this easy vegan ground “beef” is packed with flavor and texture! made from lentils, tempeh, and tofu it is a delicious meaty substitute.
the inspiration
There isn’t any great inspiration for this recipe if I am being honest! I wanted to share some new mockmeat recipes and we haven’t made a vegan ground “beef” yet. So, I am filling in the gap in my blog.
I did really want to make a recipe that would be easy to make, but have a lot of texture, nutrients, protein, and fiber. So, I am pretty happy with how this vegan ground “beef” turned out.
The recipe is just a base so you can eat it on its own but you can add other things to it. If you want to add more spices for whatever dish you are making it is great for that.
the ingredients
- Tempeh: the tempeh is grated into little pieces. It helps to add nuttiness and texture to the vegan ground “beef”. It also adds in some fiber and probiotics because it is a fermented food.
- Extra Firm Tofu: the tofu will add texture and help bulk up the vegan ground “beef”. You can also use super firm tofu. The tofu will be made into tofu crumbles by crumbling the tofu with your hands.
- Cooked Lentils: I like to buy either pre-cooked or canned lentils to keep the cooking time down. However, you can cook the lentils yourself of course. The lentils add fiber, a legume, and another added layer of texture to the recipe.
- Pomegranate Juice: I use pomegranate juice anytime I make a vegan beef replacement. Once cooked it will turn brown and add nice color.
- Soy Sauce: the soy sauce adds umami and flavor to the recipe.
- Gravy Master: this is a concentrated paste that adds in a ton of flavor.
- Nutritional Yeast: to help add in extra flavor, protein, umami, and b12.
- Garlic: we will use fresh chopped garlic to saute and add in flavor.
- Onion: we will use fresh chopped onion also for sauteing and adding in flavor.
- Olive Oil: to help saute the garlic and onion.
- Seasonings: of course we need some seasonings I like to keep it pretty simple with garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
preparing the tempeh
The first part of the vegan ground “beef” recipe tackles the tempeh. First, we will use a box grater to grate the tempeh. This helps to create a better texture.
Then, we will need to boil the tempeh. If you find tempeh has a very bitter taste this helps to mellow it out. So, after you grate the tempeh, you will add it into a pan with water and boil it.
Boil for about 15 to 20 minutes just to help soften it. I always steam or boil my tempeh before continuing with preparing it.
the vegan ground “beef” mixture
Once the tempeh is all done you are going to add it into a large bowl with pre-cooked or canned lentils and crumbled tofu! I find all these ingredients combined help to create a very meaty and filling combination.
I do like to marinate this a bit beforehand so it has a nice amount of flavor. You will mix it with the nutritional yeast, pomegranate juice, soy sauce, and gravy master. I like to let it marinate for at least 20 minutes but you can let it marinate for up to 8 hours.
cooking the vegan ground “beef”
After you are done marinating the vegan ground “beef” it is time to cook it! I always like to saute some garlic and onion ahead of time as it adds nice flavor to the vegan ground “beef”.
Then, once it is fragrant and transparent you will add in the marinated tempeh, tofu, and lentil mixture. Let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat. I also like to add a bit more pomegranate juice, soy sauce, and a little optional balsamic vinegar!
I let it cook and then right before serving I will taste it and add in any seasonings I like. Do not add salt until the end, wait until it is done cooking, taste, and then add salt to your preference.
how to use the vegan ground “beef”
Once the vegan ground “beef” is done sauteeing, you are done! You can enjoy it as it is. It will be pretty neutral in taste and just lightly seasoned. Great for using in bowls, tacos, vegan meat sauces, lasagna, pasta sauces, chilis, and more.
You can also of course incorporate more spices and seasonings for whatever you would like to use it for. The base of this recipe is very neutral and easy to add onto. If you want to cook it longer or bake it, there are a lot of options!
This vegan ground “beef” recipe is designed to be versatile, easy to make, and easy to use!
why you’ll love this vegan ground beef recipe
I think there are many reasons to love this recipe. If you are new to making homemade vegan mockmeats then this one is easy to make and delicious.
