There’s no doubt about it, more and more people are looking for vegan meat alternatives and plant-based meat substitutes. Over the past few years, the food industry has started going through major changes and supermarkets have expanded their vegan and plant-based product ranges dramatically. In this post, we’ll look at the various vegan meat alternatives out there and how to cook with them.
Why go for a plant-based diet?
You might be wondering why on earth someone would want to reduce their consumption of meat, eggs and dairy – or give it up entirely. That’s a valid question and there are actually lots of different answers!
It’s cheaper
I grew up eating meat in at least two of my meals most days of the week until I was in my mid-twenties. So, what changed? To start with, it was a matter of money: eating less meat and cooking more vegetarian meals was cheaper and meant I had more money to spend on other things, like going out with friends and travelling!
The animal agriculture industry is cruel
I also started hearing horror stories about the dairy and meat industry from friends and on social media. As I read more about it and saw videos of animal cruelty, it became much easier to simply not buy meat and I began to try plant milks instead. Eggs and dairy products like yoghurt and cheese were still part of my diet at this point as I don’t think I fully made the connection with everything I was seeing!
Now I enjoy trying various plant based alternatives knowing that these products don’t contribute to the cruelty and suffering of animals.
It’s better for the planet
In 2017 I quit my 9-5 office job to go backpacking in South East Asia and it was during this trip that my eyes were opened to how human beings (including me) are destroying the planet every single day. One of the many things we can do to help restore the environment and wildlife is to eat less meat and more plant-based products. Cultivating plant-based foods generates far less pollution and greenhouse gases than meat production, as well as reducing the destruction of rainforests and natural habitats for cattle ranching.
This is a huge topic, but if you’re interested in learning more here are some fantastic documentaries you can watch to get started!
7 food documentaries that will change the way you eat
It’s better for personal health
A plant-based diet means that you’re getting all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive from plants. That’s fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, seeds, beans, pulses and legumes! The more of this you eat, the bigger the variety of healthy nutrients you’re consuming instead of unhealthy fats, refined sugar and insufficient amounts of fibre (which are often found in a diet containing lots of animal products).
I’m not saying you have to eat a 100% plant-based diet (I still consume animal products from time to time) but the more plants you incorporate into your daily diet the better it is for your health!
When I first started reducing my meat consumption back in 2016, I had no idea what kind of vegan meat alternatives were out there and if I’d still be able to eat some of my favourite dishes, like spaghetti bolognese or burgers and fries! I actually discovered that there are loads of plant-based foods that are cheap, easy to find and totally delicious!
Vegan meat alternatives
Tofu
Tofu is made from condensed soya milk that’s pressed into blocks. It’s is a great source of plant protein, fiber, iron and calcium and contains several minerals that are important for your health. It’s an affordable plant-based product and widely available in UK supermarkets.
If you’re just starting out on a plant-based diet tofu is a great meat substitute to try because it has a firm, meaty texture. You might think that it’s flavourless and on its own it kind of it, but because it absorbs flavours really well, tofu perfect for marinades! Try soaking it in spices like ginger, garlic and soy sauce for an hour or two before adding it to your next stir-fry and you’ll notice the difference in flavour.
There are different kinds of tofu, from “silken” to “super firm”. The main difference between them is their water content. Silken tofu is the softest kind and contains the most water, whereas firmer tofu has had more water pressed out of it and therefore is left with a higher fat and protein content.
Which tofu you should cook with really comes down to personal preference and how much time you have to cook, since firmer tofu needs longer to bake or fry than silken.
Use tofu in place of: diced chicken, pork or beef
Try these delicious tofu recipes:
Tempeh
Tempeh is also soya product and is very similar to tofu, except that the soy beans it’s made from have been fermented for a while before being pressed into a compact loaf.
It’s contains more protein than tofu but is also fairly calorie dense, so consume it in moderation. Due to the fermentation process, tempeh has a more of a nutty, earthy flavour and could even be considered bitter if it has aged for a long time. A nice trick to reduce bitterness though is to steam tempeh for a few minutes before eating it!
Tempeh is usually slightly more expensive than tofu and can also be found in UK supermarkets, like Tesco and Sainsbury’s. It’s becoming one of the more popular vegan meat alternatives with many recipes appearing on popular blogs.
Use tempeh in place of: bacon, beef or pork strips
Try these tasty tempeh recipes:
Lentils
Lentils are part of the legume family and are packed with nutrients such as iron, fiber and B vitamins. They’re also made up of 25% protein (raw), making them an excellent alternative to animal proteins.
Lentils come in a variety of colours, the most common of which are brown, green, yellow and red. You can find most lentil varieties in UK supermarkets and they’re very cheap, especially if you buy them dried. Canned or prepared lentils in packets are also convenient since they don’t need to be cooked and are ready to eat. Lentils can easily be added tto dishes such a soups, stews, and sauces, can also be used to make vegan burgers and falafels.
To use dried lentils, it’s best to soak them for at least one hour before you want to cook them, though if you can leave them overnight they’ll cook more quickly and the nutrients will be easier for your body to absorb!
