We taste tested 5 different vegan deli meat brands! We’re dishing out all the details on which is the best in our vegan deli meat review and taste test!
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Whether you want to make a hoagie or you are packing a lunchbox, you may wonder what is the best vegan deli meat. We found 5 different brands and we’re giving you all the details in our vegan deli meat taste test.
We had only tried 2 of these brands going into the video, so we were excited to try some of the newer ones. Overall, we are excited with some of the new ones we found, but know that there is more work to do in this space.
If you haven’t seen our other taste tests, we hope you’ll check those out as well.
- vegan shredded cheese taste test
- EPIC 30+ Brands vegan yogurt taste test
- vegan cream cheese taste test
- vegan sour cream taste test
- and even more vegan taste tests
We know this isn’t all the vegan deli meat brands out there either! There were other brands that we weren’t able to find or aren’t located near us.
Watch our best vegan deli meat taste test:
PSA:
We know that everyone has different taste buds. What we may think is the best, may completely vary from what you actually like.
You may ultimately think our best is the worst and that’s okay. We created this video as hopefully a starting point for people and we can only go off our opinion.
What vegan deli meat brands did we try?
Despite trying out 5 different brands, we know that there are even more out there. We just didn’t find them local to us. The brands that we did find and try are:
- Tofurky
- Lightlife
- Field Roast
- Unreal Deli
- Yves
While not in this video, we highly recommend The Herbivorous Butcher brand if you want to have something delivered to you.
How did we do the vegan deli meat taste test?
It was really quite simple.
We opened the package and then either tried them on their own or with crackers. We try to keep it neutral for our taste test videos so that we are focusing on the product and not a bunch of different toppings.
We were looking for mostly taste and texture. Our goal was to find the one closest to what we remember meat based deli meat tasting like.
Yves Veggie Cuisine Deli Meat
Thoughts: This was actually the brand we bought the most going into the video. Partially because it is easily available in the store we buy from most often, but we also always just thought it was decent. After the video, it leaned towards the bottom. The taste just wasn’t as good as some of the others and it had more of a texture that we didn’t like after we tried others side by side.
Where to Buy: Yves Store Locator
Yves Veggie Ham Ingredients: Water, vital wheat gluten, tofu (water, soybeans, magnesium chloride), wheat starch, textured wheat protein, natural flavors. contains 2% or less of: spices, onion powder, garlic powder, organic cane sugar, salt, yeast extract, carrageenan, tomato lycopene extract for color (contains soy lecithin), ferric orthophosphate (iron), vitamin b12, citric acid.
Yves Veggie Turkey Ingredients: Water, vital wheat gluten, tofu (water, soybeans, magnesium chloride), wheat starch. contains 2% or less of: natural flavor (includes autolyzed yeast extract), organic cane sugar, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, natural flavor, carrageenan, rice flour, ferric orthophosphate (iron), vitamin b12, citric acid, tomato lycopene extract for color (contains soy lecithin), ground mustard seed.
Top 9 Allergens: Soy, Wheat (both contain these)
Price: $3.69
Unreal Deli Plant-Based Deli Slices
Thoughts: The taste of these were great, especially the corn’d beef; however the texture was a bit off, more dry than some of the others and more crumbly as well. We definitely thought that there was tofu in the base; however it said no.
Where to Buy: Unreal Deli Store Locator
Ingredients For Corn’d Beef: Water, wheat gluten, organic beets, spices, apple cider vinegar, chickpeas, brine (water, distilled vinegar, garlic, sea salt, black pepper), tomatoes, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeams, salt, vegan source lactic acid), maple syrup, sea salt, organic brown sugar, nutritional yeast (inactive dry yeast, vitamin B3, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12)
Ingredients for Roasted Turk’y: Water, wheat gluten, cannellini beans (cannellini beans, water, sea salt), corn kernel, chickpea flour, apple cider vinegar, non-GMO canola oil, sea salt, spices, celery, onion, black pepper, nutritional yeast (inactive dry yeast, vitamin B3, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12), yeast extract, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt, vegan source lactic acid), shiitake mushroom powder, titanium white (for color, less than 0.1%)
Top 9 Allergens: Soy, Wheat (both contain)
Price: $6.49
Tofurky Plant-Based Deli Slices
Thoughts: We had tried these before and thought they were decent. In our taste taste, we were really surprised when comparing them to the other brands. While we didn’t try it in this video, we also mentioned the peppered version was really good also.
Where to Buy: Tofurky Store Locator
Ingredients for Oven Roasted: Water, vital wheat gluten, tofu (water, soybeans, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride), soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt), expeller pressed canola oil, natural flavors, sea salt, contains less than 2% of onion, carrot, celery, garlic, leek, lemon juice concentrate, cornstarch, garbanzo bean flour, white bean flour, rosemary extract, calcium lactate, potassium chloride.