You will also love that all you don’t need a food processor or any other kitchen equipment to make the vegan ground beef substitute. It has a nice meaty texture and it does use many whole-food ingredients.
Also, while a lot of vegan ground beef recipes will use walnuts or mushrooms which are great I find this way is a bit meatier.
vegan ground “beef” faq
- Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes, just make sure you use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Is this recipe soy free? No. This recipes uses tofu and tempeh as main ingredients.
- Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
- How long will this recipe last? Up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Can I freeze this recipe? You can try. The tofu texture will change when frozen and I am not sure how the lentils will hold up.
- Can I substitute the tempeh? Sure. You can use TVP (textured vegetable protein) in its place.
- Can I use this recipe to make vegan burgers, vegan meatloaf, or vegan meatballs? I didn’t try. I do think it should work, once you add in binders like breadcrumbs and egg replacers.
- Can I substitute the gravy master? If you can’t find Gravy Master you can use a little vegetable broth in place. A great one would also be the Better than Bouillon Beefless Broth.
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Vegan Ground Beef
Ingredients
Base and Marinade
- 1 (16 ounce) package super firm tofu
- 1 (8 ounce) package tempeh
- 1 can (15.5) ounces lentils
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup pomegranate juice
- 2 teaspoons gravy master
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ onion
Cooking Sauce
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate juice
- 1 teaspoon gravy master
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar optional
- Seasonings to taste garlic powder salt, black pepper
Instructions
- Grate the tempeh using a box grater. Once it is all grated add into a pan with 2 cups (480ml) of water. Boil over medium high heat for 15 minutes. It is okay if there is still some water left.
- In a large bowl combined the tempeh, drained and rinsed canned lentils, and crumble the tofu with your hands into small pieces. Mix together.
- Add the pomegranate juice, soy sauce, gravy master, and nutritional yeast. Mix to coat everything. Set aside and marinate for at least 20 minutes. You can also marinate it for up to 8 hours in the fridge.
- When you are ready to cook heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. After 2 to 3 minutes add in the onion and garlic and sauté.
- Then, add in the vegan ground beef mixture. I like to add some extra things to it when I cook it, see the sauce ingredients. Let it cook for 15 minutes mixing it with spatula. If you feel it is burning you can lower the heat.
- Taste it and add any salt, pepper, or seasonings to your preference.
- Enjoy right away or store until ready to use.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
- Please do not repost recipes without my permission. Sharing a direct link is always highly encouraged and appreciated.
- For general FAQ please see the section above the recipe card titled “FAQ”
- You can use pre-cooked lentils as well.
- This recipe makes about 32 ounces/900g of vegan ground beef.
Can’t wait to try it out. Wondering if it stores well in the freezer..
Hi, I am excited for you to try. I had addressed this in the FAQ section of the blog post! “Can I freeze this recipe? You can try. The tofu texture will change when frozen and I am not sure how the lentils will hold up.”
It is super 😋😋😋
yay thank you so much!!
What can I substitute for the pomegranate juice?
Hi Teresa the pomegranate juice is what is giving the color to the recipe and some flavor. I don’t necessarily recommend substituting. If you want to omit it and just know the color won’t be as intended.
This looks fantastic! What can I substitute for the lentils. I do a lot of cooking for my son’s family and one of his kids is allergic to Old world legumes, including lentils and garbanzo beans.
Thank you so much! hmm I mean I know a lot of people like using nuts so you can try using soaked walnuts. you can also use quinoa, mushrooms. or just leave it out and just do the tofu and tempeh
I finally made this last night. I had been wanting to make it for several months. It was so delicious and I ended up eating half of it as is!
I made it with the intention of using it specifically in a recipe but really just enjoyed it as it was last night. I could really see this being the base for shepherd’s pie 💜 Or as a great addition to vegan mac and cheese.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe / creation 🤗
Hi Sue! Yay I am so glad you liked it so much. Right?! When I made it was like i want to just eat this by the spoonful. So glad you liked it!!! thank you for trying and leaving a comment/review xoxo