It's time to get your veg on! If you're switching to a plant-based diet or simply trying to incorporate new foods and recipes into your meals, we're proud of you! Changing up your kitchen routine can be challenging, especially if you've been making the same meals for a while. The good news is that going vegetarian doesn't mean you have to give up the recipes you love most. It just means you may have to sub in a few plant-based ingredients. Luckily, with plant-based diets on the rise, animal-free dishes have become relatively easy to make. In fact, most meat-based foods can easily be replaced with a vegetable or two.
With a bit of creativity, nearly everything can be turned into a plant-based dish, even hearty meals like veggie burger patties, buffalo wings and meatballs. To help you find the ideal plant-based meat alternative for your recipe (and diet), we've put together a list of our favorite vegetables that double as a great meat alternative. Continue reading to learn more!
Choosing the Best Meat Substitute for You
With all of the plant-based options out there, choosing the proper meat substitute can be challenging. However, a few tips and tricks can help you ensure you meet your perfect match. To determine the suitable vegetable for each recipe you make, follow these next few tips.
Choose the Recipe First
Whether you've been a vegetarian for a while now or are dabbling in the occasional meatless Monday, different veggie-based meat alternatives can be used to meet varying needs. To ensure that you choose the ideal vegetable for your dish, select a recipe before purchasing your veggies. With a meal in mind, you can adequately consider the recipe's needs, tastes, texture and flavor. From there, you can determine which vegetable will meet all of those needs to help you create a dish with as much texture and flavor as the traditional version. While seitan, tofu, tempeh, and soy protein can all be used as an alternative meat, vegetables can also stand in quite nicely as well.
Do a Trial Run
When recreating your favorite meals, it may take a couple of tries to perfect the flavor and texture. Once you believe you've found the perfect vegetable for the dish, test it out before serving your meal to others. You can do this by making a small batch of the meal you'd like to make and examining if the vegetable is a fit or slowly incorporating the veggie into other meals to get a feel of its taste and texture. Once your trial run is complete, make any tweaks necessary and get ready to impress everyone at your next gathering with this plant-based dish.
Vegetables to Use as Meat Substitutes
Mushrooms
If you're searching for a meaty taste and texture, mushrooms are an excellent plant based meat substitute. With a rich and earthy flavor, we suggest choosing either a Cremini or Portobello variety. Using mushrooms as an alternative meat is a healthy and filling way to add texture and flavor to a meal while keeping it plant-based. Additionally, mushrooms' versatile texture makes them easy to work into nearly any recipe. From soup to enchiladas, this veggie is one that you'll want to work into your meals regularly.
Recipe to Try: Bulgur and Black Bean Mushroom Enchilada Casserole
For the ideal meatless Monday recipe using mushrooms, make this Meatless Mondays Bulgur and Black Bean Mushroom Enchilada Casserole. Instead of ground beef, bulgur and mushrooms are used in this recipe to create a chewy texture that easily replaces conventional meat—the only actual difference is the flavor! Ideal for individuals with food allergies, while this meal is naturally plant-based, it can easily be made dairy free, or gluten free with a few simple swaps. To turn this enchilada casserole into a dairy free one, use a non-dairy cheese replacement for an equally delicious meal. Or, if you need this dish to be gluten free, swap gluten free steel cut oats in for bulgur. While the texture will be slightly different, it will still taste just as great.
Eggplant
If you've recently decided to go plant-based, chances are you've heard a lot about eggplant. Eggplant is one of the first vegetables that comes to mind when you're searching for a great meat alternative, and there is so much that you can do with it. Its rich and meaty taste makes it an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be used for so much more than traditional eggplant parmesan. If you haven't tried it before or are looking to spice up your weekly menu, we'd surely add it to the recipe list—you won't regret it!
Recipe to Try: Fettuccine with Eggplant Sauce
To make a plant-based meal that everyone will enjoy, turn this super veggie into a delicious pasta sauce. An Italian classic with a Middle Eastern twist, this Fettuccine with Eggplant Sauce is the perfect dinner to make for a crowd. To ensure that this recipe is a serving of whole foods and veggies, the fettuccine is made with a mix of Bob's Red Mill Organic Brown Rice Flour and cornstarch. When topped with eggplant sauce, it's a meal that tastes just as great as it feels.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is used for a variety of things when following a plant-based diet. Delicious versions of rice, pizza crust and even buffalo wings have all been created with cauliflower. However, if you're wondering how it can be turned into a meat substitute, we're here to help explain. When seasoned, cooked and served correctly, cauliflower can easily take on a meaty texture and become the star of any dish. Use it to replace chicken in Asian cuisine, or sub it in for steak on the grill. When it comes to vegetables, cauliflower is anything but boring.
Recipe to Try: Buffalo Baked Cauliflower Falafel
Searching for a meat-like cauliflower recipe that will spice up your weeknights? This Buffalo Baked Cauliflower Falafel is sure to do the trick. The perfect plate if you're a fan of buffalo sauce, falafel and cauliflower, this recipe is a delicious combination of all three. While this recipe features tasty bite-sized morsels of cauliflower, they can also be made larger and turned into a burger or transformed into a salad topping. Perfect for serving as an appetizer to a group, this buffalo-baked cauliflower can be cooked in just 40 minutes and yields 63 bite-sized pieces.
Potatoes
More than just a glorified side dish, potatoes are the star ingredient in several meals. Their versatile flavor and hearty texture make them the perfect meat substitute when you desire a filling plate. In addition to being flavored in several ways, this veggie can also be cooked using different methods. Whether you choose to roast, boil, bake, fry or mash your potatoes, we are confident that they'll turn out delicious. For a plant-based meal that's just as filling as it is flavorful, work potatoes into burgers, soups and even cakes.
Recipe to Try: Potato and Kale Vegan Quiche
Skip the meat and make this Potato and Kale Vegan Quiche. The perfect dish to enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner, this quiche is overflowing with good-for-you ingredients. If you plan on enjoying this quiche as a family, serve it up in pie form where everyone gets a slice. Or, if you're planning a small gathering, use this recipe as an appetizer and create bite-sized quiches by cooking it in a muffin tin. The potato adds a heartiness to this meal that's so filling you'll forget all about the meat-based versions.
Beets
Beets are often viewed as nature's candy. While raw beets frequently have an earthy flavor, cooked beets turn into a sweet, delicious treat that's ideal for salads. However, sweet isn't the only flavor beets possess. A beet's earthiness allows it to work well in savory dishes, especially when used as a plant-based meat alternative. The next time you're searching for a vegan/vegetarian recipe, amaze your guests with a beautifully cooked beet dinner. From burgers to cupcakes, beets can be worked into nearly every meal.
Recipe to Try: Roasted Rainbow Vegetable Buckwheat Grain Bowl
Surprise everyone at the dinner table and make your next grain bowl vegan! Made with various colorful and nutritious grains and vegetables, this Roasted Rainbow Vegetable Buckwheat Grain Bowl uses beets instead of meat to add a heartiness to the dish that can't be beaten. Loaded with powerful nutrients and antioxidants, it's a meal that will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
With so many different vegetables available in health food stores, replacing meat is an easy task. From beets to mushrooms, several vegetables can be used to transform your favorite dishes into plant-based specialties. To get started, try out one of the recipes listed above and let us know what you think! From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, we wish you a perfectly plant-based day.
Love using veggies in your meat-free recipes? We'd love to hear about the vegetables you are using to replace meat in your favorite meals. Share your favorite meat alternatives in the comments below. We can't wait to hear from you!
