The Closest Vegan Substitute For Ground Beef In A Recipe

One of the central questions of vegetarianism and veganism alike is how to eat a filling, varied diet while eschewing meat. Plenty of vegan recipes answer this question by making fresh vegetables, starches, and other plant-based ingredients the star of the dish, but sometimes, if you want to approximate the texture and flavor of meat without eating it, you have to get creative. For instance, Gordon Ramsay makes his iconic beef Wellington vegan-friendly with beetroot, while other chefs use jackfruit to imitate pulled pork, or turn sliced carrots into crispy "bacon." So, if you're "vegan-izing" a recipe that calls for ground beef, is there a go-to substitute you should know about?

One of the more straightforward options is to utilize fake meat products like Impossible or Beyond Meat, but some vegans who have lost the taste for meat are put off by them. That's why Chowhound exclusively asked plant-based celebrity chef Chris Tucker, who prides himself on his ability to recreate any dish in vegan form, to elaborate on other, more appealing substitutes. "If you are looking to stay completely whole-food, plant-based but wanting the texture of ground beef, Textured Vegetable Protein is the way to go," he says. "It comes in all different shapes, but the most common is the size of ground beef."

Despite its name, textured vegetable protein (also known as TVP) is actually made from soybeans, similar to tofu. It's produced using a high-protein soybean paste — the byproduct after soybean oil has been extracted — that is then formed into different shapes and dehydrated. In addition to being totally vegan, TVP is also gluten-free, low in fat, and, crucially, high in protein.

Chris Tucker particularly appreciates the meat substitute for its versatility. "I love working with TVP because you can season it however you want and it will take on the flavors," he says. If you're using it to approximate ground beef, you can make vegan tacos, meatloaf, or bolognese sauce just by seasoning and cooking it like you would for those dishes normally. It can also be used to add bulk to dishes you're trying to stretch, or even as a protein additive in smoothies. The best way to cook TVP is to first rehydrate it by soaking it in water or broth.

Keep in mind that TVP products, like Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein, have very little flavor on their own, so you will need to use other ingredients to make it tasty. However, that might be a plus for some vegans who dislike the taste of meat, since unlike Beyond or Impossible Meat, TVP isn't manufactured with the goal of recreating it exactly. "It's also shelf stable so it's a super convenient source of protein to keep around," Tucker adds. That means you can store it in your pantry for far longer than ground beef will stay safe in your fridge.