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Vegan ground beef is a substitute for meat made from textured vegetable protein, typically soy-based. It can be flavored with spices and colors and contains more fiber and less saturated fat than regular ground beef. It is suitable for all dishes that use regular ground beef.
Vegans do not eat animal meat or animal products, including eggs or cheese. Because much of typical Western cooking involves these items, such as hamburgers, a vegan often has to substitute special ingredients to prepare similar dishes. Vegan ground beef is one of the ingredients available as a substitute for meat; this typically contains textured vegetable protein as the main component, which is made from soy. Various other vegan ingredients may be added to alter the flavor or texture of the product.
Textured Vegetable Protein is a dried product from the beans of the soy plant. Typically, the oil from the soybeans is removed and the rest of the bean is dried and ground into flour. The makers of the product heat the flour to cook it, then crush it and the flour turns into larger pieces. Textured plant protein is formed into the particular shapes, such as flakes or grains, that the manufacturer wants to sell.
Regular ground beef is high in protein and also has a specific texture. The texture of relatively small particles of food stuck together gives the patty in a burger a recognizable flavor and mouthfeel. Vegan ground beef also forms into tiny particles, which give the finished dish a similar mouthfeel. One major difference between textured plant protein and beef is that the vegan option often comes in a dry form that needs to be reconstituted with liquid before it can be cooked or consumed. This liquid can be flavored, like vegetable stock, but water can also be sufficient.
Some vegan ground beef products contain only a few ingredients, such as soy and flaked corn. Others have added fat, to further mimic the natural composition of ground beef. Seasonings such as pepper and salt are also widely used. Spices and colors like caramel can differentiate vegan ground beef products from each other, by a particular look and taste. Sometimes there are binding substances such as natural gums or seaweed in the product, and wheat gluten may also be present in the food.
Soy is a food with a relatively high protein concentration compared to vegetables in general, so vegan ground beef with this as a base can help provide a source of protein for vegans. Because the textured vegetable protein also contains vegetable fiber, the ground beef substitute provides the diner with significantly more fiber than a regular serving of ground beef. Saturated fat levels are also lower in these vegan products, as vegetable fats tend not to contain saturated fat. The vegan ground beef option is suitable for all your regular ground beef dishes, from burgers to tacos.
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