Have you adopted a vegan or vegetarian diet and are looking for alternatives to plant-based ham ? A plant-based ham or vegan is a vegetarian charcuterie food which replaces the classic animal version.
It is eaten in the same way, in a sandwich or croque monsieur for example, but also in many other ways. You buy it in specialized organic stores, or even at the supermarket (the offer is becoming more widespread), but you can also make a homemade vegetable ham. We tell you everything!
What is plant-based ham?
Vegetable ham is a vegetable sausage substitute, made from soy, seitan or other meat-like preparations, that is to say without any product of animal origin. Only plant components are used to cook it.
It is consumed like that of animal origin:
- in sandwich
- in cordon bleu vegan
- in quiches
- in the sandwich
- in the vegan raclette
- in pancakes
- as an accompaniment to cereals, pasta, legumes, etc.
Where to find plant-based ham?
To buy plant-based ham , go to the vegetarian charcuterie section of specialized stores or even in a traditional supermarket.
There are classic versions, but you can also buy smoked vegetable ham.
Vegetable ham reviews
Commercial vegetable ham does not always have the same appearance as the animal version. Texture and taste vary depending on the brand, and even if it is not exactly the same as the “classic”, it can be an interesting culinary discovery when you are vegetarian or just curious.
Be careful with the composition: as sometimes with certain industrial products, the calories go through the roof. Check the fat and sugar contents carefully, they can be high.
Vegetarian ham recipe
If you are vegan or vegetarian and the industrial version does not suit you, here is a homemade vegetable ham recipe.< /b>
Certainly it takes longer than buying ready-made vegetable ham but the advantage is that you control the ingredients, the dosage and therefore the caloric intake.
Ingredients for the vegetable ham recipe
- 200 g of gluten flour
- 150 g chickpea flour
- 1 onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 stock cube
- 2 tablespoons of oil (your choice according to your taste)
- 1 tablespoon malted yeast
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- salt and cumin to taste
Preparing homemade vegetable ham
Put the stock cube in 40 cl of water and bring to the boil. Add chopped garlic and onion. Boil for 20 minutes.
Mix the two flours, yeast, salt and cumin in a container. Add the pureed boiled garlic and onion. Slowly add around 20 cl of broth, mix. Add the tomato paste and the oil and mix.
Place the preparation in a terrine, packing it towards the bottom. Cover and cook for 50 minutes in a bain-marie. Leave to cool before unmolding and cutting. Vegetable ham can be kept cool under cling film. Delicious with air fried garlic bread.
Enjoy your food !