Replacing meat: delicious vegan alternatives

Anyone who follows a vegan diet pays particular attention to animal welfare. Animal products are not on the menu. However, there are many vegans who still love the typical taste of meat. So it's about finding tasty products as replacements.

Simply avoiding steaks, grilled meat, schnitzels and burgers is also a solution. However, with excellent substitute products you can perfectly replace meat so that the enjoyment of eating remains intact. We introduce you to delicious alternatives that pamper the palate and offer the organism everything it needs!

How can you replace meat?

Many plant-based foods are suitable as a base.

The following points are important for good results that meet your expectations:

  • The taste
  • Look
  • consistency
  • ingredients


The taste comes first. Both the basic ingredients and the spices used play an important role here. Animal meats have their own flavor, which is enhanced by the right seasoning when cooking, roasting or grilling.


The typical meat taste is hearty and is often referred to as “ umami ”. The right spices give meat substitute products the real meat taste, so that they can hardly be distinguished from animal meat products.

Vegane Mandu selber machen

The appearance should be appetizing and authentic before and after preparation. The well-known saying “ The eye eats with you ” also applies to vegans. The consistency should also be right. The structure of the vegan meat substitute should be as true to the original as possible. If the consistency is perfect, it creates a pleasant mouthfeel.

Vegan or vegetarian grilled meat tastes really delicious if it not only looks great but is neither too soft nor too firm. You can even convince meat eaters if you serve vegan grilled meat with the optimal consistency!

Knowledge about the ingredients relates to how good the respective substitute product is. We deal with this in particular detail because the basic ingredients differ in several ways.


Suitable vegan substitute products include:

  • Soy for various preparations
  • Wheat for making Seitan
  • All kinds of legumes, particularly good as a meat substitute made from peas
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Grains, seeds, nuts and rice
  • Jackfruit

Interesting facts about meat substitutes

Soybeans are legumes. Many different products can be made from it. Soy serves as a starting point for soy shreds and soy granules, tofu in various variations from silken tofu to smoked tofu and tempeh.

This is a meat substitute product made from fermented soybeans. Other products are also made from soy, such as milk, quark and yoghurt as a vegan alternative to animal products .

Attention : If you suffer from soy intolerance, soy products are unfortunately not allowed on your menu. In this case, it is better to use another vegan substitute product.

Seitan is a classic meat substitute product . You can make Seitan yourself, buy it as a semi-finished or finished product. Seitan is the gluten contained in wheat flour. The only disadvantage is that Seitan is not suitable for people with gluten intolerance. Otherwise, Seitan can be processed into schnitzels, goulash and many other vegan meat substitute products .

Among the legumes, peas are particularly suitable when it comes to vegan substitute products . Peas, but also all kinds of beans, are high-quality vegan protein sources.

A meat substitute made from peas is a basic component of a complete, balanced diet. Sweet lupins are also legumes.

Fleisch ersetzen

Vegan meat substitutes have many benefits

If you want to replace meat , several factors are important to you. You probably chose a vegan diet because the welfare of animals is particularly important to you. No wonder, because animals that are kept for later consumption rarely live in favorable conditions. Even with animal-friendly housing with sufficient exercise, good food and no antibiotics, the living conditions are sometimes not the best. In factory farming, the legal regulations can be clear, but the reality is often completely different. Animal suffering is also evident during transport and in the slaughterhouse.

In addition, animal husbandry produces large amounts of CO₂ emissions . Anyone who chooses meat substitute products makes a significant contribution to protecting the environment. Another point is that animal nutrition requires large amounts of grains and soy. The same amount of animal feed can be used to feed a significantly larger number of people. Plant-based foods do not have to go through the animal before they end up on the plate. Legumes, grains and vegetables can be used to create wonderful dishes that fully satisfy your desire for tasty, balanced food!

Of course, the positive effect on health is also important. Excessive consumption of meat is responsible for many diseases. If you want to take your health and that of your family into consideration, you are on the safe side with meat substitute products. With a low fat content, vegan products are well suited for people with fat intolerance , for example. In addition, vegan meat substitute products only contain vegetable fats and oils, which are usually better tolerated by people with fat intolerance.

Meat substitute products for vegans

Diets are now so diverse that foods and products are available for every lifestyle. Vegetarians can safely enjoy vegetarian grilled meat and also discover other products with vegan protein sources. Whether schnitzel, meatballs or peppers stuffed with vegan mince , all carnal desires will be fulfilled!

A very large group are the flexitarians. With this diet you can basically eat anything. The focus is on variety, and a clear emphasis is on vegan or vegetarian. High-quality products that ensure complete nutrition are particularly important. In practice this means: When it comes to pork , veal, beef or poultry, nutrition-conscious people pay close attention to the origin. And substitute products are increasingly replacing the original because the taste leaves nothing to be desired.

Maybe you have omnivores in your family or circle of friends who insist on a daily meat ration. Instead of constant discussions and arguments in favor of a vegan diet, it's worth giving it a practical try by using good meat substitute products. You should just clarify beforehand in an innocuous conversation whether there are any specific intolerances. Otherwise, soy, gluten and nuts could lead to allergic reactions.

Vegan meat replacement

Vegan meat substitutes in the kitchen

First of all : You don't have to miss out on anything. Almost every meat product can now be recreated so well that it can hardly be distinguished from the original. If you need something quick, just use Greenforce products. You can find them in the extensive range. With the Happy Meat Box you get everything for vegan schnitzel, burgers, gyros, nuggets, cevapcici, mince, meatballs, köttbullar and bratwurst. All products are free of soy, preservatives and flavor enhancers. And of course without any animal suffering!

If you would like to try out individual products, there is a wide range of easy to mix products available. Gluten-free substitute products are also in the program.

Do you like to experiment, test new recipes and are open to ingredients that at first glance have nothing to do with meat? The vegan diet and the methods of preparation offer you a wide range of options. Have you ever thought about how to make vegan mince yourself ? There are several ways to do this, all of which are quick and easy.
You simply soak sunflower seeds in vegetable broth. Then drain in the sieve and squeeze out the remaining liquid well with an upturned soup ladle, and you can then use the seeds as a substitute for chopping.

A mixture of kidney beans and oat flakes also works very well. Canned beans already contain the moisture necessary for the ingredients to stick together well. You can use ground linseed soaked in water as an additional binding agent. Flaxseeds swell and serve as an egg substitute.

Lentils are also suitable instead of kidney beans. For plant-based patties with a minced consistency, brown or black lentils are ideal, either canned or cooked yourself. Red lentils and chickpeas are further options if you want to make your own vegan mince.

It tastes best when seasoned well!

All preparations with vegan mince benefit from the right spices. You can give your dishes an oriental touch, use Mediterranean spices or use spices that give an Asian flavor. Various vegetables, finely grated, finely diced onions, boiled potatoes, cooked rice or oat flakes also enrich the minced mixture in a variety of ways.

Vegan Mett made from rice cakes: If you love Mett rolls, vegan Mett is the perfect alternative. The hearty bread topping is originally made from minced pork. For the vegan version you need rice cakes that are soaked in water in a ratio of 1:3. Then add tomato paste, finely chopped onions, salt, pepper and a dash of olive oil. Mix everything well and let it sit for a day, and then you can enjoy your vegan Mett on a crusty roll.

Replacing meat without compromising the taste is easier than you think - either with the great products from Greenforce or with a little experimentation in your own kitchen!