What does vegan ground beef taste like?

Depending on how well you flavor it, vegan minced meat tastes very similar to the real thing. The texture is different of course—that's why scientists are still at the forefront of a multi-billion dollar vegan food substitute industry after all! But unless you're particularly sensitive to the crunchier texture of the nuts or the mild mushroom taste and chewiness, this recipe won't be found wanting.

Why does mushroom taste like meat?

Because they are so high in umami! Besides the umami/savory flavor, dried mushrooms have that chewy texture that resembles meat more closely than any other whole plant-based food (except yuba, maybe). There's a reason why Buddhists following ahimsa (non-violence) principles have been using dried mushrooms to replace meat for centuries. The Buddhist cuisine came up with some of the best meat analogs throughout all this time and the usage of mushrooms is no exception.

How do I store vegan minced meat?

It can be refrigerated for up to five days or may be frozen for up to three months! I'd recommend adding the spices right before consuming for a fresher taste.

Can I make burgers out of this vegan ground beef?

Absolutely! One caveat is to mince the ingredients to an even finer consistency and to add more of the binding agent than you normally would. So double the amount of flaxseed meal or other vegan egg replacers you'd be using in a vegan burger.

Why would vegans want a ground beef substitute anyway?

I see a version of this question quite often on the internet. Simply put, animal food products tend to taste pretty good! That's one reason why many people may run into problems sticking to a plant-based diet even though they truly want to follow through with it. Making homemade vegan alternatives taste great solves that problem and more —such as food shortages for certain meat items at times of crises. There are comments on this recipe written by people going through exactly that!

Vegan Ground Beef Substitute (Walnuts and Dried Mushrooms)

Description

A delicious vegan ground beef recipe made with whole-food ingredients. No cooking or food processor is necessary. High-protein, grain-free, soy-free, with a nut-free option!

Ingredients

Scale

1.5 cups (150g) walnuts, finely chopped
1 cup (~10 individual) dried shiitake mushrooms (See Note 1)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Aleppo pepper (or regular chili flakes, See Note 2)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp table salt

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Instructions

Place the dried mushrooms into a bowl filled with hot water (if using whole mushrooms) or room-temperature water (if using sliced mushrooms) for at least 30 minutes to rehydrate.
Rinse to eliminate any grit and remove the stems as well as the part of the cap where it meets the stem. Dice the remainder of the caps. If using sliced mushrooms, simply rinse and dice.
Mix all the ingredients including the diced mushrooms in a bowl. Done!
Vegan ground beef can be refrigerated for up to five days or may be frozen for up to three months. I'd recommend adding the spices right before consuming them for a fresher taste.

Notes

1. You can save the discarded mushroom stems to make a hearty vegetable stock later! Don't have access to dried mushrooms? Substitute with fresh varieties and cook them before mixing with the rest of the ingredients instead.

2. You don't need to add any spices at all but it makes it so much better in my opinion. Here are some spice blends for it: 🇹🇷 My go-to seasoning: Aleppo pepper (pul biber), garlic powder, dried oregano, salt 🇲🇽 Taco seasoning: Cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, chili flakes, black pepper, salt 🇨🇳 Szechuan seasoning: Szechuan peppercorns, ginger powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt 🇮🇹 Italian seasoning: Dried basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary, dried parsley, chili flakes, salt

3. Here are some of my favorite things to make with vegan minced meat: Pide (favorite!!), stuffed bell peppers, gozleme, vegan mapo tofu, taco meat, lasagna, spaghetti Bolognese, meatballs...

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Category: Staples, Lunch, Dinner
Method: Mix
Cuisine: Universal