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This easy vegan ground beef recipe is made with TVP for a rich umami flavor and a meaty texture. It’s packed with lots of plant-based protein and costs less than 3 dollars for the whole recipe. Definitely a budget-friendly and nutritious addition to any plant-based meal!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Ground Beef Crumbles
If you’ve been reading along for a while, then you know I love making plant-based meat recipes. I’ve made these sticky vegan ribs, as well as this easy seitan recipe. But I had yet to create a super versatile vegan meat crumble. Hence…this TVP ground beef was born!
This recipe is a staple in my kitchen for many reasons. It is SO savory and creates a delicious, hearty element for any dish you add it to. If you’re a fan of switching up your source of plant-based protein, this recipe is for you!
What is TVP & Why This Recipe Works
While most of my vegan meat recipes like my Vegan Beef Strips and Vegan Steak use vital wheat gluten as the base, this recipe takes cues from popular store-bought options (such as Trader Joe’s Beefless Ground and Gardein Vegan Ground Beef Crumbles).
Today, we’re using textured vegetable protein, also known as TVP, as a foundation of this recipe. TVP is made from soy protein. And like tofu, tempeh and seitan, TVP takes on the flavor of what you season it with. So we’ll be enhancing it with a blend of seasonings to create the best vegan beef crumbles!
The outcome is a savory and versatile vegan ground beef substitute. While it doesn’t replicate the taste of beef exactly, it provides a great vegan replacement for ground beef in various dishes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Vegan Beef Broth
I prefer using either this Vegan No-Beef Bouillon Cube or Better Than Bouillon’s Vegan Beef Broth Base for the base of the stock. You’ll want to mix the bouillon with some hot water to make a stock. This is what gives the soy crumbles a bulk of their flavor.
If the vegan beef bouillon is unavailable, vegetable broth or another vegan bouillon can be used. While vegetable broth won’t have the same flavor as the vegan beef broth, it will still add a delicious savory flavor.
Soy Sauce and Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
These both bring depth and umami to the broth. I use a Vegan Worcestershire Sauce by Annie’s or Whole Food’s 365 brand.
You can also use tamari as a soy sauce alternative. For a gluten-free version, coconut aminos are an excellent substitute.
Seasonings
We’re also going to add a bit of tomato paste (which adds richness to the broth), garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika (for a hint of smokiness). I also love adding in some dried oregano, but this is optional.
You can also add in about a tablespoon of nutritional yeast for extra flavor or you could add a dash of chili powder for a kick of heat.
Oil
I use either extra virgin olive oil or vegan butter for cooking the TVP. This helps it brown and adds flavor. You can use another neutral flavored oil that you love.
Dry Texturized Vegetable Protein (aka TVP)
Texturized vegetable protein can be ordered in bulk online (this is what I do) or you can typically find it at the grocery store in the baking aisle near the nutritional yeast. This is the key ingredient for the meaty texture.
If you love making recipes with TVP, be sure to check out my homemade vegan meatballs, these vegan breakfast sausages or this vegan chorizo recipe next.
How to Make Vegan Ground Beef at Home
Follow these simple steps to create your own delicious vegan ground beef! For the ingredient quantities and full instructions see the recipe card below.
Prepare the vegan beef broth by dissolving the bouillon cube (or paste) in hot water. Mix well!
Add the tomato paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce to the broth. Then mix until the tomato paste dissolves.
Stir the TVP and spices together in a mixing bowl.
Rehydrate the TVP by pouring the broth over it.
Give it a stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until hydrated.
Cook the TVP in a skillet over medium heat with olive oil, allowing it to dry and start to sizzle.
Ways to Use This Meatless Ground Beef
Once panfried and cooked, this vegan ground beef substitute is ready to be added to your favorite recipes that call for regular ground beef.
One of the ways I use this recipe most frequently is by sautéing up some yellow onion and garlic which I then add to the crumbles. This makes the best base for a vegan and vegetarian bolognese spaghetti sauce!
Below are a few more of my favorite ways to use this recipe to help inspire you:
- Meatless Baked Ziti or Lasagna: Add it to baked pasta dishes for the perfect meatless Monday meal.
- Stuffed Bell Peppers: Mix with rice and vegan cheese, then stuff into bell peppers and bake.
- Enchilada or Taco Meat Filling: Spice it up with taco seasoning for a great taco night option.
- Vegan Shepherd’s Pie: Use as a filling for a comforting shepherd’s pie topped with mashed potatoes. You can substitute the lentils in the recipe linked with this vegan ground beef! I recommend doubling this recipe so you have enough filling.
