Name: Easy Vegan Ground Meat
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups (140 g) dry TVP (textured vegetable protein) granules; 1 ½ cups vegan beef broth; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon onion powder; 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or other neutral high-heat oil

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Skip the expensive, highly processed meat alternatives. This simple, budget-friendly vegan ground meat made with TVP uses just 5 ingredients and comes together in 30 minutes. Make a batch for a simple meat sauce, bolognese, or chili, or freeze it to add plant-based protein to a quick weeknight meal later.

Close-up of cooked vegan ground meat and a wooden spoon, showing its crumbly, ground-beef-like texture.

After falling in love with this TVP taco meat, I wanted a version I could use more broadly. Something I could stir into jarred pasta sauce, mix with ground beef to stretch it, or keep on hand for busy nights when we need a quick protein for a rice or noodle bowl. This is that recipe.

Unlike Impossible or Beyond Meat alternatives, which are pricey, high in sodium, and loaded with additives, TVP is a single-ingredient, shelf-stable pantry staple that costs a fraction of the price.

This vegan ground meat has just five ingredients, soaks up whatever flavors you add, and takes just 30 minutes to make a batch that lasts all week. It’s become my go-to for stretching ground meat, making more vegetarian and vegan meals, and adding plant-based protein to our family’s favorite dishes.

If you’re new to textured vegetable protein, my post on how to cook TVP is a great place to start. And if you like this recipe, you’ll also love my hearty vegetarian chili with TVP and high-protein TVP taco meat.

Why you’ll love this

Pantry staples only: TVP, broth, tomato paste, and two spices, plus oil for the pan. No chopping, no fresh produce, so you can make it any night of the week.
Neutral swap for ground beef: It’s savory and well seasoned without leaning toward any one cuisine, so it works in pasta sauce, chili, tacos, or a rice bowl. Use it anywhere you’d use a pound of browned ground beef, or mix the two to stretch your meat further!
Quick, meal-prep-friendly protein: Ready in 30 minutes (10 of which are hands-off while the TVP soaks), it keeps in the fridge and freezes well, so one batch can cover future meals.

Plant-forward perks

Complete protein: TVP granules deliver about 12–13 grams of complete protein per ¼ cup dry, without the saturated fat of ground beef, which makes it a heart-healthier swap.
Boost of fiber: One ½-cup serving of cooked TVP provides 5 grams of dietary fiber, which supports digestive health and helps keep everyone full and satisfied.
Soy-based and minimally processed: TVP is a simple, shelf-stable ingredient that’s been used in plant-based cooking for decades.

Ingredients for vegan ground meat in small bowls: dry TVP granules, vegan beef broth, garlic powder, onion powder, avocado oil and tomato paste.

Ingredients you’ll need

TVP (textured vegetable protein) granules
Vegan beef broth: Sometimes sold as no-beef broth, it gives the TVP a deeper, meatier flavor than vegetable broth.
Tomato paste
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Avocado oil: A high-heat oil helps the TVP brown and crisp up in spots

Substitutions & modifications

Here’s how to make this recipe work—whether you need to swap ingredients, adjust for dietary needs, or want to boost the nutrition even more.

Ingredient Swaps

Oil: Any high-heat, neutral oil works. Avocado, vegetable, canola, or refined coconut oil are all good options.
Vegan beef broth: Vegetable or mushroom broth works too, as well as regular beef broth if you’re not vegan or vegetarian.

Dietary adaptations

Lower sodium: Use reduced-sodium broth and add seasoning to taste at the end, with a salt substitute if desired.

Upgrades

Add extra veggies: After the TVP browns, stir in 1 to 2 cups of finely diced or shredded vegetables, like onion, bell pepper, carrot, zucchini, or mushrooms. Cook until tender (3 to 5 minutes), then add the seasoning mixture.
Add canned beans or lentils: Stir in 1 (15-ounce) can of black beans, pinto beans, or lentils, drained and rinsed, along with the seasoning mixture. Add additional seasoning or salt if needed.

Seasoned vegan ground beef made with TVP in a white skillet, with a wooden spoon resting in the crumbles.

How to use textured vegetable protein meat

Season it for the dish: Whisk extra seasoning into the broth mixture before it goes in the pan. Try this vegan taco seasoning for tacos, Italian seasoning for pasta sauce, or chili powder and cumin for chili.
Stretch ground beef: Brown your ground beef as usual. Transfer it to a bowl, then crisp up the rehydrated TVP in 2 tablespoons of drippings. Stir in the cooked beef and seasoning mixture at the end.
Scale up for meal prep: This recipe makes about 2 ½ cups of vegan ground meat, roughly what you get from browning 1 pound of ground beef. If you want leftovers for later in the week or to freeze some, double it and brown it in two batches.

Helpful tools & equipment

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase (at no additional cost to you). I only link to brands and products I love and use in my own kitchen. Thank you for supporting Plant-Forward Family!

Mixing bowl
Fine mesh strainer
Large, deep skillet
Small bowl or measuring cup
Small whisk

Tips for the best TVP ground beef

Don’t skip the sifting: Shaking the dry TVP through a fine-mesh strainer removes the fine dust that can make it gummy when cooked.
Squeeze out as much water as possible: After soaking, press the TVP firmly in the strainer to remove excess water. The drier it is when it goes into the pan, the better it will brown.
Don’t rush the browning: Cook the TVP undisturbed for 2 minutes between stirs to get a lightly crisp, ground-meat-like texture. Stirring too often hinders browning.
Taste before serving: Broth varies in saltiness and intensity. Taste and adjust salt or seasoning as needed. The flavor should be bold and concentrated.

Step-by-step instructions

Pouring water over dry TVP granules in a white bowl to soak.

Sift TVP; soak for 10 minutes

Whisking vegan beef broth, tomato paste and spices together in a glass measuring cup.

Whisk together the seasoning

Squeezing soaked TVP by hand in a bowl of water to release any bitterness.

Squeeze TVP to release bitterness

Rehydrated TVP granules drained in a fine-mesh strainer.

Drain; press out excess water

Golden, lightly crisp TVP granules browning in a white skillet.

Brown TVP in hot oil, undisturbed

Pouring the broth and tomato paste seasoning mixture over browned TVP in a skillet.

Add seasoning and cook until tender

Serving ideas

Quick meat sauce: Stir it into a jar of marinara, simmer for a few minutes, and serve over pasta.
Chili: Swap it in for ground beef in your favorite chili, or try my hearty vegetarian chili with TVP.
Taco night: This vegan ground meat is great for tacos, burritos, or nachos; my TVP taco meat comes already seasoned with a bold taco spice mix.
Rice or noodle bowls: Spoon it over rice or noodles with some sautéed veggies and your favorite sauce.
More ground beef swaps: Use this vegetarian ground beef in stuffed peppers, lasagna, and sloppy joes as a meat substitute or to stretch your ground beef further.

How to store and reheat TVP vegetarian ground beef

Refrigerator

Store leftover “meat” in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer

This vegan ground beef freezes well. Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet over medium heat, adding 1-2 tablespoons of water or broth to rehydrate if needed.

Reheating

Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth to rehydrate if needed, or microwave until warmed through.