Plant-based pepperoni, yes, you read that right. The first time I got my hands on them was years ago when vegan meat substitutes just began to get imported into my hometown. I still remember the wonder and joy when I saw all those products begin taking over the store’s shelves. It felt like Christmas had come early.
A few days ago I went shopping and I came across Lightlife pepperoni at a local grocery store. They hadn’t carried them for a while, so I grabbed them immediately. It was Christmas Eve, and I was invited to a get together with friends. We were having pizza, salad, wine, and then tiramisu. Not very Christmassy? Perhaps, but it was very Italian, since my host was Italian, and the pizza was divine. I was going to bring vegan cheese for my pizza, and when I saw this pepperoni at the store, I called my friend, and she told me to bring it over.
We had a beautiful night, on the roof of her house, eating, drinking, watching the stars, listening to music, and later we had a little bonfire (in the garden, not on the roof 😉 ). No, no snow, we live in the semi-desert, so you can say that our Christmas was slightly different 😉 All in all, we had a wonderful evening.
Lightlife Plant-Based Pepperoni – Suggestions
- Slice of bread and Lightlife
So, first of all, here’s the traditional slice of bread with vegan butter or spread and Lightlife pepperoni slices ( great for breakfast or a quick snack in between). That was what I originally used them for until I brought them for pizza night 🙂
Note: most bread is not vegan. Please check ingredients if you want to make sure your bread contains no dairy and eggs. I use flax seed or rye bread, made by a local company.
- Veggie pepperoni pizza
My friend made the pizza base – old Italian family recipe. You can either make the base or buy it. I prefer to prepare it myself, and the ingredients are pretty simple (flour, instant yeast, salt, olive oil, and water).
What did we throw on there? Tomato sauce with big chunks of tomato, vegan blocks of salty cheese, lots of oregano, Lightlife pepperoni, and shredded veggie cheese. It was yummy! I ate a whole pizza!
- Mexican quesadillas
The other night I made some quesadillas, and I spontaneously decided to use the Lightlife pepperoni. So, I heated tortillas on a comal, and while they were heating up, I spread some veggie cheese on one half. Then I topped it with 2-3 slices of Lightlife pepperoni, and I closed the other tortilla half over it, shaping my quesadilla.
Heat your quesadilla on the comal until one side is slightly browned or gets a little harder (or your cheese has melted), then turn it over and heat the other side. Making this snack takes only two minutes.
Lightlife Plant-Based Deli Slices
So, besides pepperoni, what does Lightlife offer? You’d be surprised. There’s also vegan turkey deli, bologna slices, and ham slices. I have tried them all, and this is why I am recommending them. I love their taste, and you can use them in traditional ways, on bread and pizza, or you can improvise and add them to other dishes.
The Bologna slices contain no nitrates (for more info on nitrates, please see my article about sausages) They are kosher and non-GMO.
The Lightlife turkey ham is a frequent staple in my kitchen, especially when I need quick lunches during work and I don’t have time to cook. I often use them for sandwiches. Unfortunately, it is not available on Amazon right now … but you can also check on their website.
Lightlife ham slices offer a savory, smoky taste. They are great for sandwiches, croque monsieurs, pizzas, and sincronizadas (which are ham and cheese quesadillas) – also not available on Amazon right now, I recommend checking their website.
Some local stores carry Lightlife products, it all depends on where you live and what stores are in your area, but in any case, these products are also available on Amazon.
Conclude With a Snack?
Although I love cooking, having those vegan deli slices in the fridge gives a nice, quick option when you’re a little busy, tired, or you just feel like having a sandwich. They are also great for school box lunches, hiking trips, and picknicks. And perhaps, after all that indulging over Christmas it’s a good idea to incorporate these Lightlife veggie slices into some light meals, isn’t it?
I have tried vegan cheese (and loved it!), but not yet vegan pepperoni. Now you made me hungry and wanting to try it! 😉 And what a great idea, to put it in the Mexican quesadillas – I think this will be my go to recipe for when I get to buy Lightlife’s pepperoni.
Hi Katja,
That’s great!You’ll like it. 🙂
Although I am not vegan, we have family and friends who are so we try to provide vegan options at gatherings. I have not seen the Lightlife line of products at any of the stores near me in California. Do you have any other brand suggestions. The ideas you offered for vegan pizza and quesadillas were great. We have made vegan skewers with vegan cheese, braised tofu and vegetable slices. These are a great hit with everyone at our parties. It takes a bit of thought but vegan dishes are as fun to make as any. Thanks for pointing that out in this article.
Hi Anastazja,
There are other good brands too. For example, Tofurky has smoked ham deli slices and hickory smoked deli slices.
I also wrote about different brands in a previous article about vegan sausage brands. I hope that helps too 🙂
Interesting article on vegan food you’ve written. While I definitely support the idea of becoming a vegan, the one thing that puts me off this transition is the extortionate cost of ingredients. If one is eating on a budget which I believe a vast majority of society does, how can one justify making such a change when the cost is going to be a lot higher for a family?
My wife has been Gluten free for 10 years, not out of choice but due to poor choices made in childhood it was forced upon her, this has made meal selection so expensive, in some cases 3 x higher price than the usual alternative of a staple loaf of bread.
Do you know anywhere these products can be sourced for a more affordable price?
Hi Dave,
I personally think that the cost of vegan products is not always that high. They used to be more expensive, but I find the prices pretty accessible nowadays. One advantage that I noticed when I went vegan is that my health improved considerably, so I ended up seeing the doctor a lot less and I spent less or next to nothing on medicine, so that is a huge saving already.
While I agree that some ingredients can turn out to be expensive, sometimes I make up for that by replacing them with a cheaper and still healthy version. Let’s say, I dont want to buy cashew nuts which I need for a vegan pie. I buy walnuts instead, they are cheaper and they taste great, and they are also good for you.
