Vegan Pepperoni with Chickpea Flour – Glutenfree

Name: Vegan Pepperoni with Chickpea Flour (Gluten free and Nut free)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup of chickpea flour ((use 2 tbsp more flour for more set sausage. See note*)); 1 cup broth or water; 2 tablespoons tapioca starch ((or cornstarch , or use all purpose flour if not Glutenfree) ); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 tablespoon soy sauce, use tamari for gluten free; 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or you can use more soy sauce/ tamari ((make sure sauce is gluten-free if needed)); 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast ((optional) ); ¾ to 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (depends on your preference of the fennel flavor in the pepperoni); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ½ to 1 teaspoon onion flakes; 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ((add a few drops of liquid smoke for additional smoky flavor if needed) ); ½ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup; 1 tablespoon oil; ¼ teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Published: Jul 18, 2022 · Modified: Mar 28, 2024 by Richa 40 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Learn how to make Vegan Pepperoni from scratch with minimal effort! No kneading! It is made with chickpea flour and therefore gluten-free. Just blend/mix and pressure cook! Stove top option. No standing around, no elbow grease! Delicious on sandwiches, as a pizza topping or on a vegan charcuterie board! Gluten-free Nutfree recipe

vegan pepperoni sliced and plated in an oval plate

What can’t chickpea flour do! It’s a great gluten-free flour with various uses. Make an omelet, waffle, scramble, fritter, cheese, pizza crust and what not.

I was thinking of making something pepperoni-ish but didnt want to knead it and make it a long process. Enter chickpea flour. I loved the texture of the Soyfree chickpea flour tofu I make in the instant pot(you can get that recipe in my cookbook! It’s just blend/mix and pressure cook! No standing around, no stirring, no elbow grease!, then cube it and use as you like). So I tested it out with all the pepperoni flavors and bam! Low effort pepperoni!

Just blend the batter, pour into thin cups, pressure cook it and you’re done.

You can play around with the flavor to preference, add a bit more oil for fattier, more spices or herbs to flavor preference, Add 2-3 tablespoons all purpose flour (if you are ok with gluten) for chewier and so on. Do not however taste the uncooked batter. Chickpea flour tastes very bitter when uncooked. You have been warned 🙂

The flavor is amazing! Texture with chickpea flour is not very chewy. It’s smooth and somewhat chewy when made in the instant pot, a bit less smooth when made on stove top. Use this method to make other flavors of veggie meat!

Make this Chickpea Flour Pepperoni for your pizza or vegan charcuterie board

Hello summer, hello garden parties, hello season of socializing and hosting events and dinners outside! As the days get warmer our feeds are filling up with all sorts of fun entertaining ideas and vegan charcuterie boards have started popping up left and right. No surprise – they’re popular, fun, filling, and they feel fancy.

Can a charcuterie board be vegan? Well, the answer is: yes, you can totally make a vegan charcuterie board. Vegan meats and cheeses are widely available in stores and are a great choice for a board but homemade is always best. This vegan pepperoni would be a perfect addition along with some vegan cheese and some fancy olives.

sliced glutenfree vegan pepperoni on a white plate sprinkled with red pepper flakes

Ways to use vegan pepperoni:

Your pepperoni can be used in sandwiches, charcuterie boards or as a topping for pizzas.

For making vegan pepperoni pizza

If you’re adding it to pizza I usually like to drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the pepperoni to make it crisp up and and taste a bit richer. You can use them as deli slices in your sandwiches or any which way.

To use them on a pizza add a layer of pizza sauce and layer of vegan cheese then top it with this peperoni, then add another layer of cheese, some fresh herbs if you want and drizzle some olive oil all over and then bake.

Depending on what kind of pizza you’re baking, you can bake at 400 or 425F for 10 to 15 minutes and then broil to melt the cheese and to serve

I put these on my gluten-free almond flour pizza crust so the entire thing is gluten-free! The pepperoni is nut free, the pizza crust is not but you can use a different pizza crust

More uses

You can also crumble the pepperoni up, sizzle the in oil and add them to pasta or some tofu scramble or use them however you want.