Ingredients for Smoked Ham Style: Water, vital wheat gluten, tofu (water, soybeans, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride), expeller pressed canola oil, contains less than 2% of granulated garlic, sea salt, spices, cane sugar, natural flavors, natural smoke flavor, lycopene, purple carrot juice, oat fiber, carrageenan, dextrose, konjac, potassium chloride, xanthan gum.
Top 9 Allergens: Soy, Wheat (both contain)
Price: $3.29
Lightlife Smart Deli Plant Based Deli Slices
Thoughts: This didn’t really have a lot of flavor and had the same texture issues that we had with the Yves. We like many of Lightlife products, so we hope they work on this area and improve in the future.
Where to Buy: Lightlife Store Locator
Ingredients : Water, Soy Protein Isolate, Wheat Gluten, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Glutamic Acid, Soybean Oil, Cane Sugar, Contains Less Than 2% Of: Carrageenan, Sea Salt, Yeast Extract, Smoked Sugar, Red Rice Flour (Color), Oleoresin Paprika (Color).
Top 9 Allergens: Soy, Wheat.
Price: $3.49
Field Roast Plant-Based Deli Slices
Thoughts: The Field Roast brand doesn’t have specific ham or turkey flavors; however, with think they are comparable as ham and turkey varieties. That being said, we were shocked at the taste and texture of these slices and we hope they contain making more deli slices in the future.
Where to Buy: Field Roast Store Locator
Smoked Tomato Ingredients:iltered water, vital wheat gluten, tomato paste, expeller pressed safflower oil, garlic, barley malt extract, yeast extract (yeast, salt, cane sugar), paprika (color), sea salt, wheat flour, lentils, dehydrated garlic, cultured cane sugar, vinegar, wheat flakes, spices, natural smoke flavor.
Lentil and Sage Ingredients: Filtered water, vital wheat gluten, expeller pressed safflower oil, barley malt extract, yeast extract (yeast, salt, cane sugar), garlic, granulated garlic, onion powder, wheat flour, lentils, sea salt, cultured cane sugar, vinegar, carrots, organic wheat flakes, lemon juice concentrate, yellow pea flour, spices
Top Allergens: Wheat
Price: $3.49
Are these vegan burger brands allergy friendly?
We listed the allergens under each but just so it’s easier to find we wanted to list it here as well.
All of these are vegan so they are automatically dairy free and egg free. None of them listed sesame or peanuts as an ingredient. They are also all fish and shellfish free.
That leaves soy and gluten as top allergens in the US.
All 5 brands contain wheat. All, except Field Roast, also contain soy.
Who was the winner?
Okay. I put you through all that just to make you wait until here until I announce the winner. You know, wait with baited breath, type of thing! HA!
Again, we were pleasantly surprised with all the brands we were able to find and what that means for the future of those of us that are vegan or living a dairy free lifestyle.
Now, without further ado!
Our top 3 brands (in order) would be:
- Field Roast (either)
- Tofurky (either)
- Unreal Deli (specifically the Corn’d Beef)
Do you agree with us? Have you tried any of these ? Tell us below!
Try one of these sides with your favorite sandwich with vegan deli meat:
- Vegan Italian Pasta Salad
- Vegan Macaroni Salad
- Easy Vegan Broccoli Salad
- Grilled Vegan Mexican Street Corn
- Vegan Potato Salad
I’m surprised that you liked Tofurkey so much because I never thought they were good at all but I read elsewhere that they’ve improved their stuff so maybe I’ll give them another try. I’ve had a really hard time finding cold cuts I really like – I was unimpressed by Unreal Deli to be honest especially for the price – phew! As I really pay attention to sodium that’s another issue but thanks for your input!
Deli meat + watching sodium is sooo hard! Maybe try making your own deli meat with seitan so you can control it?
Tried the unreal deli steak slices. Might as well eat cardboard. If it wasn’t for the tomato, onion, lettuce, mustard and mayo I couldn’t eat it.
LOL! Sorry you didn’t like
I Love the field roast meats and the pepperoni too! But I haven’t eaten meat in almost 30 years.
Nice!
Field Roast is amazing. Also love their chipotle an Italian sausages. Wish they made these in low sodium though.
Agree!
I am addicted to the pepperoni.
Glad you enjoy it!
Totally agree! I used to have a vegan restaurant upstate NY and made a version of the New Orleans muffuletta with the Field Roast Smoked Tomato Slices, Chao cheese, roasted eggplant slices, artichoke pesto, Giardinera Salad (w/ olives, cauliflower, carrots, celery, red onion, capers, parsley, lemon and olive oil) and arugula on ciabatta rolls. Wish I could make them for you…. Love all the taste tests !!! when I get a notification I put on my sneakers and head out for a walk. Everyone thinks I’m a crazy lady laughing my head off at all your funny faces… 🙂