The Top 8 Vegan Hot Dog Brands Ranked
As we head into the warmer months, the barbeques and grills are coming out, which means it's time for vegans and other plant-based leaning folks to start stocking up on their faux meats. With an ever-increasing number of brands out there, you may want some help deciding which to reach for when you're craving a frankfurter. Luckily, here at Daily Meal, we are nothing if not thorough. And to rank these top vegan hot dog brands for you, we put them through the wringer.
How did we decide which brands to rank? A big part of "top" means availability. Which brands are on most grocery store shelves or can quickly be shipped without exorbitant fees? That's how we selected the brands; ranking was a very scientific process. First, we prepared the hot dogs according to the package directions, then tasted them sans accouterments. Next, we tried them with a spot of mustard.
Finally, we prepped them with a bun, (vegan) ranch dressing, mustard, avocado, hot peppers, and pickled carrots (which is, in fact, a delicious combination!). When deciding on the final ranking, we considered each of these individual taste tests, texture, cost, and availability. Here are the results!
8. Viana TOFUTOWN
Viana TOFUTOWN has been around since 1981. According to the company website, it launched its sausage and other meat alternatives about 20 years ago. Hence, it's surprising they haven't been able to perfect their products. It is not often that we don't swallow our food — food waste is something we're pretty conscious of; however, these smoked tofu dogs are abysmal.
When purchasing the dogs, we were excited, as they are a German product, and Germany is well known for its vegan products (and sausage). However, when the dogs arrived, that expectation didn't meet reality since the hot dogs basically look like smoked, baked tofu. Unfortunately, they don't even taste like that delicious treat! We couldn't even bear to move these past the mustard round.
Looking through the ingredient list, it seems there's a heavy dose of red bell pepper, tomato paste, and sugar that somehow throws off the whole vibe. The smoked flavor is totally missing. Further, they are crumbly, falling apart when you bite or cut into them. Which is too bad, considering these are organic and certified non-GMO. Viana's smoked veggie frankfurters are also low-cal, coming in at 140 calories per dog. They also pack in 7 grams of fat, 15 grams of protein, and "only" 396 milligrams of sodium, so if you can get past the taste, these are a good, healthy choice. While these are tofu-based, they contain wheat protein, meaning they are not gluten-free.
7. Lightlife
Lightlife has been around since 1979 when it started as a tempeh company. It introduced Smart Dogs® to the market in 1993, and according to the company, they are the top-selling veggie dogs in the country — but, to put it frank(furter)ly, we're not sure why. This brand has the general hot dog shape going for them, though they're a bit small. While Lightlife has introduced a "Jumbo" size to account for that, size isn't the only problem. Smart Dogs are mushy and bland, with a bit of a sweet aftertaste. Unfortunately, the faint taste became completely lost after placing the wiener in a bun, and the soft texture blended in with the bread.
That said, Lightlife is a convenient option; you can find Smart Dogs in almost any grocery store. Further, one link of the original size has only 60 calories and 2 grams of fat. They are certified vegan and kosher, and while not certified gluten-free, they don't contain any gluten ingredients. Lightlife also has the benefit of being more affordable than other vegan brands.
6. Upton's Naturals
Upton's Naturals is a company based in Chicago that even has its own restaurant. And, trust us; we're big fans of the company's seitan around these parts. However, their incredible seitan didn't translate as well to hot dogs. Instead of having that signature frankfurter flavor, these links reminded us of rye bread (likely due in part to the celery seed and mustard). Because the main ingredient is vital wheat gluten, the texture is chewy and pleasing. However, Upton's Naturals advertises its Updogs as having a "signature snap" thanks to an algae-based casing. We did not find that promise delivered. They did, however, get mighty tasty served with a spot of mustard or chopped up and fried with some Just Egg, proving that these are, in fact, seitan sausages rather than hot dogs.
These Updogs, besides having an adorable name, are packed with protein. One link contains 20 grams. Each dog also has 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 710 milligrams of sodium. These wieners are certified kosher, plant-based, and GMO-free. They also don't contain any soy ingredients.
5. Field Roast
Field Roast makes two types of franks: Signature Stadium Dog Plant-Based Hot Dogs and Classic Smoked Plant-Based Frankfurters. The former contains: "Water, canola oil, pea protein, potato starch, methylcellulose, carrageenan, vital wheat gluten, brown rice protein, vinegar, faba bean protein, beet powder, sea salt, natural flavor, cane sugar, garlic powder, harwood smoked sugar, konjac flour, potassium chloride, onion powder, xanthan gum, black pepper, nutmeg, cherry powder, paprika."
