Missing a classic ham on your holiday table, but looking for a plant-based option? You’re going to love my delicious vegan ham alternative that’s packed with flavor and easy to make. With simple ingredients like tofu, nutritional yeast, and a touch of liquid smoke, you can create a savory main course that’s a real crowd-pleaser. It even includes a sweet and sticky glaze to take your vegan ham over the top!

Sliced meatloaf topped with a glazed tomato sauce on an oval white plate, garnished with fresh parsley. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

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Why you’ll love making this Vegan Ham recipe

Familiar flavors, new twist: Miss the smoky and savory notes of traditional ham? This recipe uses a clever combination of spices and vegan ingredients to create a flavor profile that’s both familiar and exciting.
Easy customization: Want to personalize your vegan ham? Play around with different types of vegan ketchup or add a touch of your favorite herbs for a unique twist.
Budget-friendly: Skip the expensive deli counter cuts! This recipe uses affordable ingredients that are easy to find at most grocery stores.
Perfect for potlucks: Looking for a crowd-pleasing dish to bring to your next gathering? This dish will be a hit with vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike.
Leftover magic: Leftover ham doesn’t have to go to waste! Repurpose it in sandwiches or wraps, or even dice it up for a flavorful addition to salads or pasta dishes.

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

Various vegan cooking ingredients labeled and organized on a marble surface, including tofu, molasses, and nutritional yeast. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

How to make Vegan Ham with step-by-step instructions, with a little more detail than the recipe card

A complete printable recipe and the US customary and metric measurements are available in the recipe card below.

Crumble the tofu with your hands over a cheesecloth and strain it to remove as much water as possible. This will only take about a minute.

A top-down view of a kitchen counter displaying various baking ingredients and spices neatly organized around a bowl of dough wrapped in a cloth. — Crumble the tofu over a cheesecloth, and strain to remove the water.

Top view of a food processor with dough ingredients surrounded by various bowls containing flour, spices, and liquids on a light surface. — Add the tofu crumbs to a food processor.

Overhead view of a food processor with ingredients for baking, including flour, sugar, and red fruit puree, surrounded by various containers of additional ingredients. — Add nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, ketchup, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid smoke, kosher salt, and pulse.

Transfer the tofu crumbs to a food processor and add nutritional yeast, vegan ketchup, smoked paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed garlic clove, liquid smoke, salt, and pulse until fully processed.

Place the tofu mixture in a large mixing bowl and add the vital wheat gluten and vegetable broth.

Mix everything together until soft. You should get an easy-to-mold dough.

A top-down view of a bowl containing flour and brown sugar on a marble counter, surrounded by ingredients including oil, herbs, and spices. — Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and add vital wheat gluten and vegetable stock.

A bowl filled with brown sugar and a spoon, surrounded by ingredients like vanilla extract and spices on a kitchen counter. — Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 390°F/200°C. Transfer the dough to a foil-lined casserole dish.

The baking dish should be around 5 x 7 inches.

Cover the top with aluminum foil, place it in the oven, and bake for 40 minutes.

In a small or medium bowl, mix ketchup, vegan broth, and molasses or maple syrup for the ham glaze.

A rectangular baking dish wrapped in aluminum foil containing an uncooked casserole, surrounded by various ingredients and utensils on a marble surface. — Place the dough in a foil-lined casserole dish and bake.

A hand holds a bowl containing tomato soup with a spoon on a marble surface, with a small bowl of spices nearby. — Mix ketchup, vegan broth, and molasses or maple syrup.

Once the ham is cooked, flip the ham-shaped loaf over another baking tray and make a cross pattern with a knife; insert one clove in every box and pour the glaze generously over the top.

A loaf of bread wrapped in foil, resting on a wooden cutting board next to a bowl of sauce and a bouquet of roses. — When cooked, flip the ham using a knife. Make a cross pattern on the top and pour the glaze on top.

Baked salmon fillet in a white dish, glazed with a honey mustard sauce and garnished with herbs on a grey surface. — Bake until caramelized.

Bake for 15 more minutes or until fully caramelized.

Remove from the oven, place on a serving platter, slice, and serve immediately.

Pro tip: If you find the ham difficult to cut because of the criss-cross pattern on top, flip it over and slice it on the other side.

A person's hand rests beside a glazed meatloaf on an oval plate, garnished with parsley, with a floral arrangement in the background. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

Recipe notes and expert tips

Tofu Texture: Draining the tofu properly is key! The drier your tofu crumbles are, the firmer and more ham-like the texture will be. Invest in a good quality cheesecloth or kitchen towel for efficient straining.
Color: To add a pop of color and make this look a little more like ham, add 1-2 teaspoons of beet powder. This natural food coloring is pleasantly pink! Add ½ a teaspoon at a time, as it can be quite strong.
Gluten-Free Option: No problem! Simply replace the vital wheat gluten with a gluten-free flour blend. Chickpea flour or a combination of almond flour and oat flour work well. Note that the texture might be slightly softer, so adjust the amount of veggie stock to achieve a moldable dough.
Maple syrup and molasses: The main differences between maple syrup and molasses are how they are made (maple syrup is tree sap, and molasses is beet or cane sugar) and their density. Molasses is a bit thicker than maple. In a pinch, you could substitute brown sugar. The glaze would need to be cooked on the stove for a few minutes to dissolve the brown sugar granules before glazing the ham.
Caramelization Control: Keep an eye on your ham during the final glazing stage. While you want a beautiful caramelization, avoid burning the glaze. If it starts to brown too quickly, tent the dish loosely with foil.
Glaze Perfection: Want a thicker glaze? Simmer the glaze mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes until it reduces slightly. This will create a richer, more luxurious glaze for your ham.
A little heat: We enjoy a dash of hot sauce in our glaze to add a little spice!

Sliced meatloaf with a glossy ketchup glaze served on a white oval plate, garnished with parsley, with a spoon in the background. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

How to store leftover vegan ham

For short-term storage, wrap your leftover ham tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. This will keep it fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can eat the leftovers cold or reheat sliced ham in the microwave, air fryer, or oven, or fried in a frying pan on the stove with a little refined coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, or vegan butter.

You can also freeze it. Portion out leftovers into freezer-safe bags or containers. Squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn and enjoy for up to 3 months!

What to serve with this Vegan Ham Roast

We love serving this delicious ham with vegetable casserole or green bean casserole. Add some delicious vegan mashed potatoes, and even a side of air fryer asparagus, and you have the perfect meal!

Glazed ham on a white plate garnished with parsley, featuring a shiny, caramelized surface. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

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