- Sloppy Joes: Perfect for a quick and tasty vegan sloppy joe sandwich.
- Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese: Add on top of your favorite vegan mac and cheese recipe for extra protein.
- Vegan Meatloaf: Use this recipe to make a meatless meat loaf with a perfect texture and flavor. These crumbles help balance out the flavor of the Beyond Meat in the recipe I’ve linked.
Tips for Cooking with TVP
- Let the TVP Hydrate: Make sure the TVP is fully rehydrated for the best meat-like texture.
- Flavor Adjustments: Tweak the seasonings to suit your taste and the recipe you plan on adding these meatless crumbles to. For example, if you’re adding to an Italian dish, feel free to add a teaspoon or so of Italian seasoning.
- Cooking Technique: Allow the TVP to brown in the skillet for that authentic ground beef appearance and taste.
How to Store TVP Crumbles
- Refrigerator Storage: Keeps well in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer Storage: Can be frozen in a freezer bag for 2 months.
- Reheating Tips: Warm in the microwave with a bit of extra vegetable broth or water to help bring back some moisture.
More Plant-Based Meat Recipes
Vegan Ground Beef Crumbles (with TVP)
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup dry textured vegetable protein, 85g – like Anthony's TVP (note: weight can vary by brand)
- 1 tsp garlic powder, 3g
- 1 tsp onion powder, 3g
- ½ tsp smoked paprika, 2g
- ¼ tsp dried oregano, 1g – optional
Vegan Beef Broth
- 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Vegan Beef Base, or 1/2 of a Edward & Sons Vegan Beef Bouillon Cube
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 ½ tbsp tomato paste, 26g
- 1 ½ tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, 18g
- 1 tbsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce, 14g
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 14g
Instructions
- Mix TVP: Add the TVP and dry spices to a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine.1 cup dry textured vegetable protein, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp dried oregano
- Prepare Vegan Beef Broth: In a glass measuring cup or bowl, combine 1 tsp vegan bouillon paste (or ½ of a vegan Beef Bouillon Cube) with 1 cup hot water. Add the remaining vegan beef broth ingredients. Stir until the bouillon mostly dissolves.1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Vegan Beef Base, 1 cup hot water , 1 ½ tbsp tomato paste, 1 ½ tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Rehydrate TVP: Pour the flavored broth over the TVP and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, allowing the TVP to absorb the liquid and rehydrate.
- Cook TVP: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rehydrated TVP and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's warmed through. Optional – Brown: Flatten the mixture in the skillet and allow it to cook for 5 minutes without stirring too much to brown the bottom. Stir and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the TVP is golden brown and slightly charred.
- Serve and Enjoy: The vegan ground beef is ready to add to your favorite dishes like pasta, sloppy joes, meatloaf and more.This recipe makes slightly less than 2 cups (275g or 10oz) once cooked, which is roughly 2 large servings or 4 small servings.
Recipe notes
- TVP Weight: TVP can vary quite a bit in weight between brands depending on the size and density of the granules. For the most consistent results, I recommend measuring by weight and using 85g TVP. This was about 1 cup with the brands I tested, but 1 cup of some brands may weigh significantly less.
- Flavor Adjustments: Tweak the seasonings to suit your taste and the recipe you plan on adding this meatless ground beef to. For example, if you’re adding this to an Italian dish, feel free to add a teaspoon or so of Italian seasoning.
- Meal Prep Friendly: This recipe can be doubled or even tripled to make a larger batch for easy meal prep throughout the week.
Did You Make This?
Leave a star rating and a comment below to let others know how it turned out for you!
Started weighing out my TVP, and I’m glad I double checked. 1 cup of TBP is not even close to 100g, no idea where you got this number.
1 cup of Tvp is about 60 grams
Hi there – thanks for the note! TVP weight can vary a lot by brand. When I first published this recipe I was using Bob’s Red Mill, which measures about 25g per 1/4 cup, but I’ve since switched to Anthony’s (because it’s cheaper), which is closer to 15g per 1/4 cup. I’ve updated the gram measurement so it’s accurate for the current brand listed. Sorry for the confusion!
Kids loved it!
so glad it was a hit!
Tried it! First taste after cooking was i over spiced. Letting it cool to room temp, I tasted again. Omgosh. Absolutely delicious. I will make larger batches in the future. Thank you.
Next attempt will be soy crumble from tofu.