The latter comprises: "Filtered water, vital wheat gluten, expeller pressed safflower oil, yeast extract, organic expeller pressed palm fruit oil, barley malt extract, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, paprika color, spices, sea salt, onions, wheat flour, garlic, natural smoke flavor, celery seed, paprika oleoresin."
There is a massive difference in the flavor and texture of these two hot dogs, firmly placing this brand in the middle of the pack. The Signature Stadium Dog has a strange, almost crumbly texture. It's unclear why Field Roast has added all the extra plant proteins that created this texture when the wieners still contain vital wheat gluten (meaning people with gluten intolerance still can't eat them). In this case, there was no need to mess with perfection. The Classic Smoked Plant-based Frankfurters are plump, flavorsome, and chewy. They don't taste exactly like meat, but they're still great in terms of meat alternatives. Both dogs do, however, have a nice smokiness that stands up to condiments and bread; it never gets lost in the crowd.
4. Ikea
Yes. The world's largest furniture company makes vegan hot dogs. Ikea's vegan hot dog is called "KORVMOJ vegetable hot dog," which is a very apt description. Note that this is a delicious product and super easy to scarf down — the only thing is, a hot dog it is not. Made up of visible plant bits, Ikea's KORVMOJ is the veggie dog for those repulsed by faux meat. It tastes delicious on its own and is crispy after being baked in the oven. However, it doesn't stand up well to condiments.
This dog would be a great salad topper; its primary ingredients are red lentils, quinoa, vital wheat gluten, veggies, and spices. One dog has 122 calories, 3.4 grams of fat, and 8.1 grams of protein. While this dog is certainly tasty, it doesn't merit its own trip to Ikea. However, if you're already at the retailer, picking up a bag of KORVMOJ vegetable hot dogs is worth it. (And if you're wondering why Ikea even sells food, Business Today says it's to keep customers in the store longer.)
3. The Very Good Butchers
Another seitan dog, The Very Good Butchers' Very Good Dog is a frankfurter that doesn't taste very good on its own. However, it takes on a nice flavor when placed in a bun with condiments. The texture of this dog is pleasing — not quite like meat, but not unlike meat either. The addition of navy beans to the vital wheat gluten gives this vegan hot dog a bit more chew than other seitan-based products on this ranking. It also contains nutritional yeast, mustard, and apple cider vinegar, which give it a tang. While the wiener does contain sugar, it is nowhere near as sweet as some of the other dogs we tasted. It was great with mustard and even better in a bun.
This organic dog is high in protein, with 21 grams per link, and has 180 calories, and 8 grams of fat. Unfortunately, while at the time being, it is easy to get this brand online, that will not be true for long, as The Very Good Butchers has reportedly gone out of business.
2. Loma Linda Brand
Even though Loma Linda Brand has been around since 1890 (A group of Seventh-Day Adventists founded it, says Adventist Today), this was a dark horse. We were very dubious and maybe even a little afraid. Canned hotdog? That you boil? But in all honesty, these were the most hot-dog-like of the bunch. While the label recommends boiling the dogs, we recommend heating them on the grill or stove top with some oil.
The brand makes two kinds of dogs: Big Franks and Simple Franks. And honestly, color us impressed. They are chewy, the way a hot dog should be. They've got that signature smoky flavor (or should we say liquid-smoky taste). The color is spot on. They're made from textured vegetable protein (a combo of wheat gluten and soy). Simple franks are colored with vegetables and fruits, whereas Big Franks contain red dye #3. Other than that, the differences between the two are marginal. Also, the Big Franks are marketed as kosher, whereas the Simple Franks are not.
We did have to order these online, which knocked them out of the top spot. Plus, once you open them, you've got a bunch of hot dogs sitting around in your fridge (unless you've got a party).
1. MorningStar Farms
MorningStar Farms gets the top spot for a few reasons — not only do these hot dogs taste great, but they are easier to find and affordable. Plus, you keep them frozen, so you can take them out as needed. The company has been around since 1974, and its products have been staples in many non-meat eaters' homes (MorningStar Farms hasn't gone full-vegan yet, but is in the process of doing so).
MorningStar Farms' Veggie Dogs are a bit sweet and squishy — in a good way. They are a bit small in girth and length but otherwise are very hot-doggy. The outside of the dog crisps up perfectly when you pan fry them. They're excellent on their own, with mustard, in between two buns, or fried up in a breakfast hash. We're excited to try their corn dogs!
These dogs are wheat-gluten based and do not contain soy ingredients. They're incredibly low-fat, with only 0.5 grams per link and 60 calories. Though that makes their 370 milligrams of sodium slightly alarming, they pack a solid punch of 9 grams of protein.