I buy products that either have or don’t have gluten, so I am not sure of the costs of gluten-free items. I know that some special breads can be quite expensive … I was also a little shocked at the prices of some artisanal gluten-free breads that I saw at our local organic market, so I think I know what you mean.
My suggestion is the following. If you’re cooking and you need certain ingredients that are expensive, replace them. For example, apple cider vinegar is used for certain recipes and that type of vinegar is a little pricy … just google “replacement for vinegar in baking” or “cooking” and you’ll have better and cheaper options. You can do that for anything you need in the kitchen. I have done it too when I ran out of a certain staple and it was too late to go out and buy it.
Prepared foods will always be more expensive, so it is often better to just cook them at home. I reviewed a vegan cookbook by Toni Okamoto which is called “Plant-based on a budget“. Perhaps check it out, and see if that helps as well. If there is anything else you would like to know, please let me know.
Oh my god, Christine! You make me hungry! Really Really hungry! Imagined by me the aroma of pizza plus the deliciously delicious pepperoni!
To be honest, I have never tasted veggie pepperoni pizza (with vegan cheese), but I will try to buy it. In addition, this product seems to be an option when a vegan friend visits me. As proof, I respect him and as my opportunity to bond with him. And one more thing, speaking of vegan cheese, do you have a recommended product too?
Good article, by the way!
Hi Kylie,
Your friend will appreciate it if you get him vegan pepperoni or cheese 😉 In this article I recommend several vegan cheeses that I have tried. I hope that helps. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Christine
I must say that how much the vegan market has developed throughout the years, with more and more products coming out. With vegan cheeses and vegan meats it is becoming easier to have healthy and joyful meals that other people can enjoy. Making your own vegan pizza sounds like heaven to me but then again I am not fond of pepperoni on pizzas I prefer olives.
I got to admit you have piqued my interest and I may have to try the product myself. I wonder if it is possible to distinguish the difference between the real thing and the vegan version, as often the product does not quite live up to the promise. I may e may need to try more vegan products in the near future.
Thanks
Antonio
Hi Antonio,
Olives are great on pizza, I agree. The thing about certain meat products is that they obtain their flavor by adding herbs, spices, and marinades. Bacon obtains its taste due to seasoning, not freshly cut from the dead pig, because it’s just dead flesh, enhanced with flavorings. Vegan bacon, pepperoni, ham, etc obtains their flavor by using the same spices, herbs, and – if applicable – marinades.
Hi Christine,
I have been toying with the idea of changing my diet to plant based food. This is because most of my food is plant based, so it probably wouldn’t take much to go full veggie or vegan. These products look like great alternatives to meat and would probably make the transition much easier. I like the idea of pepperoni pizza, as it is one of my favourites. Does the taste do it justice, for someone that loves it so much?
Hi Tom,
Yes, it tastes great, it’s got a nice, tangy pepperoni flavor. 🙂
Hello Christine, thank you for sharing this post on Lightlife Deli Slices, plant based pepperoni and more. Well, I must admit that I have not tasted this plant-based pepperoni pizza before. But I’d love to have a taste of it considering how it made your Christmas different. Being plant based makes it healthy, vegan… I’m in Africa so I don’t know if I can get these around.
Regards!
Hello,
Yes, I think it all depends on where you live, doesn’t it? Not all places have those products available …In some areas here they’re not available everywhere either. The good thing is, however, that these items can be ordered online.
Hi Christine, great article. It’s amazing what food choices are available for vegans now. I guess it was only a matter of time before veganism hit pizza toppings. Yum.
With this recent surge in creating plant-based proteins or meat substitutes, I’m curious to understand whether or not by incorporating these processed foods into a vegan diet, you are losing some of the benefits of a vegan diet. Do the manufacturers of meat substitutes like Lightlife have to demonstrate their products meet the strict criteria of veganism either through certification or a detailed list (and source) of ingredients on the back of the packaging?
Hi,
That’s a good question. it all depends on the reasons someone embarks on a vegan diet. If the reasons are ethical, then people will eat anything as long as it’s vegan, i.e. no animal ingredients and free of animal cruelty. If the reason was health, then more attention would be paid to ingredients, whether it be freshly made, home cooked, or junk food.
On meat substitute packages, such as Lightlife, Field Roast, and Tofurky, all ingredients are shown, and they always have a “certified vegan” mark or stamp on them. Reading the ingredients, it may perhaps partly be processed, but some of these products are still free of GMO, and the ingredient lists are still a lot better than the original meat ones. Below is an example of an ingredient list in Lightlife burgers.
Water, pea protein, canola oil, modified corn starch, modified cellulose, yeast extract, virgin coconut oil, sea salt, natural flavor, beet powder, ascorbic acid (for color retention), onion extract, onion powder, garlic powder
While canola oil is not the most recommended, these burgers have 20% protein, and they are free of cholesterol. Moreover, they are also free from soy, gluten, and GMO, so all in all, this list looks pretty good. I hope this answers your question 🙂
Hello Christine, I must say that this article is very helpful and informative. I enjoyed reading your post because I am a big fan of pepperoni. You shared some pretty nice and delicious recipes that I must try as soon as possible. veggie pepperoni pizza is definitely my favorite! Thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to read more!
hi Danijel,
Thank you very much for your nice comment! I’m happy you like my article 🙂
Thanks a lot for such an amazing review about Vegan Food and explanation are given
I have been a vegan for a long time. And we have been looking for an article like this for a long time but we didn’t find much, this is the best. I will definitely try some of the recipes.
Thanks again for this post. If you don’t mind, I will share this article on my social media account. Good luck!
Hello!
Thank you very much for sharing my article! Have a wonderful day!