How to Make Plant-Based Meat: 4 Incredible Recipes

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 24, 2023 References Tested

Whether you're new to vegetarianism or are just looking to cut back on your meat consumption, there are countless ways to eat a plant-based diet. If you're missing out on your meat-filled familiar favorites, don't worry! We got you covered with this comprehensive guide on how to make plant-based meat to satisfy just about any craving!

Things You Should Know

Make easy, delicious vegan ground beef using textured vegetable protein mixed with tomato paste and seasonings.
Alternatively, make a black bean burger using black beans, eggs, bell peppers, onion, garlic, and bread crumbs.
You can also make meatless chicken with wheat gluten and chickpeas.

Ingredients

Vegan Ground Beef

Makes 8 Servings

1 cup of vegetable broth
1 cup of textured vegetable protein
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon of black pepper

Black Bean Burger

Makes 6 Servings

2 (14-ounce) cans of black beans, cooked, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of finely chopped bell pepper
1 cup of finely chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon of vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons of ketchup

Meatless Chicken

Makes 6 Servings

1 ½ cups of vital wheat gluten
1 cup of canned chickpeas, drained and dried
¾ cup of vegetable stock
¼ cup of nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
½ teaspoon of dried thyme
¼ teaspoon of coriander powder
½ teaspoon of dried sage
2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

Meatless Meatballs

Makes 6-8 servings

1 cup of cooked and cooled green lentils
1 cup of mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
½ medium-sized onion, diced
3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of fennel seed
2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Vegan Ground Beef

1
Make a marinade. In a bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, tomato paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika, and black pepper until fully mixed.^{[1]
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2
Add the textured vegetable protein. Pour the textured vegetable protein into the bowl and mix into your marinade until fully incorporated. Let it sit for 5 minutes to marinate.^{[2]
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3
Preheat your frying pan. On your stove top, add your vegetable oil to a frying pan and turn on to medium heat.^{[3]
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4
Cook the vegan ground beef for 10 minutes. Add your marinated vegan ground beef to the frying pan. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the vegan ground beef is fully browned.^{[4]
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5
Enjoy! It's that simple. Vegan ground beef is a versatile and simple protein that can be used in dishes like tacos, sloppy joes, or even shepherd's pie.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Black Bean Burger

1
Preheat your frying pan. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Place the pan over medium heat.^{[6]
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2
Add the chopped pepper, onions and garlic. Saute until the pepper and onions are tender. Remove from the heat. ^{[7]
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3
Transfer the cooked pepper, onions and garlic to a food processor. Make sure you scoop everything out of the pan!^{[8]
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4
Add the remaining ingredients. Carefully add the cooked black beans, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, bread crumbs, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup into the food processor.^{[9]
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5
Gently pulse all of the ingredients. Be sure not to overmix! You’ll want some larger chunks of those black beans in your patty.^{[10]
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6
Form the black bean patties. Divide the mixture into 6 portions. With your hands, scoop up each portion of the mixture and press it into a patty. Repeat to form the rest of the patties.^{[11]
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7
Cook the black bean patties on each side for 2-3 minutes. The burger can either be grilled or pan-fried. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until the exterior of the patty becomes brown and crispy.^{[12]
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8
Enjoy! This black bean burger is not only high in fiber, but it is high in protein as well.^{[13]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} If you’re feeling left out at your neighborhood cookout, whip up some of these patties and share!

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Meatless Chicken

1
Add the ingredients to a food processor. Pour in the chickpeas, vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, coriander powder, sage, poultry seasoning, and dijon mustard into the food processor.^{[14]
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2
Mix the ingredients for 1 minute. Pulse for 1 minute, or until everything has become fully mixed. Be sure to scrape the sides of your food processor to fully mix all of your ingredients. Once the ingredients are mixed, transfer the mixture to another bowl with a spoon.^{[15]
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3
Add the vital wheat gluten. Once the gluten is poured into the bowl, vigorously mix with your hands until the gluten is incorporated and the mixture starts to become firm. Be careful not to overmix, as overmixed gluten may become too chewy.^{[16]
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4
Transfer the mixture to a flat surface. A cutting board or a rolling mat would be perfect. Feel free to oil the board or mat to prevent any sticking.^{[17]
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5
Divide the mixture into 6 pieces. Using a spatula, cut the mixture into 6 filet-sized chunks. The shapes do not need to be uniform as long as they are similarly portioned.^{[18]
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Wrap each piece in foil. Take each filet and carefully seal them inside aluminum foil. Wrap the foil nice and tight around each filet.^{[19]
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Steam the filets for 20 minutes. Place the 6 foiled-wrapped filets into a steamer and steam for 20 minutes. This will allow the filets to become firm.^{[20]
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8
Remove the filets from the steamer. Using a set of tongs, carefully remove each filet from the steamer. The steam will be hot, so use caution.^{[21]
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9
Enjoy! Whether you’re in the mood for chicken soup or fajitas, this plant-based chicken recipe is a great starting point! Chickpeas are packed with many health benefits that make this chicken alternative a great nutritional option.^{[22]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Meatless Meatballs

1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While your oven preheats, you can form the meatballs.^{[23]
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2
Saute the onions, mushrooms, and garlic. In a skillet, add the olive oil and turn on the heat to medium. Add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic until the onions and mushrooms become slightly tender.^{[24]
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- Mushrooms are an essential ingredient for making your own plant-based meat substitute.
3
Let the flaxseed sit for 5 minutes. In a food processor, combine the flaxseed, water, and nutritional yeast. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.^{[25]
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4
Combine and mix the ingredients. Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic, cooked lentils, Parmesan cheese, fennel seed, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the food processor. Pulse the meatball mixture until each ingredient is properly combined. Be sure not to overmix. You want some texture left!^{[26]
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5
Form the meatballs. Transfer the meatball mixture into a separate bowl. Use a spoon to scoop out any remaining mixture into the bowl. Using a cookie scoop or medium-sized spoon, form the meatballs and place them in rows on a baking sheet.^{[27]
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6
Bake the meatballs for 20-25 minutes. Place the baking sheet into the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked completely. Once cooked, remove the baking sheet from the oven.^{[28]
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7
Enjoy! Whether you’re in the mood for a good Italian dish or a helping of plant based Swedish meatballs, this meatless meatball recipe is as straightforward as it is tasty. The addition of lentils adds an impactful health benefit that makes these meatballs shine in any dish.^{[29]
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