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, after simmering until the liquid is gone, you can place them in a loose layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Best vegan deli slices. Really delicious and so simple. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome, Ania! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the deli slices and found them delicious and easy! Thank you for sharing your terrific review! Happy cooking!
I ade this yesterday, and ate it for lunch today on a sandwich with lettuce, tomato, vegan mayonnaise, mustard, and a vegan cheese slice. I really couldn’t taste any difference between this and packaged vegan deli meats. It was really good! I’m looking forward to eating it in sandwiches for lunch all week! Will definitely make again!
Hi Rebecca. I’m thrilled that you love the tofu lunch meat, and will be making it again! Thank you for sharing your fantastic review and experience! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Amazing! I made some this morning, and the flavor was incredible! Moist, flavorful, and so similar to shaved chicken. Thank you so much!
Hi I made this and added a touch of honey to it – my husband and I loved it. Only question is do you have any tips to make shaving the tofu easier? I used Trader Joe’s super firm tofu and it kept falling apart.
Do you have the kind of peeler that peels down instead of up? I find those work better! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I had trouble shaving it, too. I ended up just cutting the tofu with a knife, but it still came out a crumbled mess. I did freeze the tofu when I got it so that might have made a difference. It tastes good, but is definitely not slices! 🙂
Freezing the tofu first will make it crumble when you try to shave or slice it thin, so I wouldn’t recommend it for this particular recipe. The other keys are using super-firm tofu and a quality peeler. I like the ones where you peel down. Otherwise, a sharp knife works pretty well.
Loved this recipe! I did taste a piece out of the pan and decided that baking was the way to go so I ended up baking most of it for 12 minutes. The second batch I baked for 16 minutes and I liked how crispy it was, still chewy, but with a nice satisfying crunch.
It made great sandwiches and lunch was enjoyed by all.
Thanks so much for sharing
You are so welcome! Thank you for sharing your recipe experience and awesome review! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the lunch meat recipe! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
This is such a genius recipe! We have sandwiches for an early dinner every Wednesday and this was a big hit tonight.
Next time I’ll make it with regular paprika (I don’t really like smokey flavours, but I re-try them from time to time to check if this is still the case) but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing. Excited to put it on loaded Italian sub type of situation. Thank you!
Hi there! Oh, I’m so thrilled that you love the recipe! Thank you for taking time to share your glowing review and recipe feedback! Sounds delicious as an Italian sub! Wishing you lots of happy cooking! By the way, I love the cat!
This is not usually the type of thing I make, but if I see Nora‘s name on something, I always try it. This was amazing! I did it in the pan and then baked it for 12 minutes and I absolutely love it.
I just ate several slices straight off the baking pan and I’m trying to save some for an actual sandwich.
Thank you, as always, Nora!
Hi Wendy. I really appreciate your support, and recipe love! I’m thrilled that you tried the lunchmeat recipe, and that you loved it! Thank you so much for taking time to share your terrific review and recipe experience! Wishing you so much happy cooking!
Delicious. Made a sandwich with mayo and sriracha.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Christine! Thanks for sharing your terrific review!
Fantastic recipe. Have wanted to make something like this for a long time, as a healthier–and tastier!–version of commercial vegan deli slices (none of which has ever tasted very good to me). This is delicious and will be making this often for work lunches. Can imagine lots of different ways to serve it/dress it up. Many thanks!
You are welcome, Gina! I agree, it is wonderful to have a healthy sandwich deli type meat option available! Thanks for share your glowing review and feedback! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
could I use previously frozen tofu for this?
That should work just fine!
Hi, Nora. Can’t wait to try this, but I have no white or any miso, and will not be able to get it.
Is there a sub or can I just omit!
Thanks, Autumn
You can just omit the white miso, it will still taste good! Enjoy!
If baking, do you cook as directed first and then bake? Or do you bake in place of cooking in pan? Thanks.
Happy to clarify! You cook it first in the pan, then bake it to make it a bit more dry and crisp. I actually prefer it straight from the pan, but it’s good with the bake too for chewier, drier slices.
Thanks for that. Was wondering as well.
My try half as is and the other baked.
Will report back.
Can I make this with extra firm tofu that I press?
Yes, that will work just fine. Enjoy!
This was amazing! I felt like I was a chef serving a world class sandwich in a cute little bistro.
Aww that’s how I felt too! Love this recipe so much. 🙂