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    Home » Vegan recipes

    The Big Guide to Vegan Meat Alternatives (to make or to buy)

    Last Modified: Dec 21, 2020 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    This handy guide to vegan meat alternatives gives you options to make from scratch and some to buy. And they're all totally delicious and cruelty free!

    image collage of vegan meat alternatives: BBQ sandwich, seitan chicken, vegan ribs, and taco meat

    You don’t need meat alternatives to eat vegan, but vegan meat can help folks make the transition to and stick with veganism.  As a long-time vegan, I still eat vegan meat regularly, and I know I’m not the only vegan who stocks the fridge with seitan and the freezer with Gardein.

    Related: Why do vegans eat "fake" meat?

    Like plant-based milks, vegan meats have come a long way since I stopped eating meat. These are the meat substitutes that my family and friends turn to when we are preparing our meals.

    Store-Bought Vegan Meat Alternatives

    Store-bought meat substitutes vary in how processed they are. If you’re vegan for the animals, like me and many of the long-time vegans I know, though, that’s not really a big deal. These are my favorite brands of pre-made vegan meats.

    Beyond Meat – Beyond Meat makes amazing burgers, ground beef-style crumbles, and chicken strips. The Beyond Burger is rocking the vegan world right now. You can find it in grocery stores and on restaurant menus

    Field Roast - These roasts, sausages, hot dogs, burgers, and lunch meats are some of my family’s favorites. If you’re looking for a less-processed option that’s available at grocery stores, Field Roast is your best bet.

    Gardein – If you miss chicken strips, chicken tenders, pork bites, beef tips, crab cakes, or fried fish, Gardein has got you covered. Their Crabless Bites are my favorite, and my husband loves their Fishless Filets. We use both as taco fillings, and they’re so good!

    Herbivorous Butcher – This widely-acclaimed vegan butcher makes vegan meats and cheeses from a variety of vegan ingredients, like wheat gluten, jackfruit and beans.

    Impossible Foods - This competitor to Beyond Meat tastes spookily meat-like, and I am frankly obsessed with their burger. You can find the Impossible Burger at restaurants, and the company just started rolling out its product to stores in September.

    Morningstar Farms - Morningstar's meat alternatives used to contain egg, but they are phasing out the eggs in their recipes. We are huge fans of their Buffalo Wings and their vegan chicken strips.

    No Evil Foods – This Asheville-based vegan butcher makes vegan chicken, pork, sausage, and turkey from vital wheat gluten and chickpea flour.

    Simple Truth – Kroger’s store brand sells frozen, meatless chicken and beef products that are similar to Gardein but less pricey. They also offer vegan sliced lunch meats and sausages. Not all Simple Truth products are vegan (or vegetarian), but I'm a fan of the vegan products in this line!

    Tofurky – This is the original vegan meat, and Tofurky’s line has come a long way, baby. Their sausages and lunch meats are top notch!

    Trader Joe's - Trader Joe's offers quite a few vegan meat options. Their chorizo is top notch. They also just added vegan "turkey" burgers, which I haven't tried yet but plan to. TJ's also has a frozen "Mandarin chicken" that I am anxious to try!

    Uptons Naturals - This Chicago-based vegan meat company makes excellent seitan bacon, burgers, and sausages. They also have a line of seasoned jackfruit. If you're new to using jackfruit as a vegan meat alternative, their products are a great place to start.

    Vegan Meat Substitutes to Make

    Below are amazing recipes for vegan meat alternatives that you can make in your own kitchen.

    The To-ful-A: Spicy Tofu Sandwich - A Vegan Chick-fil-A Knockoff

    Spicy Tofu Sandwich

    Y'all, this is the spicy tofu sandwich of my dreams! Keep things simple, like a certain fast food chain, or load it up with your favorite toppings.
    A person dipping a BBQ tofu wing into a ramekin of tahini sauce

    BBQ tofu wings recipe

    Make a batch of sticky-sweet, toothsome BBQ Tofu Wings in the oven or the air fryer. They're a perfect party or game day appetizer.
    close-up of a hand dipping a vegan chicken nugget into "honey" mustard sauce

    Vegan Chicken Nuggets with 'Honey' Mustard Dipping Sauce

    Crunchy Vegan Chicken Nuggets are a crowd-pleasing, kid-friendly delight dipped in Vegan 'Honey' Mustard sauce!
    hand picking up a vegan BBQ sandwich

    Pulled Shiitake Mushroom BBQ

    A sweet, sticky, "meaty" vegan pulled pork sandwich that's going to rock your socks. Choose your favorite BBQ sauce to build the sandwich of your DREAMS!
    Not a Reuben Sandwich

    Corned Tofu for a Not-a-Reuben Sandwich

    It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had corned beef, and I’m sure that this corned tofu isn’t the same, texture-wise. But it’s freaking delicious in this not-a-Reuben sandwich.
    sliced lentil meatloaf, so you can see the texture of the inside

    Quinoa Lentil Meatloaf Recipe

    A hearty baked quinoa and lentil meatloaf smothered in sweet ketchup glaze is the easy dinner you need! This recipe is easy to make and a total crowd-pleaser!
    One-Pot Vegan Cheese Grits Casserole with 'Sausage' Mushrooms

    Vegan cheese grits casserole recipe

    Hearty, cozy vegan cheese grits bake up decadently with sauteed mushrooms that taste like sausage! It's a perfect breakfast or brunch casserole for a weekend morning.
    A person picking up a piece of tofu bacon

    MORE Vegan Bacon

    You can make vegan bacon out of everything from tofu to tempeh to mushrooms or carrots. I've rounded up the very best vegan bacon recipes right here.

    green salad with creamy dressing and vegan bacon bits on top

    Vegan bacon bits recipe

    Smoky, salty, slightly-sweet vegan bacon bits only have four ingredients, and they're a snap to make in the oven or air fryer. Eat them on their own or use them anywhere you'd use conventional bacon bits.
    hands holding a sandwich made with BBQ soy curls

    Vegan BBQ Soy Curls

    Cadry's toothsome and tasty BBQ soy curls are perfection stuffed into a sandwich or in a BBQ bowl with potato salad and collards to go with. If you're new to soy curls, prepare to be amazed!

    The Best Chicken Style Seitan

    There are tons of recipes for seitan chicken out there, but Linda's is really something special. She uses a combination of vital wheat gluten and silken tofu to get an amazing texture!

    Walnut Meat

    Not only does walnut meat have an amazing flavor and texture, it's incredibly easy to make! Use it in tacos, as pictured, or almost anywhere else you'd use beefy crumbles.
    vegan ribs on a serving tray next to a jar of BBQ sauce and a sauce brush

    Vegan Unribs

    Miyoko Schinner's vegan ribs use vital wheat gluten and peanut butter with deliciously toothsome results. [Photo © 2015 by Eva Kolenko]
    Portobello Pot Roast from A Virtual Vegan

    Portobello Pot Roast

    Mel uses portobello mushrooms as the meat replacement in her pot roast recipe, and it has all of the cozy, hearty notes you remember from its meaty cousin.
    cauliflower chorizo from Spabettie

    Spicy Vegan Chorizo Crumbles

    Kristina's vegan chorizo brings the heat and the meaty texture using a mixture of cauliflower and pecans. It's the taco filling you've been waiting for!
    vegan crab cakes from Vegan Huggs

    Vegan Crab Cakes

    There are a ton of ways to make vegan crab cakes, but I am in love with Melissa's version, made from chickpeas and hearts of palm!
    « Decadent Vegan Hot Chocolate Recipe (Spiked or Not)
    Pickled Jalapeno Guacamole »

    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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