make my sandwiches with vegan cheese slices, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayo, and mustard, but vegan pesto, roasted red peppers, spinach, and vegan aioli would also be good.
The soy sauce and white miso in this recipe are not gluten-free. To make a gluten-free recipe, replace the soy sauce with tamari and the miso with 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast.
The tofu slices will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I like to layer them on sandwiches straight from the fridge, but you can always heat them up in a skillet over low-medium heat if you’d prefer.
I don’t recommend freezing the deli slices because their texture will change and might become watery.
Tofu Lunch Meat
Ingredients
- 16 ounce package super firm tofu vacuum packed
- 1 cup vegetable broth I used Better than Bouillon No Chicken Paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon mellow white miso
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Pat the tofu dry with paper towels. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the tofu into thin slices. It's okay if you have some smaller pieces that fall off.
- In a large pan, add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, mellow white miso, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
- Add the shaved tofu pieces, covering them in the liquid as much as possible. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the liquid is gone. It should be bubbling, but not boiling hard. There is no need to stir the mixture as it cooks.
- You may enjoy it warm or let it cool first. Stack it on sandwiches with whatever else you’d like, such as vegan cheese slices, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayo and mustard.
Notes
- Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing, as the texture will change once frozen and it may become watery.
- If you’d like the pieces to be even chewier, you can place them in a loose layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F.
