There are many reasons why some people may wonder about the vegetarian meat substitutes. Sometimes it responds to a change in life habits, others to an awareness of animals and the environment. The fact is that if you are thinking of becoming a vegetarian or vegan, this note is for you. we will tell you some tasty and simple alternative meat substitute recipes.
Vegetarian meat substitutes: do they exist?
Many people at some point in their lives decide to reduce or completely stop eating meat, either for ethical reasons, health reasons or for mere taste. This usually leads to questions such as: What vegetarian meat substitutes are there? or how can I prepare a hamburger without having to involve the meat in the middle?
These and many other questions are repeated every day in the conversations of friends and families who have decided to take a step forward and leave meat consumption in the past. When we ask ourselves what vegetarian substitutes for meat exist, it is important to know that the options today are more than diverse. This allows us to have a balanced diet where nutrients, vitamins and minerals are not lacking, in addition to satisfying the desire to eat something similar to what was consumed before without any animal life involved in them.
Another point to note is that There are many foods that allow us to prepare delicious recipes without meat. The different alternatives to replace meat are not synonymous with dishes without flavor or magic, rather the opposite.
Alternatives to replace meat: something more than legumes
Surely When you think of vegetarian meat substitutes, the first thing that comes to mind is legumes such as beans, chickpeas or quinoa. Thanks to its protein content, which is one of the nutrients that we directly associate with meat, but the reality is that there are various foods that we can take advantage of as alternatives to substitute meat.
What replaces meat for vegetarians? We present you the four main varieties of food suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
4 recipes using vegetarian meat substitutes
As we have been commenting, there are multiple recipes and dishes that can be prepared using vegetarian substitutes for meat, capable of pleasing the most demanding palates.
With the foods that we just mentioned, we will propose four recipes that replace meat for vegetarians and vegans.
Legumes
One of the favorites. Thanks to the fact that they provide us with a good amount of protein and are excellent for preparing everything from stews and stews to hamburgers, although it is hard to believe. Among them we have: lentils, beans, chickpeas, beans, quinoa, among others.
Cereals
They are a great source of nutrients such as: carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts, proteins and healthy fats. At the same time very versatile foods with which we can prepare various dishes among which are: risottos, paellas, pastas, breads, croquettes and many more.
Nuts
These seeds are rich in vitamins, proteins and healthy fats that our body needs, in addition to being great companions for different recipes such as creams, soups, breads, sauces and even snacks.
The soy
This ancient and extremely nutritious legume has been par excellence one of the vegetarian substitutes for meat for years, thanks to the fact that both its flavor, texture and color are quite similar to those of meat. In fact, different derivatives widely used in cooking and both vegetarian and vegan recipes are obtained from soybeans, among them are:
- Tofu: although it is derived from soy, it is often used as a replacement for cheese, but it can also be used for meat thanks to its malleable texture and flavor. It can be eaten diced, grated, baked and even smoked.
- Tempeh: this derivative of yellow soybeans is a food that traces its origin to Indonesia. Its appearance is quite similar to that of some pieces or cuts of meat and, in turn, it is an easily digestible and cholesterol-free food. It can be prepared just like tofu, fried, grilled, sautéed or battered.
- Seitan: is one of the most popular “vegetable meats”, made from wheat gluten. Thanks to its high protein content, its flavor and texture that are very similar to that of meat, it has allowed it to be one of those selected to prepare both fried, stewed or baked recipes.
vegetable croquettes
Ingredients
- 2 cups of lentils or any vegetable of your choice
- 1 cup of cooked rice
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons of flour
- Garlic, parsley, onion and salt to taste
Step by Step:
- The first thing is to prepare a puree with the legumes, to do this, leave them to soak overnight and then boil until they achieve a soft consistency.
- Mash the vegetables with a masher or a spoon until you get a paste.
- Sauté the garlic, onion and parsley in a pan with a little oil, once they are all golden, add the mashed vegetables, the flour and the two eggs.
- Once the mixture is homogeneous, let it cool a bit and with it form the croquettes.
- Give them the final touch either by frying or baking.
Risotto with Mushrooms
Ingredients:
- 300 grams of mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of unsalted butter
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon of pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon of garlic
- 1/2 cups of white wine
- 2 cups of rice for risotto, arborio
- 5 basil leaves
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
Step by Step:
- Soak the mushrooms in a small pot of boiling water for 30 minutes.
- Remove the mushrooms from the water and set aside. Save the mushroom broth and add the chicken broth.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and butter, then add the onions and cook for 10 minutes until translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook it together with the onion for two minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they turn golden brown.
- Add the white wine and cook over high heat until it evaporates, this takes about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and brown it for about 5 minutes.
- Cook the rice added half a cup of broth at a time, stirring constantly with a preferably wooden spoon. When you see that the rice absorbs the broth, add an additional half cup.
- You must repeat this process until the rice is cooked, it can take around 20 minutes.
- Add the Parmesan cheese, serve immediately and above all enjoy.
Tofu with vegetables and nuts
Ingredients:
- 1 leek
- 2 carrots
- 40 grams of Walnut
- 200 grams of Mushroom
- 40 grams of raw almond (without shell)
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Step by Step:
- Cut the leek, grate the carrots and fry in a pan with oil.
- Once they are golden add the almonds and previously cut walnuts.
- When the nuts are roasted, add the sliced mushrooms.
- As a final step, we add the diced tofu, salt and cook everything together for about 5 more minutes.
Baked seitan with potatoes
Ingredients:
- 1 seitan ball of the size you like.
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth.
- 3 potatoes
- Fine herbs, salt and pepper to taste
Step by Step:
- In a previously oiled baking dish, place the cubed potatoes, add salt and an extra splash of oil. Then we bake them for 10 minutes, at a temperature of 200 degrees.
- We mix the soy sauce with the broth, salt, peppers and fine herbs to make our glaze.
- Remove the pan from the oven and add the seitan to the center, coating it with the previously prepared glaze mixture.
- We take it to the oven for 10 minutes, remove it, bathe the seitan and the potatoes with the glaze again and cook for 15 more minutes.
- Once the potatoes are golden, we will have our recipe ready to enjoy.
Vegetarian meat substitutes: a world of possibilities
as you have been able to observe there are multiple vegetarian substitutes for meatto the point that adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet does not mean at all to stop eating dishes whose flavor catches us.
From tofu, through legumes and seitan, there are many alternatives to replace meat that the market offers us today. Quick or elaborate recipes, chopped or main dishes, today taking the step to a diet free of animal meat is a fact, either due to an ethical position, for health reasons or simply because you consider that it is not bad to try it.
Even if your intention is not to stop eating meat altogether, but to expand the options of recipes to prepare in the week, you already know the world of possibilities that the vegetarian / vegan cookbook has to offer you.
Having taken a first walk through the world of meat-free recipes and understanding that the flavors are innumerable, it is worth asking yourself: would you be willing to try alternatives to replace meat?