Why will you love this Glutenfree vegan pepperoni

it takes minimum effort, No kneading!
It’s just blend/mix and pressure cook! No standing around, no elbow grease!
it tastes amazing
its versatile. Adjust the flavors to preference
use the method to make sausages of various flavors!

sliced vegan pepperoni sausage on an oval plate

More things to put on a vegan charcuterie board:

Recipe Card

Save This Recipe in Your Inbox

Share your email and we will send this recipe! Plus, enjoy all the new recipes as they post!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Vegan Richa.

Print Recipe

5 from 16 votes

Vegan Pepperoni with Chickpea Flour (Gluten free and Nut free)

Vegan Pepperoni from scratch with minimal effort! No kneading! It is made with chickpea flour and therefore gluten-free. Just blend/mix and pressure cook! No standing around, no elbow grease! Delicious on sandwiches, as a pizza topping or on a vegan charcuterie board! Gluten-free Nutfree recipe

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Rest time1

Total Time1 50

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: vegan pepperoni

Servings: 24

Calories: 28kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

¾ cup (90 g) of chickpea flour (use 2 tbsp more flour for more set sausage. See note*)
1 cup (240) broth or water
2 tablespoons tapioca starch (or cornstarch , or use all purpose flour if not Glutenfree)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce, use tamari for gluten free
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or you can use more soy sauce/ tamari (make sure sauce is gluten-free if needed)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
¾ to 1 teaspoon fennel seeds depends on your preference of the fennel flavor in the pepperoni
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ to 1 teaspoon onion flakes
1 to 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (add a few drops of liquid smoke for additional smoky flavor if needed)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
1 tablespoon oil
¼ teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes

To add later

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a blender, add all the ingredients listed except for ½ teaspoon pepper flakes under To add later, and then blend till the mixture is well blended into a smooth, thick mixture.
Add the red pepper flakes and mix in. Do not taste this mixture, chickpea flour tastes bitter when its raw. Now there are 2 different ways you can make this. You can make this in the instant pot by pressure cooking or cook in a saucepan on stovetop.
Instant pot/ pressure cooker: transfer this mixture to a parchment lined pan of choice. I like to use slim coffee mugs(ceramic or stoneware) or cylindrical steel glasses. You can also use a regular pan or loaf pan. Line the mugs/glasses/pan well with parchment
Add 3 cups of water to the inner pot. Cover the container/s with the batter with foil, place them in your long handle trivet and lower this trivet into your instant pot which has 3 cups of water.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, completely.
Then remove the glasses or pan from the instant pot and let them sit to cool completely, I usually put them in the fridge to let them cool completely. It takes an hour or more. They get sturdier will linger chill time, so depending on the size of the containers, let them chill for 2-3 hours.
If using a pan that isnt cylindrical, then as soon as you get the pan out of the instant pot, the mixture is not going to be fully set , it’s still going to be pliable. Carefully take the hot soft gel like mix out and shape it into a log using a parchment sheet . Roll it out and then put it in the fridge to chill.
Or let the pan cool and completely then use cookie cutters to slice the veggie meat into shapes/slices you like.
Once the mixture is chilled, remove it from the cylindrical Containers. Then slice using a knife and that’s it! Your pepperoni is ready to be used in sandwiches or pizzas or anything else.
Stove Top: Once the batter is blended, put it in a pan on the stove top and cook over medium heat.
Once it starts to bubble, Keep stirring. The batter will start to thicken and need a little bit of elbow grease because it will start forming lumps or will start to stick to the bottom a little bit. Just keep stirring and cooking it until the mixture thickens evenly into a really thick custard.
After that, keep cooking until the chickpea flour does not smell raw. You can carefully taste it(it will be hot). It takes 3-4 minutes minutes to completely cook after thickening.
Then you can let the mixture cool for a little bit until it’s not too hot to handle and then shape it to a log using parchment. Let it cool completely in the fridge and then slice.

