Vegan Ground Beef Substitute (Healthy, Plant-Based, Oil-Free)
This vegan ground beef substitute is a healthy alternative to a store bought beefless crumble. Made with tofu and simple seasonings and spices, it’s also entirely plantbased (wfpb compliant), gluten free and oil free.
Before going vegan, ground beef used to be a mainstay in my weekly diet. I loved it in pasta sauce, tacos, salads and more.
Obviously once I transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle, ground beef was officially off the menu. It was quickly replaced with store-bought beefless crumble alternatives from some of my favorite brands like Yves, Beyond Meat and Gardein.
Although I love these brands and what these amazing substitutes offer the vegan community, they’re not always the healthiest choice. Most are pretty processed, and to imitate the greasiness of a traditional ground beef, they are often packed with vegetable oils. Great or a treat though. Not to mention the price can add up if you’re eating them more than once a week.
Enter the recipe for this Vegan Ground Beef Substitute. Made with tofu, and absolutely no added oil, this is a delicious mock meat substitute you can truly feel great about eating on your whole-food, plant-based diet!
What You Will Love This Vegan Ground Beef
Once you make this vegan ground beef substitute, you’ll want to put it in just about everything. Here’s why you’ll love it.
- So Easy: It’s so easy to make. This recipe requires just one bowl and a few simple plant-based ingredients, so limited mess and kitchen cleanup.
- It’s Versatile: This vegan ground beef substitute can add some vavoom to just about any plant-based meal. Add it to salads for a boost protein, to your pasta sauce to make it meatier, and to tacos for a delicious Fiesta night.
- It’s Healthy: You’ll be shocked at the ingredients list for these vegan ground beef recipe because it’s so simple. Just extra firm tofu, seasonings and spices and you’re good to go.
How To Make Vegan Ground Beef Out of Tofu
To make these vegan ground beef substitute, you’re going to start by pressing your tofu. If you’ve never pressed tofu before, we have a full guide on how to do it here.
While your tofu is pressing, preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Next, using a back of a fork or a potato masher, you’re going to crush your tofu into crumbles. Use a large bowl for this so that you don’t need to dirty more than one dish.
Now add the spices and seasonings and mix your tofu mixture well until completely covered. Pour onto the baking sheet, spread out evenly, and bake for 25 minutes. Using a spatula mix the tofu crumbles up so they bake evenly, and pop back in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before serving. You can toss it in sauce if desired, or store in a tupperware container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively freeze in a sealable container for up to 3 months, for use in things like chili and pasta sauce.
Hack It
You can customize this vegan crumble very easily by simple adjusting the spices and seasonings used.
- Add A Taco Flare: Use spices such as chili powder and cumin to make this resemble a taco meat. You can also toss this in taco sauce or seasoning at the end.
- Make Sloppy Joes: Toss these crumbles in BBQ sauce and serve between a bun for a delicious sloppy joe recipe. Or you can make my lentil sloppy joes here.
- Add Veg: To increase the nutrient density of this beefless crumble recipe even further, add a cup or two of mushrooms or cauliflower that have been crushed in the food processor.
- Tortilla Hack It: I used these vegan crumbles for this amazing tortilla hack.
And if tofu ground beef isn’t your thing, you must try my mushroom taco recipe which you can find here. It’s ready in just 15 minutes with a few simple plant-based ingredients!
Is this Vegan Ground Beef Recipe Healthy?
Yes! Most of the store-bought vegan ground beef is overly processed and packed with vegetable oils.
Unlike the traditional vegan ground beef that you can buy in stores, this vegan ground beef has a short and simple ingredient list and is oil-free!
Ways to Serve This Vegan Ground Beef
My favorite way to eat vegan ground beef is on tacos! It’s the perfect vegan addition to a taco night with friends or family. You can find more vegan taco night ideas in my Taco Night Recipes!
Another way to serve it is in pasta sauce. I love a hearty bolognese, and this vegan ground beef makes the perfect complement to marinara sauce.
It also makes a great topping for a spicy southwest-style salad.
How To Store This Vegan Ground Beef?
First, check out the list of my favorite food storage containers here: Best Eco-Friendly Meal Prep Containers.
This Vegan Ground Beef can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this vegan ground beef for up to two months!
Vegan Meat Swap Options
The Recipe: Vegan Ground Beef Substitute
Ingredients
- 2 blocks extra firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes
- 5 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 ½ tbsp tamari, or soy sauce
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, or maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, crumble the tofu with a potato masher or the back of a fork until it is evenly ground.
- Add all seasonings and sauces to the tofu, and mix until the crumbles are coated evenly.
- Pour the crumbles onto the lined baking sheet, and spread evenly across. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, then mix with a spatula, and place back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes until the crumbles are slightly crispy. You can broil for an additional 2 minutes if more crispiness is desired.
- Allow to cool slightly before adding to a salad, tacos or pasta sauce. Store in the fridge covered for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Other Recipe You’ll Love
Delicious alternative to ground beef! I already had all of the ingredients at home which is a huge plus – love these simple yummy recipes! Even omnivore partner enjoyed it. Will definitely be making this again and again.
I’m so happy to hear you both enjoyed this 🙂
These worked great as a substitute in enchiladas. I just added chili powder and cumin.
Yay! So glad to hear it’s delicious in enchiladas. Sounds amazing.
Seriously such a delicious alternative! Thank you for all the great recipes!
Thank you. You’re so welcome 🙂
Loved by the whole family, even the meat-eaters thought it was great and gobbled it up! Easy to prepare, will definitely be making this again 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing that Rebecca 🙂
Loved this recipe! So simple and delicious. I don’t think I’m going to buy any vegan “ground meat” in a supermarket any more. Thank you, PlantYou!
P.S. I’ve ate it just cooked – it was delocious of course, but the second day it had this dexture more like ground beef, I’d say it was more chunky.
Yay! That’s EXACTLY why I created this 🙂
The whole family enjoyed this on nachos and over pasta. I’ll defiantly make it again.
This makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing
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Using this mix again! It’s excellent!
I’ve made this recipe several times, and it’s terrific. I love the savoy, truly-meaty texture and fantastic taste. Like others, I make tacos with dairy-free cheese (there are some excellent ones available, these days!) but also add to salads and with egg-free omelettes. This is and will continue to be a staple. Thanks for the great recipe from a 35 year no-meat/dairy eater!