5 Best Vegan Pepperoni Brands That Taste Better Than the Real Thing
Cutting meat and dairy out of your diet doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite comfort foods – you can simply enjoy one of the many plant-based versions instead.
We used to have to go to the trouble of making our own substitutes at home, but now you can now walk into the majority of stores and expect to find a decent selection of vegan alternatives.
Vegan meat, in particular, has dramatically improved in terms of taste and authenticity. You can now find meat substitutes that are such a good replication of the real thing you’ll have to double-check the packet juuust to make sure that what you’re eating is definitely vegan!
Use it to top your pizzas or add it to a pasta dish to add a deeper depth of flavor; however you enjoy your pepperoni, you’ll be pleased to hear that any of the following vegan pepperoni brands could become your next go-to topping due to their great taste and texture.
Related Reading: Best Vegan Deli Meat Brands
Top 5 Vegan & Vegetarian Pepperoni Brands
Why not serve some of these vegan pepperoni slices to your non-vegan friends and family to see if they can even tell the difference. We bet they can’t!
THE BE HIVE – PLANT-BASED PEPPERONI
When it comes to imitating meat, I find seitan to be the most realistic replacement – especially when it comes to replicating the texture.
That’s what makes this meat free pepperoni brand a winner when it comes to creating a product that looks, tastes, and feels like the real deal. It combines seitan with a few select spices and sundried tomatoes to achieve that delicious savory treat you’ve been craving.
The Be-Hive Vegan Seitan Pepperoni comes pre-sliced ready to adorn your next pizza creation. It’s high in protein (18g per serving), iron (10% of your daily needs) and calcium (6% of your daily needs), and it’s crafted locally, in small batches in Nashville, TN!
GREEN SLICE VEGGERONI – ORGANIC MEATLESS DELI SLICES
Health conscious vegans can still have their pizza when it’s topped with this organic plant based pepperoni from Green Slice. With pea protein at its core, it packs a punch in the protein stakes, but has zero saturated or trans fats.
Using non-GMO ingredients and a subtle mix of herbs and spices, the clever folks at Green Slice have managed to muster up a product that you’ll be hard-pressed not to eat all in one sitting.
Perfect in sandwiches, wraps, and on top of pizza, this is one vegan pepperoni that’s also gluten-free and soy-free! It’s also made by a woman-owned small business in Vermont, so you can feel good about supporting a homegrown company.
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YVES VEGGIE CUISINE – VEGAN PEPPERONI SLICES
Plant-based pepperoni has never tasted so good, with Yves’ vegan pepperoni slices offering a great alternative for both vegans and non-vegans alike.
Known for its smoky flavor, this brand has nailed its vegan-ized version of pepperoni to a T. It looks like the real deal, cooks like the real deal, and tastes so much like the regular meat version that you definitely won’t miss it.
Whether you’re trying to cut down on your meat consumption where you can or you’re simply trying to live a healthier lifestyle, it’s definitely worth picking a pack of this pepperoni up the next time you’re at the store. Each serving (a generous 10 slices) contains a meager 0.5g of fat and just 50 calories.
Of course, you’ll have to remember to total this with the calories for the rest of the pizza too… What it lacks in fat, it makes up for in iron so you could definitely introduce this to your diet without it becoming imbalanced or unhealthy.
- Yves, Veggie Cuisine, Meatless Pepperoni, 4.2 oz
LOUISVILLE VEGAN JERKY CO – TOPPIN’S PEPPERONI BITS
Take your vegan pizza to the next level by topping it with the delicious pepperoni bits from Louiseville Vegan Jerky Co. Sprinkle them over salads, layer them in sandwiches, pop them into a pasta dish for an extra flavor boost.
There’s really no limit to how you can use these pepperoni bits. You can even enjoy these tasty titbits as a small snack – they’re that realistic in terms of how they replicate the real thing.
It’s marketed as a ‘must-have’ food staple for anyone who loves pepperoni but who also cares about their taste buds and their animal buddies. Making the swap to this meat-free alternative will also be better for your health as it’s completely free from trans fat and cholesterol.
One thing it does contain high amounts of is protein, providing you with an impressive amount of 6g in each serving. You’ll only need one bite to be convinced of its quality, so why not try it today?
- GREAT SOURCE OF VEGAN PROTEIN & LOW FAT: Our Toppins’ are vegan, vegetarian-friendly, free of cholesterol and trans fat, contain 6 grams of protein, and are low fat. A guilt-free snack!
- FAKE MEAT, REAL MEATY FLAVOR: Louisville Vegan Jerky’s Pepperoni Bits are righteously realistic in flavor. Enjoy this spicy, savory treat that is hand-seasoned and hand-bagged without harshing Mother Earth’s vibe.
- HOW TO ENJOY LOUISVILLE VEGAN TOPPINS: Finally, the perfect pepperoni for the perfect vegan pizza. Also, try Toppins’ Pepperoni Bits on dips, chef salads, grilled cheeses, pasta, hot subs, and more—or eat them straight out of the bag!
