Jordan Myrick
Gwynedd Stuart
Ariana Losch
The best vegan deli meat is a must for really, really good meat-free sandwiches. It’s filling and flavorful and at least nods at its inspiration. We grabbed every package we could find at major grocery stores to give you a current ranking of the best vegan deli meat out there…and, admittedly, there isn’t as much as we hoped there would be, but we did find some brand new options we’re pretty stoked about!
Quick side note: You’ve probably noticed that one of the most popular vegan deli meat brands, Yves, recently shut down. When we heard the news, it was a dark day for us here at Sporked. We adored Yves—they’ve always dominated the top of our very best vegan deli meat picks. But like I said, we did manage to find some good replacements from other brands who have definitely stepped up their game.
What we looked for in the best vegan deli meat:
- A convincing texture: Slices should be tender, not rubbery, floppy, or eerily springy, and actually behave like deli meat in a sandwich.
- Balanced, intentional flavor: Whether bold or subtle, the seasoning should feel purposeful and blend well with the natural flavor of the meat substitutes.
- Versatility: It should work in sandwiches, wraps, salads, or even on its own, if you’re feeling particularly
freakysnacky.
From the best vegan turkey to the best vegan ham, here’s what we recommend picking up!
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- Simple Truth Plant Based Salt & Pepper Turkey Style Deli Slices
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Simple Truth, a brand sold at Kroger and its sister stores, makes some great and extremely underrated vegan products. This vegan turkey is one of them, and it’s also the best vegan turkey we tried. It’s not exciting or super flavorful, and that’s what I love about it. It’s exactly what deli turkey is supposed to be: kind of boring! This vegan lunch meat is the perfect thing to start with when you want a neutral sandwich you can really load up with flavorful toppings, like veggie bacon, Dijon mustard, and banana peppers. It’s easy, it’s versatile, and it’s one of the best vegan deli meats we tried. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Ralphs
- Simple Truth Plant Based Black Forest Ham Style Deli Slices
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Simple Truth strikes again! Their black forest deli ham is another one of the best vegan deli meats we tried. It has an authentic smoky flavor without tasting like artificial smoke, and that’s why we love it so much. I wanted to make a panini with this vegan ham, a soft vegan cheese, Dijon mustard, and a drizzle of honey. How good would that be?! You can really do anything with this, though, because it’s just plain delicious. Kroger, keep making plant based products. You’re really good at it! —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Ralphs
- Tofurky Peppered
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Wow. First off, you can see the sheer amount of roughly ground black pepper in the slices themselves, so you know what you’re getting into before you take a bite. But I wasn’t expecting such a strong freshly ground pepper flavor. It’s incredible—and not to be redundant, but downright egregiously peppery. Honestly, this taste test has made me a Tofurky apologist. I think they’ve come a long way from the floppy, reconstituted-fake-meat slices we’ve tried in the past. Believe it or not, this is my personal favorite pick from all the best vegan deli meats we’ve tried, but I understand that not everyone loves pepper as much as I do…which would definitely be a problem here. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs
- Unreal Deli Corn’d Beef
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Unreal is doing the most when it comes to vegan lunch meat. They’re making thicker, meatier, fancier vegan deli meat than any other brand. Their corned beef is especially delicious. While it’s not super versatile, it is super interesting. Vegan Reubens will never be the same now that Unreal’s corned beef is on the market. This is the best vegan deli meat if you want something that’s a bit more elevated than most of the other vegan deli meats out there. If you’re looking to make a real deli-style sandwich, grab Unreal corned beef. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Ralphs
- Unreal Roasted Turkey
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Don’t be like me. Don’t write off Unreal’s Roasted Turkey slices because they look pretty funky. They only look like that because the texture actually mimics real sliced turkey meat—flaky and moist, with a nice tender-but-sturdy chew. The seasoning is very full, balanced, and roasty. This in a sandwich with a smear of Beaver’s Cranberry Mustard? You’ll be giving The Gobbler (Wawa’s infamous Thanksgiving dinner-inspired sub, if you’re not familiar) a run for its money. Though if you’re reading this, Unreal: Maybe tweak the color on these slices to be a little less…grey? It’s frightening. Just a little (vegan) food for thought. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Publix
- Tofurky Smoked Ham
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Tofurky reformulated their smoked ham, and boy are we glad to see it on the market. This has a thin, moist texture that delicately pulls apart like real deli meat. It’s incredible. The bold smokiness would come through in any sandwich, so just be prepared for that—if you want a more neutral vegan deli meat, we recommend the Simple Truth options on this list instead. But hey, we’re glad that Tofurky is stepping up its game and giving us flavors to remember them by. Not that they’re going anywhere. (Right, Tofurky? RIGHT?!) —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Pavilions
Best Vegan Turkey
Best Vegan Ham
Best Peppered
Most Interesting
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other vegan deli meat we tried
Tofurky Smoked Ham, Tofurky Peppered, Tofurky Hickory Smoked, Tofurky Plain, Unreal Steak, Unreal Turkey, Yves Ham, Yves Turkey, Mia Prosciutto Style Slices, Mia Carpaccio Style Slices, Tofurky Plant-Based Deli Slices Roasted Turk’y
Justine Sterling
Jessica Block
Danny Palumbo