Video

Notes

I use white chickpea flour here as it sets much better than besan, which is a brown chickpea flour. See the differences between the 2 flours here. You can use besan, use 2 tablespoons more besan. The sausage will be a bit softer
*use 1-2 tbsp more chickpea flour for more set sausage if you like it firmer. I find ¾ cup a good amount flavor wise and texture wise. It’s set enough and sliceable and pliable as it’s still slightly soft.
You can play around with the spices, making the pepperoni spicier if needed
Oilfree: omit the oil
Chewier : add 2-3 tbsps all purpose flour if gluten is ok
Storage: Keep the sliced or unsliced pepperoni in the fridge for up to 5 days, you can freeze them for up to a month
Freezing changes their texture a little bit, I prefer to refrigerate them instead

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Pepperoni with Chickpea Flour (Gluten free and Nut free)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 28 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 0.1g1%

Sodium 132mg6%

Potassium 64mg2%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 73IU1%

Vitamin C 0.4mg0%

Calcium 6mg1%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe?Please do leave a comment and rating below.. Tag me on Instagram @veganricha

Ingredients:

chickpea flour
tapioca starch helps thicken the mixture while it cooks
tomato paste is added for color and umami
Worcestershire and soy sauce are added for saltiness. You can use tamari for gluten free
nutritional yeast – always
for my sausage mix, I use a blend of fennel seeds, garlic and onion powder, onion flakes, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper and cayenne pepper
some sweetness in needed to round up the flavor: use sugar or maple syrup
every sausage has some fat and here I also add a small amount of neutral tasting oil

Tips:

I use white chickpea flour here as it sets much better than besan, which is a brown chickpea flour. See the differences between the 2 flours here. You can use besan, use 2 tablespoons more besan. The sausage will be a bit softer
You can play around with the spices, making the pepperoni spicier if needed

ingredients needed for making vegan pepperoni sausage

How to make Vegan Pepperoni:

In a blender, add all the ingredients listed except for ½ teaspoon pepper flakes under To add later, then blend till the mixture is well blended into a smooth, thick mixture.

ingredients for vegan pepperoni in a blender container

Add the red pepper flakes and mix in. Do not taste this mixture, chickpea flour tastes bitter when its raw.

overhead shot of a small container with vegan sausage mixture

Now there are 2 different ways you can make this. You can make this in the instant pot by pressure cooking the mixture. Alternatively, make it on the stove top.

For making this in the Instant pot, you can transfer this mixture to a parchment lined pan of choice. I like to use slim coffee mugs(ceramic or stoneware) or cylindrical steel glasses. You can also use a regular pan or loaf pan.

vegan pepperoni sausage batter being filled into cans

Then pour the mixture into the containers you plan to use. Cover them with foil, place them in your long handle trivet and lower this trivet into your instant pot which has 3 cups of water.

two cans with vegan sausage batter being steamed in an Instant Pot to make pepperoni

Close the lid and pressure cook for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, completely.

two tins covered with aluminum foil in an Instant Pot

Then remove them from the instant pot and let them sit to cool completely, I usually put them in the fridge to let them cool completely esp the cylindrical glasses, for an hour.

If using a pan, get the pan out of the instant pot,. You can carefully take out the chickpea flour mixture out and shape it into a log on a sheet of parchment paper. When hot, the mixture is not going to be fully set , it’s going to be pliable.

Roll it out and then put it in the fridge to chill. Or let the pan cool completely then use cookie cutters to slice it into shapes you like.

vegan pepperoni sausage made in an Instant Pot on a chopping board

Once the mixture is chilled, remove it from the cylinders, remove it from the parchment. Then slice using a knife and that’s it!

Your pepperoni is ready to be used in sandwiches or pizzas or anything else.

Make it on the stovetop

Once the batter is ready, put it in a pan on the stove top and cook over medium heat.

Once it starts to bubble, Keep stirring. The batter will start to thicken and need a little bit of elbow grease because it will start forming lumps or will start to stick to the bottom a little bit. Just keep stirring and cooking it until the mixture thickens evenly into a really thick custard.

vegan pepperoni mixture in a black saucepan

After that, keep cooking until the chickpea flour does not smell raw. You can carefully taste it. It takes usually 3-4 minutes or sometimes 5 minutes to completely cook down.

Then you can let the mixture cool for a little bit until it’s not too hot to handle and then shape it to a log using parchment, let it cool completely in the fridge and then slice.

Stove top vegan pepperoni sliced on a cutting board

vegan pepperoni sausage sliced and layed out on an oval platter

Storage:

Keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days, you can freeze them for up to a month

Freezing changes their texture a little bit, I prefer to refrigerate them instead

Vegan Pepperoni with Chickpea Flour – Glutenfree

Make this Chickpea Flour Pepperoni for your pizza or vegan charcuterie board