LOUISVILLE VEGAN JERKY – ENID’S PERFECT PEPPERONI
It may be the last product on our list, but the second offering from Louisville Vegan Jerky Co is by no means the least deserving of a trial taste test at least.
It’s not like they haven’t had plenty of time to nail their vegan products, as they’ve always catered to plant-based eaters just as much as meat-eaters.
Their Enid’s Perfect Pepperoni is a little more on the sausage-y side which is an interesting take on the traditional pepperoni you’ve left behind, but it brings all the traditional taste that we’d otherwise miss because it’s what we know and love pepperoni for.
The key to incorporating Louisville Vegan Jerky Co vegan pepperoni into your diet is to do so in moderation.
It’s the ideal treat for date night or for when you’re planning to have a ‘fakeaway’ pizza for dinner, but, as hard as it might be once you’ve tasted how good it is, it’s perhaps not something that should be incorporated into every meal.
This is because it’s comparatively higher in calories and fat, containing 90 calories and 4.5 g respectively in approximately half a cup, as well as containing 520 mg of sodium.
- Great Source of Protein and Low Fat: Our vegan-friendly high protein jerky is the nutritious choice, boasting 19 grams of protein a, while being gluten-free, cholesterol-free and trans-fat free. Crafted with locally sourced and organic ingredients, our guilt-free plant based protein snacks provide a robust and wholesome source of protein.
- Real Ingredients, Real Meaty Flavor: This 3 pack of Louisville Vegan Jerky’s Pepperoni Pizza plant based jerky is modeled after your perfect slice. The authentic herbs and spices are vegan protein snacks that transport your taste buds to your favorite pizzeria.
- Locally Sourced, Chef Inspired Flavors: Our jerky isn’t just about texture - it’s about taste. Don’t get it twisted, our R&D kitchen isn’t just a bunch of people in lab coats. Handcrafted by Louisville’s finest chefs, each batch is fully loaded and carefully crafted to curate the ultimate flavor bombs in the form of vegan snacks. Plant based jerky and meat substitutes are where we put all of our energy and love…basically we take this stuff VERY seriously.
- Does Vegan Jerky from a Southern State Surprise you? Take a closer look at Louisville, KY! From our vibrant and progressive community to our vegan-friendly restaurants. Louisville is a hidden gem that serves as the major backdrop to our vegetarian protein jerky story!
- Handmade in America: The vegan protein snack is non-GMO certified, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, and handmade in small batches with freshly sourced ingredients. If you look around at other vegan jerky brands, they’re not only owned by large corporations (eww), they’re also trying to make a hundred other products. Not us, we’ve been making jerky for 12 years in Louisville with an amazing crew of actual food and flavor artists. Our vegetarian snacks are for everyone to enjoy from vegans, to flexitarians and meat eaters. Once you try our jerky, you’ll understand why we’ve been around for 12 years.
Final Thoughts
Before we let you go so you can head to your local store on the hunt for one of these vegan pepperoni brands, we thought we’d leave you with a table that compares the nutritional value, so you can easily see which is the better choice health-wise.
| Products | The Be-Hive Plant-Based Pepperoni | Green Slice Veggeroni | Yves Vegan Pepperoni Slices | Louisville Toppin’s Pepperoni Bits | Louisville Enid’s Perfect Pepperoni |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 11 slices (47g) | 3 slices (40g) | 10 slices (30g) | ½ cup (28g) | ½ cup (28g) |
| Calories | 110 | 70 | 50 | 70 | 90 |
| Protein | 18g | 3g | 9g | 6g | 7g |
| Fat | 1g | 6g | 0.5g | 4.5 | 4.5g |
| Sat. Fat | 0g | 0 | 0g | 0.5g | 0.5g |
| Iron | 10% | N/A | 10% | 2% | 6% |
| Sodium | 440mg | 250mg | 250mg | 520mg | 520mg |
| B12 | N/A | N/A | 10% | N/A | N/A |
As you can see, the suggested serving sizes vary greatly, but we think The Be-Hive Plant-Based Pepperoni comes out on top in terms of both nutritional value and taste.
If you’re stuck on which one to decide on, why not try a selection of them to find out which is your favorite? Or if you already have a favorite, let us know what it is in the comments!
I make vegan pepperoni sometimes with vwg, but I can never master the tangy, salty flavor of real pepperoni.The only vegan pepperoni I can lay my hands on in my area is Sweet Earth, which is horrendously expensive, IMO. To eat it on its own is total mediocrity, but on a whim (so it wouldn’t go to waste), I’ve been putting it on a sandwich with a bit of vegan cheez and vegan mayo and it’s really good! One of the things we miss is the pizza sub from subway so this really hit the spot. Anyways, thank you for this list. I’m glad there are more brands to try.