Have you recently gone vegan and want to know if you can still enjoy pretzels? Maybe someone mentioned that pretzels vegan is true and you want to know if it is true or not?
Or are you curious and want to know more? Whatever your reason might be, we have the answer for you!
We know how tricky it can be to figure out what food you can and can’t eat as a vegan.
You find yourself spending hours and hours online, scrolling and scrolling, only to be met with conflicting and confusing information.
All you want to know is if you can eat your favorite savory snack, but the answer seems to be just out of reach!
Well, no more! Today, we are here with the answers that you need. Keep reading to find out if pretzels are vegan and everything else you need to know about them!
What Are Pretzels?
Before we dive into today’s article, let’s have a quick recap for those that need it!
Pretzels are a type of savory bread made from rye flour, wheat, butter, water, salad, sugar, and yeast (Check out Is Yeast Vegan?). The savory bread (Find out Is Bread Vegan?) is twisted into a knot and baked to perfection!
You can expect your pretzel to have a chewy texture and be quite large, if it isn’t filling your hand, then it’s not a good pretzel in our opinion!
Pretzels have been popular since medieval times when they were invented in Europe.
These days you can also get hard pretzels which are far smaller and crunchy. These snacks (Check out Are Takis Vegan?) can be purchased in large bags and eaten by the handful as a great snack.
You can often find these with different flavors and coatings, with the most common being chocolate.
The large soft pretzels we discussed earlier can also be bought in many different flavors and with toppings added to them depending on where you purchase them from.
Whether it is the classic pretzel or you have covered it in sweet and savory toppings, we are sure you will love it!
Now that we have established what a pretzel is, let’s move on to see if they are vegan or not!
Are Pretzels Vegan?
Generally speaking, yes, pretzels are vegan! Whether you are purchasing a soft or hard pretzel, the chances are it will be vegan, which is welcome news we are sure!
Of course, we do recommend still checking the ingredients list of any pretzels you purchase to ensure that they are 100% vegan and that there aren’t any ingredients listed that you are allergic to.
The base ingredients of both hard and soft pretzels are vegan, so you can sigh a breath of relief and know you can enjoy a plain pretzel with ease!
Some pretzel recipes do call for butter though, so make sure that any butter used in pretzels you purchase is dairy free.
The same applies if you are making pretzels at home, opt for vegan-friendly butter, or a recipe that doesn’t use butter at all!
We think that is the safest way to ensure that your pretzels will be vegan and tasty.
Are Pretzel Toppings Vegan?
Pretzels that have toppings or coatings on them might not be vegan! It all depends on the toppings used.
As we know, not everything in the world is vegan-friendly, so we need to make sure anything we top our pretzels with is vegan!
When purchasing a pretzel, be sure to ask for a list of vegan-friendly toppings so you know what is safe to have.
As a general rule, we would avoid the following toppings as they will not be vegan:
Cheese
Milk chocolate
Honey
Any meat (pepperoni is a popular choice)
Candies containing gelatine
Horseradish
Spinach artichoke
Instead, opt for some of these toppings to ensure that you are enjoying a vegan-friendly snack!
Vegan chocolate
Agave nectar
Fruit
Cinnamon and sugar
Vegan cheese
Nuts
Seeds
Vegan-friendly sauces/jellies
When purchasing toppings for your pretzel, be sure to check the ingredients list to ensure they are vegan and safe to consume!
Look out for milk and milk powders as well as honey and whey, which can be added to your favorite toppings! These ingredients aren’t vegan, so avoid them where possible!
And remember, if you are vegan by choice and not because of an allergy, don’t be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake!
It is so easy when eating out to accidentally eat something that isn’t vegan, so don’t fret. We all make mistakes and most of the time, it isn’t our fault when it comes to eating out!
Just make sure to let any server know that you are vegan to avoid this where possible.
If you have an allergy, make sure you ask before ordering your pretzel about the vegan options and check that there isn’t any cross-contamination while it is being prepared!
Are Pretzels That May Contain Milk Vegan?
The phrase ‘may contain milk’ haunts a vegan!
This means that while there isn’t any milk in the pretzel, it is made in a factory that handles milk or foods with milk in it, so there is a risk of cross-contamination.
In this case, the food is technically vegan, but it could come into contact with milk or milk-based products during the manufacturing process.
Many vegans will eat foods with a ‘may contain’ warning, as it is often there to cover the company from any lawsuits.
However, if you have an allergy, we recommend contacting the manufacturer directly before you purchase or eat the pretzel.
They will be able to explain why in this case a warning may be on the item and advise you as to whether it is safe for you to eat or not!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it! Pretzels are often vegan, but you need to be mindful that any toppings or flavorings might not be vegan.
Remember to always read the ingredient list and to contact the manufacturer directly if you have any questions.
Hi, my name is Clara Howie and I have been a vegan since I was 22 years old. Now, ten years later, I’d like to think that I’ve learned a few things about this way of life!
I can’t lie, when I first began my vegan journey, the majority of my diet did consist of just vegetables and fruit with the occasional piece of tofu thrown in.
I got back on my feet, though, and I vowed to never make that same mistake again! I spent my free time learning about how to nourish my body properly without the use of meat and animal products. It actually turned out to be pretty easy!
Now I am healthier than ever and working alongside a nutritionist to ensure that I don’t slip up again.
That’s what this website is all about! Helping more people turn to the vegan lifestyle in a healthy and happy manner. I’ve got recipes, advice, tricks, tips, and more coming your way, so don’t miss it!
