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

This handy guide to vegan meat gives you options to make at home and to buy. And they're all totally delicious and cruelty free!

You don’t need meat alternatives to eat vegan, but vegan meat can help you 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 in the early 2000s. These are the meat substitutes that my family and friends turn to when we are preparing our meals.

Vegan meat recipes

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

Easy Tofu Sausage Crumbles

Vegan tofu sausage crumbles are incredibly easy to make, right in the oven. Use them anywhere you'd use ground sausage!

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.

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!

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!

Cornflake tofu nuggets recipe

Crunchy cornflake tofu nuggets are easy to make in the oven or in the air fryer! Dip these vegan chicken nuggets in 3-ingredient 'honey' mustard sauce.

Vegan cheese grits casserole recipe

This vegan cheese grits recipe stars "sausage" mushrooms that are great in all kinds of recipes! Make the whole dish, or make the mushrooms to use anywhere you'd use sliced Italian sausage.

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.

Vegan stacked enchiladas

Use the flavorful walnut-chickpea chorizo in these stacked enchiladas or anywhere you'd use ground chorizo!

Buffalo cauliflower recipe

Easy air fryer buffalo cauliflower is light on the batter and simple to make with a satisfying crunch and plenty of that buffalo heat! Dip it in vegan ranch or your favorite creamy vegan dressing.

Vegan Canadian Bacon Recipe

Vegan Canadian bacon is smoky, salty, and slightly sweet. And it's so easy to make! Serve it up in a breakfast sandwich, an English-style breakfast, or anywhere else that you'd use conventional Canadian bacon.

Vegan butter chicken recipe

Creamy, deeply-seasoned vegan butter chicken is a snap to make in the oven! This creamy tomato and tofu curry is a total crowd-pleaser. Even the kiddo loves it!

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.

Smoky shiitake mushroom bacon

Crispy, smoky shiitake mushroom bacon takes just minutes to make in the oven. And you only need five ingredients to make it!

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!

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

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.

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!

Store-bought vegan meat

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. You can find it in grocery stores and on restaurant menus
• Field Roast - These seitan-based 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 and kid both love 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 in regular grocery stores. They've also added vegan chicken nuggets to their line, which are delightful!
• 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. Their new line of Ultimate products is also great! It includes vegan chicken and vegan jerky.
• 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 offer vegan turkey grounds, bulgogi steak slices, and more! Offerings can vary by region and time of year, so go in ready to discover something new.
• 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.
• VFC - This new brand of Vegan Fried Chicken is available via online order, and it is LEGIT! I highly recommend getting your hands on some.

Frequently asked questions