Use lentils in place of: beef or lamb mince
Try these delicious lentil recipes:
- Vegan shepherd’s pie
- Beetroot, carrot & lentil falafels
- Lentil & veg one-pot winter stew
- Aubergine lasagna
Jackfruit
Jackfruit is indeed a fruit and might sound like an odd choice on a list of vegan meat alternatives, but it’s actually an amazing replacement for pulled pork or beef strips!
It’s grown in parts of Asia and is apparently the largest fruit that grows on trees; a single jackfruit can be upto 30cm in length! Jackfruit is high in fiber and much lower in saturated fats than meat, so it’s considered a healthier option.
Fresh, ripe jackfruit is sweet and tropical in flavour. Tinned jackfruit, on the other hand, tends to be young, unripe and neutral in flavour which is why it works so well for savoury vegan dishes!
You can find tinned jackfruit in UK supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Use jackfruit in place of: pulled pork or beef
Try jackfruit in these tasty recipes:
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are another type of legume that are high in fiber and protein, so they’re ideal for incorporating into a plant-based diet. They are one of my favourite vegan meat alternatives and I probaby eat them four or five times a week!
Are you new to eating more plant-based foods? A good tip is to gradually incorporate more portions of legumes into your meals over the course of a few weeks. This is because our bodies have become used to a low fiber diet and foods like chickpeas and letils may cause IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) if consumed in large quantites all of a sudden! This is very common when people start to transition to a more plant-based diet (it happened to me too!), so don’t worry – your body will get used to the increased fibre over time.
Like lentils, chickpeas are an “incomplete” protein source, which means that they don’t contain all the amino acids that your body needs but cannot produce itself. However, by simply combining them with another plant protein in a single meal, like rice for example, they form a “complete” protein and are actually a rich protein source for vegans and vegetarians!
Chickpeas can be found canned and ready to eat; simply drain the liquid, called aquafaba (which can be used to make vegan chocolate mousse), and add the chickpeas to soups, stews, curries, sauces and even salads. Dried chickpeas are usually cheaper but do need to be soaked overnight in water and then boiled for 1-2 hours before being eaten.
Browse all my chickpea recipes here
Use chickpeas in place of: meat or poultry in almost anything!
Try these delicious chickpea recipes:
- Chickpea scrambled “eggs”
- Creamy polenta bowl with roasted veg & chickpeas
- Thai style falafels
- Easy veg curry
Beans and peas
There are a wide variety of beans and peas, all of which are also excellent vegan meat alternatives and are high in fibre, protein, zinc and B vitamins. Kidney beans are often added to vegan chilli, three-bean salads are great for lunches on-the-go and peas can be used in warming soups and hearty stews or just as a delicious side dish with garlic and mint.
Beans, just like chickpeas and lentils, can be found canned and ready to eat making them incredibly easy to add to your cooking. They can also be bought dried, but will also need to be soaked and boiled before consuming. Peas can be found fresh, frozen or canned. I would recommend choosing either the fresh or frozen ones as canned ones often include more salt and other unnecessary preservatives.
Seitan
Seitan (pronounced “say-tan”) is made from wheat gluten by rinsing away the starch found in the wheat dough, leaving the gluten behind which is rich in protein. Once cooked, it looks surprisngly like meat, especially chicken, and is often used as a vegan meat alternative in commercial products because of it’s meat-like texture.
Seitan can be prepared at home by hand or shop-bought. Flavourwise, it’s fairly bland on its own, so be sure to season it well during the cooking process. Seitan can be fried, grilled or simply added to curries and stews to give them a protein boost.
Texturised soya protein
Texturised soya is basically dehydrated soy which you simply rehydrate with water before adding it to your cooking. You can buy it in small granules that resembles minced meat as well as larger chunks which looks more like chicken pieces.
It’s normally very cheap, but rather flavourless so you’ll need to season it well when cooking with it. I’ve often used it for vegan bolognese sauces, shepherd’s pies and lasagnas.
Plant based meat substitutes
Aside from the whole foods listed above that you can use in your cooking as an alternative to meat, there are also plenty of plant based meat substitutes popping up nowadays.
These are products that are made to look and taste similar to foods that are usually made from meat, such as burgers, sausages, minced meat, meatballs, kebabs and so on.
It’s important to remember that these products are processed foods and just because they’re vegan or plant based that doesn’t mean they are healthy. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t eat them at all, but try not to rely on them as part of your daily diet. The best foods for a healthy lifestyle are fresh, whole foods.
I personally haven’t tried many of these plant based meat subsititues, but popular brands available in the UK include:
- Quorn
- Beyond Meat
- Impossible Burger
- Heck! veggie range
- Vivera
- Meatless Farm
- The Unbelieveable Alt
- Naked Glory
- The Vegetarian Butcher
And there you have it, lots of vegan meat alternatives and plant based meat substitutes complete with recipe suggestions!
Leave a comment if this post was helpful and let me know if you have any more questions, so I can keep updating this information!
Pin me for later!
0 comments